Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-07-27
SIR Waller SCOTS LOVE STORY.
His Fruitless Courtship of Williamina
Stuart.

His Fruitless Courtship of Williamina
Stuart.
The true story of Sir Walter Scott's
love for Willlamina Stuart, as told in
the July Century by a descendant of |
one Of his intimates, shows how far |
astray Ruskin went when he said that |
the romancer had never known the |
passion of love. We come now TO the |
year 1896, the most momentous period |
in the history of this sad first love of |
a noble mind; and it is also the poin, |
from which may be said to date the |
calumnies that have darkened the |
memory of beautiful Williamina |
Stuart These were twofold 1t |
has been assorted both in |
published statements and by
the easily deceived vox populi, first,
that after having given Walter Scott
the utmost possible encouragement, |
and virtually engaged herself TO him,
she then deliberately threw him over
when a more welcome lover appeared;
secondly, that she did this dishonor-
able and cruel act from the most I'M
worthy motives-because the worldly
position of the new sutton, heir to the
title and wealth of the haronets of
Pitsligo, was infinitely superior to that
of the young and as yet unknown adj
vocate. Now, the first of these cal
umnies is mainly founded on a false
! Interpretation of a letter written by
| Williamina to Walter Scott, in an
| swer to one from his. After three
/ years of silent longing and devoted
love, he had at last been unable to re-
sist the temptation to tell her openly
the real nature and depth of his feel
! ings toward her. and had written all
that was in his heart for her, without
reserve They were, as we have seen,
in the habit of corresponding and
| therefore a reply to this letter was no
proof of any intention on her part to
allow of a change in their relations.
Scott, writing on the subject at the
time to an intimate friend, admits
that she distinctly urged upon him the
prudent line of conduct" which
would leave their intercourse to be
conducted, as before, on simple terms
of friendship, and then he adds
Il read over her epistle about TO-
600 times, and always with new admir-
alton of her generosity and candor.
1t would be very difficult to describe
the mixed feelings her letter oc-
casioned, which, entire nous terminated
in very hearty fit of crying.
Williamina had written with the gen
tleness and sweetness which were her
prevailing characteristics, and proba-
bly, from this fact Scott does seem to
have, unfortunately, derived some
hopes which had no real foundation
as it is plain that, although they met
frequently afterward in Ed!nburg
there was no change whatever in the
footing on which they had always
stood, and Scott apparently did mo-
attempt any further avowal OF his
attachment. Just at this time he
brought out his first poem a splendid
translation of the wild German BALLAD
of "Lenore"; and friend of his pre-
pared for him a beautifully bound
and ornamented copy to be by him
presented to Miss Stuart. The gift
could not be refused from the young
author, and Williamina intimated tha
she had appreciated and admired it,
but the matter went no further, anC
the fatal climax Of his unreturned af
lection was at hand. In the autumn
of that year Walter Scott went tC
stay for few days with Sir John anC
, Lady Jane Stuart at their country
seat. where he had frequently been re
ceived before with the friendliness ant
hospitality which were natural t
them. 1t was the last visit he eve
paid to them, for their daughter lie
him see at once that his hopes were
finally in vain, and that the affection
he so long had tried to win had beer
| given unreservedly to William Forbes
who was emphatically her first as wei
as her last love. 1t is probable, as W.
nave seen, that Scott, in his anxious
popefulness, had misinterpreted som'
expression in Williamina's written an
! swer to his avowal Of his love for her
but. apart from all other proofs tina
: there never was any engagement be
tween them, William Forbes was IA
too honorable as well as too proud
man to have sought her had he KNOW
o that any such existed. Scott was hi
" own intimate friend, and the fact o
his betrothal could not have been con