Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-15

the pleasure OF seeing IOuAan1C sOoneAy J,
or, what afforded me at least equal
pleasure, the places which had
been distinguished by remarkable histori-
cal events" Thus in his youth he was
accommodating the rich treasure to be ex-
pended in the grand work of future years.
In 1856 he was articled as an apprentice
to his father, and served as a clerk in the
paternal Office until 1892, when he was
admitted to the bar. The vocation of a
ccryist involved more or less disagreeable
dIIdgery, but it furnished him little
pocket money which he generally spent
for book or rare coin, and left him suf-
ficient time to pursue his reading and his
rambles. Among his literary purchases al
this period was a collection of Meikle's
poetry, and the ballad of "Cumnor Hall
seemed to strike him with peculiar force.
A friend says: "After the lsbors of the
day were over, we often walked in the
Meadows fashionable resort themes
pecially in the moonlight nights, and
Scott was never weary of repeating this
stanZa: 80.
The dews of summer light did fall
The moon, sweet regeut OF the sky,
Silvered the walls of Cumnor hall,
And many an oak that grew thereby
From these four lines came the ides
which finally blossomed into 'tKenil-
worth"
Lockhart draws the following pleasing
picture of Scott in his prime: His fig.
ure, except the blemish in one limb, must,
in those days, have been eminently hand
some; tall much above the usual standard,
it was cast in the very mould of young
Hercules-the head set on with singu.
lar grace, the throat and chest after
the purest model of the antique, the
hands delicately finished, the whole out.
line that of extraordinary vigor, without
as yet touch of clumsiness. have
heard him in talking of this part of his
life, say with an arch simplicity of look
and tone, 'Tt was proud night for ne
when first found that pretty young
woman could think it worth her while to
sit and talk with me hour after hour in
the corner of the ball room, while all the
world were capering in our View."
Shortly after marriage, SCOTS life de-
veloped into one of entire literary labor,
though he had formerly met with fair
success as a lawyer. From an admirable
sketch of our subject we learn that as
early as 1896 he published an excellent
translation of Burgers ballads, 'Lenore''
and the "Wild Huntsmsn," which gave
him considerable reputation among liter
airy circles; and these he followed with q
translation of one of Goethe's minor dra-
mas. "Glenfinlas," the "Eve of ST.
john" and the ''Grey Brother" were his
first original publications, and after sup.
plementing them with three volumes of
Border MInstrelsy, he published in 1905
the clay of the Last Minstrel" It is not
too much to say that this now familiar
poem was received with a shout of ap-
plause throughout the United Kingdom,
and Scott became at once the most famous
literary man of his day. The next ten
years saw the production of the remainder
of his poeticsl works, but the last OF these,
the ''Lord of the Isles" was so decidedly
inferior to its predecessors that i; was
pronounced comparative failure even by
the most lenient critics. The author was
fully conscious of this inferiority, and
aware, moreover, that he had not only ex-
hsusted his talent in that direction, but
that new poet had arisen to which he
could bear no comparison. Scott
recognized the splendor of Byrou's
genius from the outset, and making
no attempt TO confront such a rival, he
turned his attention elsewhere, and
carved out for himself niche in Fame's
temple where he is likely to stand unchal-
lenged TO the end. AS early as 1914, he
had put forth anonymously the novel of
"Waverly, and finding from the cordial
welcome which greeted it that he had
struck the right vein, he presented one
after another of those charming books
with which his name is now indissolubly
associated. To clown his happiness, in 1920
he was madea baronet, and though the title
could confer no honor on such a man as
he, yet it was a recognition of which he
was always particularly proud. Out of
this clear sky, radiant with heavens sun
shine, the bolt fell, and Scott awoke one
morning to find himself bankrupt with
$500, 900 hanging over him. The printing
house of Ballantyne & Co., of which he
was partner, had failed, and he was
swept into and engulfed in the ruin.
Now it was that the pure gold which
was in the man shone out. He did
not sit down, fold his hands and
weep, but faced misfortune with
unblanching courage and resolute purpose.
Declining to make any compromise with
his creditors, he declared that ''God grant
ing him time and health, he would owe
no man a penny" Abandoning Abbots-
ford, where his wife lay dying, he hired
lodgings in Edinburgh, and when
she had gone, he drowned sorrow
in work. In two years he made with his
pen alone 5000, 900, and could he have
stood the strain, it is probable that he
would soon have wiped out all of his
But nature is memorable,
and Scott could not avoid her penalty.
In 1880 he was struck with paralysis, and
never fully recovered from it. The British
government placed frigate at his disposal
for voyage up the Mediterranean, but
the trip was of little service, and he re-
turned home to die.
On the 21st of September, 1882, he
died, surrounded by all his children. SIT
was" says his son-in-lsw and biogrspher,