Evening star., 1932-09-19
SCOTT CENTENARY
FALLS WEDNESDAY
Poet, Novelist and Bioy.
rapher to Be Honored by
English Speaking World.

Throughout the English speaking
world the centenary of the death OF
Sir Walter Scott will be observed to-
morrow. The celebrated poet, novelist
and biographer, whose works were the
favorite literary fare Of the Victorian
era, died at his home at Abbot"ford.
near Melrose Scotland, on September
21. 1882.
SCOTS formal education was 1ncon-
sequential, according to present stand
ards. He entered Edinburgh High School
at z and his teachers later remembered
him as a lad noted for miscellaneous
knowledge and storytelling powers,
rather than for proficiency In the ordi-
nary courses of study At Edinburgh
University for three terms, he spent his
leisure reading ballads and ronlances,
following the bent of his natural in
Clination At IS he knew enough
French and Italian to read Dante.
in the originals. In 1874 he came
into possession of Percy's "Reliques OF
Ancient Poetry" published in 1865.
The book stirred him to the core OF
his being.
Begins Career as Novelist.
SCOTS first appearance in print was
In 1896, when he published some trans
lations of ballads by Gottfried August
Burger. In 1902 and 1903 he brought
out the three volumes CT his flrst work
OF real Importance, The MinStrelsy OF
the Scottish Border" His first lmpor-
tant original work was The Lay OF the
Last Minstrel produced in 1905, and
received with popular favor
1t was in the last-named year that
start was inauspicious. The author
made the error of consulting friend
about the first chapters of "Waverley."
and the friend made the error OF ad-
vising against continuing the story.
For nearly 10 years the neglected man
,lscript gathered dust in SCOTS desk:
Then it was taken up in earnest, and
its anonymous publication in 1914
aroused great public interest in the un-
named genius responsible for It's pro-
duction.
The tragedy of Scott's life was his
secret partnership in the printing ana
publishing businesses of the Ballantyne
family. The original arrangement was
made in 1906 BY 1912 Ccott had come
to think of himself as a man of eX-
traordinarv wealth. He bought land
on the Tweed and began to build
Abbotsford. Into the property he put
the major part of his earnings year by
year. The dream grew upon him until
it governed his every action. He poured
money into expanding his domestic en-
yironment. In 1917 the enormous strain
began to tell upon him and he fell i'll,
but even when confined to his bed he
persevered, debating to secretaries.
Attains High Fame.
Partial recovery permitted his return
to his desk. BY 1925 he had attained
a pinnacle of fame such as perhaps no
other British man of letters has ever
reached during his lifetime. But Scott
had overreached himself. In 1926 the
BallantyneS failed. SCOTS hidden share
in the crash was revealed. Overnight
he found himself middle-aged, i'll and
involved in liabilities amounting to ap-
proximately S650,000.
Up to the day of the catastrophe
Scott had written for the means to
indulge expensive personal tastes. But
he had to write now to free himself
from debt. In two years he earned
100000. But he did not have the
physical capital he needed and in 1880
he had several paralytic seizures. The
overworked brain gave way. A war
ship was placed at his disposal to carry
him to the Continent in vain search
for renewed health. He came back to
the house which had killed him to die.