New-York tribune., 1871-08-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

&Co.
In accordap.c with the habitual tendencies of the
authors striies and tastes the new life OF Sir wal
fer Scott las a strongly marked literary and biblio
gaphicd character, although it does not fail to do
ustic to the social and practical traits which gave
No hilliant a coorng to his illustrious career. Dr.
Mackenzie. Of course, derives the most valuable
materials for his work from LOCkhart's Coplous ana
pathetic biography hut he has enriched his narra-
five with many new incidents aud anecdotes some
IF which the fruits of his personal experience
His conception of Sir Walter Scots characters Just
and appreCiatve. He often dwells upon certain
features of which little account has been hitherto
made showing intimate study of the subject that
has been prompted by affection and guided by
sagacity. Here is an instance which occurs Ill TIC
early part of the volume.
This gifted man WAS distinguished as much tor hls
amiable character and unaffected manners a. iof ms
great genius lie was charitable wtRon' & Hs1@ "f
the gift He often did hLdnesses whlch ocGuiTu ris NE
upon h.m 1t was TX desire to i've in charity with all
men; and he passed through life without 5int.e pvi
sonai quarrel He everavoided what Il called a paper
war" aHd when severely dealt win 10y Ihe critics
(which often, did not challenge tne DTIoi' @
but, If he that IL was correct ueSsU' iue.!
tered the edition whatever had been eohuenheG,
and took care not again to RI run Ip ke o e ound H m
was courteous as well as candid, ana; IN pointing oGi
faults rather suggested than reprOved He noticed all
fhe good points work. aud quoted the finest passages
The following incidental allusion to Of Scott's
personal habits affords agreeable example of the
manner in which Dr. Mackenzie interweaves into the
ordinary tissue of biography the literary recollec-
tons of which his mind seems to be an inexhaustible
stOrehOuse.
have heard poets-ay, and some great ones read
their own compositions; and confess that wished
other persons had done it, To hear Coerdge, with
hafoosed eyes, and measured, sing-song ntonatIOn
4 1,,2;5 's.qs5'; 4, Al G g,s,oe, ag;, ' ,. disA'
strange than agreeable: for might have
smiled had any but the author of the meiOdiCus and
cxquistely-tender lines uttered them. southey
would square his elbows, and if YOU asked him Gor he
ChaTy in presenting his illusions even % private
''T6aa6a," evidently without exhibiting any the
thOr's prOverbal selfappreciaton Wordsworth ON the
other hand read his compositions as If his desire was TO
the listener believe that they ordinary prose
Moore, whose musical utcrance Of his own lyrics sub
aued ms listeners INTO silence ana tears W4uu Ieut t
them in a see-saw manner as If he were ashamed OF
them, aud desired to get rld OF the taSkW0Ik ana Ip
INTO DeaEeT W cha9uaehe. LoNtr NVlu ""lpS i, , LIE
songs like brdOnly too palpahy Initiating, without
catching, MOOre's and tenderness but when he
tred 70 re0d thtn, MS mohOtOny was htuih,Ioy; -!
have heard from those who knew him we'll always
preferred thh others should read his poetry, knowing
that his own way OF DONG II was me IeNeItt oI -uou
Charles Dickens, whose prose often was poetry read
was exhibited to a great degree in his case: he read
with fine disdan for the practced professional eocu-
INK separate and distinct action with every word. |
heard Walter scott repeat few lines OF hls own com
he acceutuated the words and failed to bring out
fle fun meaning Of the passage once also heard him
repeat with infinite feeling and effect few from
one OF the old ballads which he loved so we'll 10 the
poetry Of others De could do justice and did.
Scott, as is well known, was huge devourer Of
books in his early years BY the time he left
the university he had read more in the English
Language than most men accomplish during long
life His reading had been deSultOTy, and without
proper direction, but il had filed his mind with
rich variety of information, which his slnRularly
tenacious memory never suffered him to forget. lie
was decent Latin scholar, but knew little OF Greek
TO which he had rather an aversion he wrote ana
read French with ease, though he spoke 1t
after a manner of his own, defyng grammar
and idiom with rare nonchalance. OF his in
ability TO speak French huently, DR.. Mac
kcnzie quotes story from Lockhart who says
that some of the 'courtiers of Charles y. visited
Abbotsford after that unfortunate prince had been
compelled in $780, 10 seek. second time, an asylum
in Holyrood Palace Edinburgh As one two of
his guests did not understand English, Scott made
an effort 10 converse with them in their own Ian
guage after the champagne and burgundy had been
passing briskly around the table. Next morning,
LOckhart was amused with the expression OF one OF
the party whO auding to the class OF reading tine
ancient chronicles with which Sir Walter seemed to
have chiefly occupied himself said, Mon Dleu!
CONNIE il esropiait entire deux wins lie FRANCOIS dn
bon Sire de Joiuvlle? They had cause to wonder at
the manner in which the author of Quentin Dur
ward had manged le5tr0pait the stately French of
lie Joinvile who wrote and fought COO years ago.
Apropos of this, DR.. Mackenzie relates a curious
inecdote Of Lord Brougham which is now printed
for the first time.
In or about the year 1919, h lordslp, who long had
"n the exou and dcfexion light before that learned
iody in Paris Ftv years before, be had distinguished
himself 10y phosop phicdi esearehes upon the same sub
iect He read his ESSAY, written in French, with cOnsd
dit.oHsl notes and comments Next morning a gentle
man, who frequently gave clerical assistance TO the
time TO the residence Of NJ Arago of note in Paris
that time who had also invited the English noble 70
dfjeiuer After examining the documents which he had
desired see. stranger took the liberty Of saying,
MAJ ask what sort OF French did you hear last night
lord Brougham piUues himself speaking at least
Vel as Parsan" NJ Arago paused for little space,
Corueilc might .ay Of Mtzeray the historian. 1t is
what one would call o;fashoned 1t Is 50 grammatical
and formal that one KNOWS &t once tha Wis Aot Ol
tanned In this generation. My Lord Broughan must
have learned it from some very aged French person:
This true 10 the letter After ne KeE 9i i d'os
several Of emgrant nobility OF France resolved 10 re
ce in ie, ie~ VINO ,o6e I Recanse the cheap
living there of importance 70 them Such Oh
to Obtain subsistence noble OF tie old reg,He ancient
IN years and with an enormously long PeHigree as hs
the popular language of Europe, ana taught mn the
French stately ana meIsuieu % 'U V- Vi Iii ava a @ s
plained TO W AragO he smiled IL appreciation OF ms own
-hrewduess ana Hve minutes after when most OF the
guests had arrived might be- beard literally compliment
ing LORD Brou CHAM the excellence OF his composition
ING win the observation that some OF the distinguished
audience Of the previous evening had believed with DIM
Guilty chat his iOrdship not a Frenchman. scott
yyO had picked up her than learned what French ne
knew pronounced "aftcr the manner Of stratiOrde
ie Bow and assuredly could never have been cOinpl-
neuted his Parisan or even his ProyenGm accent In
ts respect however he siLued in good company; Tor
Charles James Fox, though he wrote ana spOhe ffenc
with ease insisted giving II an English prouuncldtOn
calling Bordeaux" Burdlr, FOR example
The first acquaintance of the author with Sir
Walter is described in a. few graphic paragraphs,
which will often be recurred to as among the most
novel and interesting portions of the volume.
II had 10 my KNOWLEDGE that on certain evening