The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-01-29
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
SIR WALTER SCOTT AND PREsBYTE-
RIANISM.
BY R. R. h.


His novel, styled "Old Mortality" was
first published in 1916, but the strange and
admirable old Presbyterian whose title gave
the name to this book was not fully intro
duced to the public until 1929 His real
name was Robert Paterson. There is some
thing not merely interesting, but touching
to our better feelings in the idea of this hon.
est old Covenanter who, though in circum-
stances beyond the reach of want, wandered
through Scotland like q Palmer of old,
dressed in large old fashioned coat of the
cloth called hOddin,grey, with wsistcoat and
breeches of the same, strong clouted shoes
studded with hob.nails, and grGmOcheS or
Ieggins made of thick black cloth. His pony,
the companion of his journeys, showed by
his extreme whiteness as we'll IS his project
iag bones and hollow eyes, that bis age cor
responded ceteris paribas, with his masters.
The pony was harneSsed with a pair of
brsnks, hair tether or halter, and cushion
of straw, instead of bride and saddle, and
around his neck was hung canvas pouch
containing the riders tools and simple pro-
visions. Thus prepared, "Old Mortality"
rode from graveyard to graveyard where
rested the remains of the Slaughtered Pres
byterisus" who had fallen during the inku-
man prosecutions under Charles II. and his
brother. Leaving his pony to feed among
the graves, the old man busted himself with
mallet and chisel in deepening the letters of
the inscriptions, which often announced in
scriptural language the promised blessings
of futurity to be the lot of the slain, and
sometimes mathematical their murderers.
When his work was done at one place, the
old pilgrim journeyed to another, and thus
he continued his piOus tasks to the last day
Of his life which was the 18th of February,
1901, in the eighty,sixth year of his age.
There was certainly nothing in the intro
duction of this most excellent and venerable
old man that indicated, in the author, any
thing of prejudice against PreSbyterianism,
And when we look at the portraits of
Presbyterians Sbewn to uS in the novel itself,
and view them-not through the medium of
preiudice-but in the light of the times and
of cotemporary history, we are compelled to
acknowledge that they are faithful portraits,
and therefore, however little they may be
adapted to our taste, We cannot censure the
artist. Walter Scott, though possessing some
of the highest powers of the imaginative
faculty, had thoroughly honest mind. His
novels and romances though called aorEs Of
fiction, are the truest histories of the times
they deal with that have ever been written.
And hence Macaulay has we'll said that when
history comes to be written as it should be,
we will not have to read the pages of Lord
Clarendon for the political events and
changes of the reign of James the First, and
The Fortunes of Nigel for the true man
ners and morals of the people, high and low.
We must remember that the period COW
cred by this work "Old Mortality" was ush-
cred in by the deliberate and cold-bloOded
murder of James Sharpe, Archbishop of St.
Andrews, who was dragged from his carriage,
and lin the presence of his daughter who
vainly threw herself before him and received
several wounds) was shot and stabbed to
death by certain fanatic Csmeronians, who
had come out in search of another victim,
and who, finding the Archbishop, put him to
death because, as they insisted, "the Lord
had delivered him into their hands" Scott,
fairly and honestly speaks of this murder as
follows: "It brought much scandal on the
Presbyterians though uujuStly; for the mod
crate persons of that persuasion, comprehend
ing the most numerous aud by far the most
respectable of the body, disowned SO cruel
an action, although they might be at the
same time of opinion that the Archbishop
who had been the cause of many mems vio-
lent deaths, merited some such conclusion to
his own. He had some virtues, being learn
ed, temperate and living life becoming his
station but his illiberal and intolerant prin-
ciples, and the violences which he committed
to enforce them, were the occasion of great
distress to Scotland, and of his own prema-
ture and bloody end" Tales Of Grand
father
The passions which led to such events, and
the scenes that followed them were not fa-
vorable to the formation of cool and calm
opinions. Walter Scott has drawn the char
acters of the time with the hand of master,
and no people have more fully recognized
and acknowledged his tr@thf1lraess than the
thinking Presbyterians of Scotland. Even
the old Scotch woman, Msuse Headrigg and
her somewhat time-serving son, Cuddie, are
true types of the times, and doubtless exist
ed in the fash, in the days of ClaverhouSe
snd his troopers. Mause is uncOuquersble
and in the faces Of armed hOrSemen, gives
them piece of her mind;
"Gie ye some mair OF? she said, after a
preliminary cough. eyes, will take up my
testimony against you once and again
Pnilistines ye are and Elomites-leopardi
are ye and foxes-evening wolves, that knaN
not the bones till the morrow--wicked dogs
that compass about the choSen-thrustinG
kline and pushing bulls Of BaShan-piercine
serpents ye are and allied bath in name anc