The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-12
Anecdotes OF Sir Walter colt.

["Some Cid Letters" in Scribner's fC
March, are accompanied by hitherto unput
lished life-sketch Of Sir Walter Scott, by tn
celebrated artist Gilbert Stuart Newton. /
this installment of "Old Letters" we find To
following anecdotes Of the author Of "Ws
verley:'l
cat half-past six we went to din
with the Fergussons. The doctor wa
quite ill with cold Sir Adam Fergus
son. Sir Walter Scott's intimate an,
confidential friend. dined there our
selves, Mrs. L., and one of her daugh
ters.
"We had a very charming dinner. TO
Sir Adam has the most marvellous pow
ers of description. He made us laugl
heartily, and told us, too, a great man.
| interesting anecdotes about Sir Waite
Scott. He is a very remarkable persoI
himself. He is the original of DugalC
Dalgetty." This is all find in the ole
letters about the dinner, but must tel
what I can recollect of the account
Mrs. X. gave me in later years, Sil
Adam, she said, was tall, gray-haired
man, with broad Scotch accent. He
| described how one early morning, in
| Sir Walter Scott's library, when he and
| Sir Walter tried to make the fire of peat
| burn, and, after many efforts, succeeded
in some degree. At this moment one
of the dogs, dripping from plunge in
the lake, scratched and whined at the
window. At last Sir Walter let the
"puir creature" in, who, coming up
before the little fire, shock his shaggy
hide, sending a perfect shower bath
over the fire and over great table of
loose manuscripts. Sir Walter, cycling
the scane with his usual serenity, said,
slowly: "Oh dear, you've done great
deal of mischief" 1t reminds us of
the tale related of Newton. On this
same occasion of the dinner, Sir Adam
Ferguson told of travelling with Sir
Walter on the continent and going to
see the troops on donkeys, and he per
formed both donkeys and riders with
his fingers on the table until his audi
ence was in an agony of laughter.
ferguson passed the evening with
us, and we had some music. I asked
him, as he was so fond of listening, if
he didn't sing a little himself. I'll
tell yOu an auecdote of Sir Walter
Scott said he, that will answer your
question. One night, when I was stay
ing at Abbotsford, Annie Scott had
been singing to the accompaniment of
her harp Scotch ballad with a wall for
the chorus. Sir Walter turned to me,
saving in a strong Scotch scceut:
" Moo, Ferguson, gle us howl ,"
"'Duripg one of my visits there,
continued DIR. Fergus on, 'among other
guests was Hogg, "Ettrick Shepherd"
l heard horrible noise in an adjoin
ing room, and, after listening some
moments TO il, became alarmed, and
said to my host: "What is that ( oise p
" Oh said he, "it's Hogg-just Hogg
composing his verses. He always sings
them as he writes them"
"TbouRh he liked some rude strains,
Scott could we'll attune his ear to softer
music. and was very fond of Moore
song Y. sings, that ends:
g Short as the Persian's prayer, his prayer at
close of day,
Should be each voS of loves repeating.
Quick let him worship beautys precious ray,
Zen while he kneels that ray is fleeting.'
He used to say, Come X let me
have that Persian's prayer and he
would listen with great delight to the
singing of it.
"They recalle l an amusing atory of
an old servant who had lived with Scott
for nearly a lifetime, and became very
much spoiled. Sir Walter at last, out
of patience with his sins of omission,
said
Donald, I think we must part.
Part why? Where's your honor
going?'
"Of course peace was made, and
Donald remained.
"They told sadly of the dear old
man returning from Italy (where he
went for his health), with his memory
Mrs. Arkwright, who had
set his Pirates Farewell to Miuna to
music, sang it to him. Those are very
pretty verses, said Sir Walter. who
wrote tbem?'
"Chsrles Scott, Sir Walters second |
son, is a very clever, agreeable man. ]
see a good deal of him at the Lock
harts', here and elsewhere. Sir Walter |
was most proud of his eldest son Wal
ter, who is rather a dull fellow, but |
large and fne-looking. His father
used to say that it was enough if a boy |
knew how to ride ard speak the truth; !
those were the most important things. |
Charles Scott mode me laugh about |
the visitors at Sir Walters house and |
Melrose Abbey. See the Abbey by
they must, because of the
ines:
"'If thou would st view fair Melrose Alright, |
Go visit it by the pale moonlight"
"And many time, said Charles
Scott, when the moon WIS not con-
took lantern to produce the
effect"
Modern Statuary.