New-York tribune., 1893-12-03
SCOTT AND HIS FRIENDS.
CONFIDENTIAL LETTERS OF THE GREAT
ROMANCER.


Voltaire censured in Congreve. 1t comes out
early in this collection of letters that passed
between him and intimate friends, and there was
lust enough of 1t to make him argue soihe-
what hotly against it. An instance OF 'his Is
shown in a letter written in 1902 TO MS carry
friend, Anna Seward. Of Lichfeld. VINO was a.
literary authority in her way. and writer Oh
very long letters. "Since l had the pleasure Oh
hearing from you" wrote Scott, Il have dis-
posed of the property of the Border Mlnstrelsy
for $500; and l only mention this circumstance
that you may hold me acquitted OF the vie
vanity of wishing to hold myself forth as one
despisng to reap any profit from MS literary
pursuits. which I should hold to be ineffable
concet and folly in man much richer than
myself The mode of publishing by subscrip-
ton is one which in itself can carry hothlng
degrading" One can imagine from such pas
sages as this that he only came gradually 10
contentment with his relations to the public.
He never did get over little note OF depreca-
tion something like that which superstitious
persons use to avert the evil eye or some an
ticipated misfortune. The most marked IN
stance Of this pretentious humility was not dis-
played however upon occasion or any literary
work. but In allusion to the woman whom ne
was about to marry. The remark occurs IN a
letter to Patrick Murray, then captain in
IL am to be married tomorrow" wrote Scott,
cor next day. at the farthest OF this my in
tended deed of desperation, you should not have
remained so long ignorant had l known now
to address you You may, perhaps, have re-
marked Miss C(arpenter) at a Carlisle ball, but
more likely not as her figure Is not very frap-
pant A smart looking little girl, with dark
brown hair. would probably be her portrait II
drawn by an Indifferent hand. But i, you may be-
lieve should make piece OF work OF my she'ch
as little like the original as Hercules 10 me-
Really one would think he might nave saiu
as much as was said by Lady SCOTS contem-
poraries speaking Of her as girl: WlthouI
the features of a regular beauty, she was rich
in personal attractions "a form that was fash
ioned as light as a fay's' a complexion OF 'he
clearest and lightest olive; eyes large, deep SET
and dazzling of the finest italian brown ana
a profusion of silken tresses, black as raven
wing; her address lowering between the re-
serve of pretty young Engishwomah WHO
has not mingled largely in general society
and a certain natural archness ana ga!e'!
that suited well with the accompaniment of
q French accent" The frigid way In which ne
wrote of his betrothed may be an indication
that the future Wizard Of the North took him
self very seriously in youth Cer'aihiy MS
bride knew how to rebuke his solemnity only
a short while before his marriage he wrote her
a letter in which he alluded to certain purial
place 1T is one Of the most beautiful ana
romantic scenes you ever saw. among the rui'is
of an old abbey. When l die, Charlotte' you
r,us+ cause nv bones to be laid there; but we
shall have many happy days before tha''
hone" This funereal sentiment appeaieu Ho'
to Miss Carpenters romantic feelings pu' "
her sense of humor. What an idea OF yours
replied She "was that to mention Where Sou
,,sh to have YOUR bones laid, II you were
married I should think you were tired OF me.
A very pretty compliment before marriage.
hone sincerely / shall not live to see that day'
II YOU always have those cheerful thoughts
how very pleasant and gay you must be. rake
care Of Yourself if you love me- as l have no
wish that you should visit that 'beaut1fui
and romantic scene the buryng place
Scott hated slow and laborious composition
and remarked humorousy that he reminded
himself of a drunken man who could run long
after he could not walk. Speaking, IN lSlz' III
. letter to Joanna Baillie, Of the poem
"Rokeby" upon which he was then at work. ne
so,d. "As for 'Rokeby,' am now working at
II in my old Cossack manner, after destroying
a whole canto in which attempted rehnemehl
and elegance" Again. alluding to the Lay
of the Last Minstrel" he wrote to Miss seward:
"As for poetry it is very little labor 10 me- M
deed. 'twere pity d my life should spehd
much time on the light and loose sort OF poetry
,vbicb alone I can pretend to write. Were all
the time wasted upon the Lay put together-
for II was laid aside at long intervals-I am sure
II would not exceed six weeks. The last can'o
was written in three forenoons, when ] was
living I'm quarters with our yeomanry.' His sub
seouent achievements in prose show the ra-
uhtc he worked,
o,wavs remember that the fashion Of the period
vas IN pretend that elaborate poems novels
and romances had been completed within rev
days. One thing Is certain. SCOTS poetry
reads with as much rapidty as II IT had Deeh
an improvisation. 1t was only In the matter OF
editorial business that he boasted OF labor ana
research and time consumed, and II Is just
here that later writers find him TO nave peeh
too hasty, and too ready to depend on MS
,remorv. The passage just quoted respecting
his poetry was only pendant TO TINS p,, Oh
hoastine: For two years past have been
occasionally laboring on complete edition oi
Dryden's Works. which have never been col
lected The illustration OF the poeucal anu
historical passages has cost me much labor
From nv research the boldest spiders fed.
And moths retreating trembled as read.
He endeavorei also to meet even harsh criu-
o,.r, with q smiling face. His "Marmon'
rather pleased his own fancy. To Lady Aber-
corn ne wrote in 1908: II have finished Mar
r,,on.' and your Ladyshp will do me the honor
hone. TO accept copy very soon. In the sixth
a nd last canto 1 have succeeded better than l
had yentured to hope, for had a battle to fight,
and dread hard blows almost as much in
poetry as In common lfe" And to Surtees ne
wrote: when you have read over Marmion
which has more individuality OF character than
the Lay, although it wants sort OF tender
ness which the parsonage OF the old minstrel
gave to my first-born romance. you VIII be
better Judge whether / should undertake work
which will depend less on incident and descrip-
ton than on the power Of distinguishing ana
marking the dramatic personae." The reply OF
Surtees reassured him. for he wrote: Il am very