Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-03-05
For the Standard.
LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT,

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neither nor less than Processes to be true
biography of Sir Walter Scott for general circna-
ton,' and SUCH admirably supplies the place of
Lockhart's Interesting but diffuse work. Among
the numerous admirers of the WaVerly Novels, COM
paratvely few baye sufficient patience TO undertake
volumes of the sayings and dongs, letters and
journals of the i. Great Unknown" though many
would gladly read one. To those we recommend
Mr.. MacLeou's Life as containing of the inter-
esting be found in Lockhars. 1t is filled
with anecdotes and pictures of The everyday life of
Sir Walter and his family, told in easy flowing
style, and dues ample justice TO him in his public
we'll private character. To the most striking
characteristic OF this great man was his perfect sim
pcity Of mind, and the absence of all vanity with
regard his literary productions; in this he pos
| sessed decided advantage over his contemporary,
! and brother poet Lord Byron, yet cannot regret
the exceeding sensitlveness of the latter, when We
remember that it gave US the - English Bards and
The Scotch Reviewers" Byron wToie for lame, and
was provoked when he did receive what he
thought be his s. just need of it. Scott, the
contrary, wrote con amore and published Tor mon
ey, and his careessness about the tate of his works
after the copy right had been sold was real, and not
affected to conceal the interest he felt in them. Even
In the height of his reputation his children had
idea of the of his distinction. His eldest
dau lighter being asked how she liked the Lady of
the Lake, replied, :. Oh 1 have read it-Papa
thinks there is nothing injurious 10 young persons
reading bad poetry" She had read none of his
works at the age of eighteen, for Sir " alter In
knowiedging the receipt OF an American miniature
sent. her, says, " have now to thank you in So
phia's tor the kind attention which furnished
her with the American volumes. AM not quite
that can add my own, since you have made her
quaine6 with much more of papa's Jolly than she
would otherwise have learned /; for have taken spe
cia they should never any of these things
during their earlier years.. Until late In life he
er, except 10 his Intimate friends, admitted that he
was the author of the WaVerly Novels. Several
good anecdotes told by Macleod Of the skiIful
way in which he euded all attempts TO force him to
confess them. On one occasion he was dining with
the Prince Regent, who proposed after dinner ga
bumper with all the honoTs TO the author of aveey,"
and charged his own glass with significant look al
Scott. The latter looked puzzled fer moment, but
soon recovered himself and said, our Roya high
ness looks if you thought had some claims to the
honor of this toast. have such professions, but
will take that the real Simon Pure hears of the
high compliment which has now been paid him. He
drank off The caret and cheered Ioud any
one. Those of his friends who not in his
confidence, yet knew him TO be certainly the author,
often attempted by ~king him TO get him to acknowl-
edge them, but invariably failed do so; and those
10 whom he intrusted his secret equally care
full not 10 betTay IL.
lone day on his return from walk, he found Mrs.
Scott doing the amiable for lawyer, and an Unta-
Tlan minister from New England tall, lanky young
men they. both rugged out in jackets and
trousers Of Macgregor tartan. They had amiably
shared the ladys luncheon, had enquired SCOTS age
and her own, and had popped her answers down in
their books before her eyes. She supposed
they had letters and when her husbands appear
ance they began 10 compliment him. she interrupted
them suggest the production Of their credentials.
They had none. Then Scott said that his dinner
hour at hand and that they probably nten Sed
TO walk to Melrose Abbey he would not trespass on
their time any longer. WhereupoD the tall ldnkey
young men vanished, new jackets of Macgregor tar
tan, trousers, MOTEL books and all. But were
they of than the kind cart repenIed. - Hang The
Yahoos, Charlouee,' said he, - but should have
bid them stay TO dinner" Devil bit my DEAR"
said Capt. John Ferguson, who mad been assisting
Mrs. Scott to entertain the guests they quite
in mistake could see. The one asked Madame
whether she designed to call her new house FULLY
Veolan Tullytudlem; and the other, when Mazda
happened to lay his nose against the window, ex-
claimed, 40 Pro-dg ous D In short they evidently
meant all their humbug for you, but for the cul-
pr of Waverly and the rest of that there rubbish"
- ell, well Skipper" Scott answered., for all that
the looms would have been none the waur their kali
S1ch intrusons on his domestic privacy must have
been very annoying to person 50 free from literary
vanity Yet while in the greatest distress and most
in need of uninterrupted labor, he constantly
peslered BY stupid lion-huners, who bored him from
morning until night His Sonderful genius can
only be properly appreciated by knowledge of the
circumstances under which he prepared the greater
part Of his works Tor publication. While performing
all the duties pertaining to his offices of Sheriff and
Clerk of session. attending 10 his estate at Ab6otsford
like any o.he country gentlemen, and constantly in
teTruPed, only by such llonhunteTs as described
above, but by succession of nelli gent visitors who
only received but gave pleasure; he yet found
time, without being absent from his visitors than
other host. TO write in year, The Bride of
Lammer-moor,'' I" The Legend of Montrose " and
Ivanhoe." Overwhelmed with debt in which he
had oeen involved. not by his extravaganza, but
theicaeessness of others, bowed down disease and
deep alction he gave 10 The world Napoleons Life,
Anne of Gerstein - and the Fair Maid of PERTH"
In his journal he says Feb 18th ended the second
volume of Woodstock last night began the third this
morning. Now have not the slightest idea how
the story is TO be wound up 10 catastrophe, never
could lay down plan. or having laid it down. never
could adhere to it, He used to write a chapter of
this novel in hand before breakfast, and it
next morning at the same hour, without giving it
thought except during the time he dressing he
often amused dt the critics distinguishing certain
passages as labored, whchkhis pen had glided
rapidly possible, and his eyes glanced
until he saw them in proof. Yet he always con-
demned this .. hab nab at venture" style perous
and one which young authors should not initiate.
Count Robert of Paris - and IS Castle Dangerous
both composed after he had had stroke
of paralysis, which SO impaired his mind and body
that his friends begged him to desist from writing,
but the habit was one he could not give up: he
said, Molly mis- ht we'll put the kettle the fire
and say f. nOO don't boil - his friends bid him not
work - so employing one of them amanuensis
he struggled bravely that he might die free from
debt; and at his death had two novels in pro-
9ress.
None of his children seem TO have inherited any,
thing like his genius of the four who survived him
living, and the only descendant of this
Wizard of the North - are two grandchildren, the
offspring Of his daughter Mrs. Lockhart, who seems
more to have resembled him than any of the others.
She and his son Charles, according to Washington
e r