The Lincoln County herald., 1868-05-21
Sir Walter Sestt's First Love.

Sir Walter Scstt's First Love.
For some time after no had begun to asso.
ciate exclusively with the members Of tho
Club and the Speculative Society, Scott
continued to Be a. careless, not to say
slovenly, In his attire, 40 ho used to be
when school boy and writer's appren.
tice. All at once bis habits changed in
this respect, and b, became we'll dressed
youag mana squire, 40 his companions
pronounced him, of danes. He had fal.
len in love with q young lady whom be-
encountered at the churah door, and con.
veycd to her owu home, sheltered from
the rain by bis own umbrella. His fam
iiy and hers were not on any terms Of in.
timacy. Mr.. Scott happened, indeed, to
bs her fathers solicitor; but tho man Of
business did not pretead-probabiy, did
not desire, to DO rcckoned among the fa-
miliars Of his client. Indeed, 80 honor.
ably sensitive on that head was tho writer,
that he no sooner observed how matters
wore tending with the young people, thcn
hc considered bound to put the iady's fa-
ther on his guard. The warning was we'll
received and made light Of, and the ac.
quaintance went on, more especially as
young Scott made his way, US he soon
after did, into the set Of which tho young
lady's brother was q member. Hence il
came to pass that he met the young lady
frequently, not in Edinburg, only, but in
her own and other country houses, and
that she, being addicted to poetry aud
romance, received him frankly and kindly
as often ar lie came.
This sort Of intimacy was kept up for
years, throughout tho whole interval, in.
deed, between 1902 and 1906; and Scott
regarding it as he regarded all things
else, through the medium of his own i'm.
agination, Aattered himself that his pas.
sions were rcciprocated. No word es-
capped him, however, to the lady herself,
either in conversation or writing, indica.
tive Of tho state Of his own feelings. He
rcsembled in this respect the most bash.
full Of the bashful lovers descr, bed in his
novels. Hc told his secret to many Of his
friends, and among others to Miss earns.
toun, afterward Countess Of Purgstall,
but to the object Of his devotion be said
nothing. It is worthy Of remark, how
ever, that neither the passion itself, nor
the secrecy IN which il was nourished, ex.
cited the slightest untoward influence
over his character. As first.love 10 apt
to do with such as him, it deepened In
him the poetic temperament; but it made
him neither less industrious nor less
manly.
Thus far the tide of fortune may be
said to have rolled with steady current
in Scott's favor. He was in fair practice
at the bar, considering his age and stand.
ing. The advocates had appointed him
one Of their Librarians. He was rapidly
establishing a good name as man Of 20.
MUS and great research. lie was about
to experience his 6rst sorrow, and il was
bitter one. Encouraged in part by the
success Of his translation, in part by the
partial assurances of his friend, Miss
Cranstoun, he made up his mind to toll
his tale Of love and finding himself un,
der the samc roof with the object Of his
affections, he bcsought her to civc him
her heart, and was rejected. She had no
heart to give. Another had it in his
keeping, and he Vas one Of Walters dear.
est friends. IL would DO ungcucrous, if
it were possible, to depict bis feelings on
tlat occasion. This much, however, we
ore bound to say: that he over mastered
them with power Of which is marvel
Gus and carrying in his soul . grief which
never died, he never allowed it-no, not
oven for day-to stand between him and
tho manly exercise Of his faculties. He
quilted the house, made his way into
Perthshire, and threw himself, with ap-
parently increased zeal, into the research.
Q, which wero to him at once business aud
recreation, while, strange to cay only
one short poem by his hand survives to
tell that such an incident ever bsfsll him.
There is, however, no doubt that there
are traces Of her in the hcroinss Of the
"Lay," "Rekeby," and "Redgauutlet." -
London Quarterly review.