The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-08-19
SIR WALTER SCOTT.
BY JOHN SINCLAIR.

often met Sir Walter Scott at private
parties, and also at the Royal Society's
Club, of which he was for some time Presi-
dent, while | resided at Edinburgh. 1t
appeared to me that, although he told
stories inmitably well, he was not so great
an acquisition in general society as might
have been expected; for when he finished
a story few had the courage to begin an
other-hardly any one would have been
listened to; and thus he often had no alter
native but either to let the conversation
drop, or relate a secondotory, and a third,
throughout the evening. was sometimes
reminded of the discouraging speech ad
dressed by German to his next neighbor,
when DR.. johnson was one of the company:
"Wait a moment, sir; l think that DR..
johnson is about to speak"
My sister Catherine saw Sir Walter to
much greater advantage than did. She
was on terms of intimacy with Lady Scott,
as we'll as with her daughters, Anne Scott
and Mrs. Lockhart, and frequently paid
long visits to the family, both when they
were alone and when they had company at
Abbotsford. She often expressed astonish-
ment that Sir Walter, amidst his numerous
occupations as country gentleman, should
find time for authorship. His farm, his gar
dens, and his plantations, which he spent
hours in pruning and cutting down; his
meals, which he always prolonged with
pleasant conversations; and his newspapers
and periodicals, etc.-for he was always we'll
acquainted with the topics of the day.
seemed scarcely to leave him any interval
for literary labor. But" says my sister,
"he wrote fast, and could compose chap
ter while cutting down a tree"
Lady Scott, knowing we'll what was
thought of her husbands works, some
times ventured to speak of them in dis
paraging terms. She would say: elf
want an evening dress, or an ornament for
my drawing room, l have only to make
Walter write some of his nonsense; and
can then order it at once
can only give a few specimens of Sir
w alter taDle talk:
"While was travelling in the London
mail with my friend John Clerk, of Eldin,
clever bagman got in, and gave us some
exceedingly humorous accounts of his ad-
ventures. Clerk became jealous of him,
and tried to outshine him, but made moth
ing of it. At last, in desperation, he told
his best story, but the bagman trumped it.
In this extremity Clerk determined to get
out at York, which was the next stage. l
had my choice: thought the bagman was
the better companion of the two; so went
on with the MALL
"The Prince Regent asked DR.. Gregory
what was the longest sederumt after dinner
that he had ever heard of on credible au
thority. The doctor said: 'The longest
know of is that of learned Scottish judge,
Lord Newton. A gentleman called at his
house in York Place, Edinburgh, at a late
hour, and was informed that his lordship
was at dinner. Next day the same gentle
man called at an early hour, and being
again informed that the judge was at din
ner, expressed surprise that the dinner of
that day should be so much earlier than
the dinner of the day before 1t is the
very same dinner replied the servant;
'his lordship has not risen from table, ~
When Mr.. Lockhart was appointed edi-
tor of the Quarterly, Sir Walter, while re-
,joicing at his promotion. keenly felt the
loss which the family circle would sustain;
and could not make up his mind whether
to accept congratulations or condolences.
farewell banquet. Sir Walter was pres
ent, and on his health being proposed, rose
with some emotion to return thanks
After few common places, he proceeded:
az intend on this occasion, as on many
others, to escape from difficulty by relat
ing story. A Highland chief being in
formed that one of his neighbors had lost
his wife, sent for his clerk, and began to
dictate letter suitable to the melancholy
event. The chief walked up and down the
room, and the clerk repeated his words in
an under tone. The Chief began: My
dear Sir the clerk repeated, MY dear
SIR Il beg leave l beg leave;;' 'to con-
graduate you on the death of your be
loved wife Here the clerk interrupted
him: Sir, since she was belooed wife,
would not the proper word be condole rather
than congratuldte'' The chief took sew
eral turns, mutterng to himself, Cor
gratulate,' condole;' 'condole, 'congrat-
ulate;' and then concluded, they are syn
onymous terms; leave the words as have
given them" Sir Walter then concluded
Gentlemen, in my present divided state
of feeling, have been running over the
changes of condole, congratulate con
graduate, condnle till | am as much per
picked as the Highland chief himself, and