The San Francisco call., 1905-02-05
TALKS ABOUT
SCOTCH AUTHOR
Aged Musician Tells of the
Night Sir Walter Scott Ad-
mitted He Wrote Wayerley
DESCRIBES THE WRITER
Announcement Was Made at
Dinner in Edinburgh Near
ly Four Score Years Ago
Special Dispatch to Tn. Call.


LONDON, Feb. 4.-Some unusually
interesting "reminiscences of Sir Walter
Scott have just been given by George
Croal, a venerable musician of Edin-
burgh. who enjoys the distinction of
having talked to Sir Walter several
times and of being probably the only
survivor of those who heard him de-
clare publicly that he was the long un
known author of "Waverley.'
This famous announcement was, of
course, made at dinner at the Edin-
burgh assembly-room in 1927. Croal,
who played at the feast, was then ex-
tremely young. but, like practically
everybody else in Scotland at the time,
he had been greatly interested in the
mystery over the authorship of "Wav
erley,'' and remembers vividly every
detail of the scene at the assembly
room.
Sir Walters announcement did not
come quite as surprise says Croal,
for it had been limited that he would
reveal himself. | can recall the sup
pressed interest of the gathering
throughout the dinner proper. 1t was in
reply to the toast of his health that Sir
Walter admitted the soft impeachment.
I can remember his closing words ex-
actly They were, L am the sole and
undivided author of "Waverley".' Need
less to say, there was great enthusiasm.
The company rose en- masse and [
thought the roof would come off. Scott.
was congratulated all around. 1t was
gay night and the utmost conviviality
prevailed.
He was lightsome and gay" Croal
says of Sir Walter, ''and looked the
real type of fine old Scottish gentle
man chatting animatedly with one of
the law lords sitting next to him. He
made first-class after-dinner speaker,
and young though / was / carried away
a lasting impression of his kindly So
cial disposition.
In the course of the evening"" con-
tinued the musician, Sir Walter from
the head of the table complimented
Charles Mackay, the comedian, who
was present, upon his success in the
role of Bailie Nicol Jarvie, saying he
had made more of the character than
he could ever have anticipated. Mackay,
who was sitting near me, was embar-
rassed, and / distinctly remember him
saying, Who would have thought l
would get such compliment from the
great unknown Not unknown now,
Mr. Bailie, jocularly retorted Sir Wal
ter
Later in life Croal was at Abbotsford
several times and once while there
was asked by Sir Walter Scott to play
some Scottish airs to him, IAN invita-
ton that / responded to with alacrity,
says the old musician.
PENIBERTON BREAKS RULE.
Max Pemberton has just paid a
young writer the compliment of ac-
cepting a plot from and undertaking
to write a novel in collaboration with
him. The youthful author in ques-
ton is Arthur Lambton, who is the son
of General Lambton of the Guards
and a cousin of the Earl of Durham.
He is a graduate of Cambridge. This
is the first time that Pemberton ever
has consented to make use of any plot
not invented by himself, though he de-
clares that hundreds are offered to
him every year. The novelist's sug-
gestion to Lambton was that they
write first a story and then play
around his idea, and this plan prob
ably will be carried out. Pemberton
thinks that the chief role in the play
would exactly suit Beerbohm Tree.
Eden Philpotts, who wrote The HUI
man Boy and recently increased his
reputation with THE American