The ennobling and civilising influence of the unrivalled poet was, perhaps, more apparent than ever before during this eventful period of England's intellectual history. While the neighbouring Continent was excited or distracted by infidel revolution, while most European countries, dreading its approach, began to associate real liberty with reckless license, cruelty, and social disorder, Britain, from this time, became evidently more just, enlightened, tolerant, and merciful. Its combined moral and intellectual progress was sure, steady, and uninterrupted. British Christian divisions gradually began to view each other, at least, comparatively without bitterness. Religious arguments became more learned, calm, and sincere, without being dangerous to political interests. Legal improvements also began to solicit public attention, while literary influence generally was more and more devoted to raise the British name intellectually, morally, and politically, among the nations of the world.

CHAPTER XI

SIR WALTER SCOTT AND HIS COTEMPORARIES

NA

APOLEON'S final defeat early in the last century by allied European forces, yet chiefly by English valour and generalship, raised England higher than than ever intellectually and politically in European estimation. All countries except France were more or less friendly to British influence.

Spanish enmity and Papal decrees were no longer directed against Protestant England. On the contrary, Napoleon's conduct towards Spain and the Pope alienated both. Instead of retaining historical enmity, the Papacy and the Spanish nation rejoiced at England's triumph over France, represented, at least, by Napoleon's aggressive empire.

When peace was re-established in Europe after the battle of Waterloo, Britain, though Protestant, was, for the first time in history, as friendly with the Catholic as with the Protestant Powers of Europe. This enviable position increased the influence of British literature at home and abroad.

Freed from fear of foreign hostility and invasion, the British intellect was better able now, perhaps,

than ever, to devote itself to social and legal improvements, as well as to political supremacy. Among its highest representatives, Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) was in literature the most remarkable and practically useful.

A Scotchman, yet a great lover of England, Scott knew that even after the Waterloo triumph there still lingered a sense of injury among descendants of Scottish Jacobites who, some sixty years before, had lost or risked life and property in behalf of the deposed Stuarts.

Scott's love for Scotland equalled, perhaps excelled, his love for England, yet his attachment to both was happily united in sincere, practical patriotism. He knew that the Union of England and Scotland in 1700 was by no means as complete as the name indicated. The almost implacable and useless severity of the Government towards Scottish Jacobites had sunk deep into many noble and dejected minds. Scott also saw that even in London society, despite its many civilising influences, there were still strong prejudices, not only against the Jacobite cause, but against all who had borne arms in its vindication. His first novel, "Waverley," addressed the British nation generally in the earnest desire of representing the Jacobites as noble and interesting, without associating their many noble qualities or motives with any preference for their cause. In "Waverley " he describes the 1745 revolt; in "Rob Roy" he alludes to its predecessor in 1715, while in "Old Mortality" he describes with a fairness previously unknown the

contending Scottish Prelatists and Presbyterians in Charles II.'s reign.

In "Ivanhoe he recalls English history in Richard I.'s reign, including its brilliant tournaments, and also its religious bigotry against the Jews. In the “Talisman" during the same reign he describes the Crusades in Syria, investing that extraordinary warfare with most romantic interest. Yet about the Crusades and the persecution of Jews, Scott was less practically useful, both these inspirations of religious intolerance having long ceased to animate Christian minds. The rest of his novels, except "The Monastery," "The Abbot," "Kenilworth," and "Woodstock," which recall Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Cromwell, and Charles II., are chiefly founded on local Scottish tales. None of his historical novels could have such effect on British history as those recalling the comparatively recent Jacobite wars, or the religious contests in Scotland.

Their chief incidents, events, and personages, perhaps seldom mentioned in London, still retained historic interest in Scotland. Thus Scott's healing influence, so pleasing, wise, and beneficent, greatly aided to confirm the real as well as the nominal union of Great Britain. His works on witchcraft, chivalry, and Scottish history, were far less attractive and popular than his admirable novels. His three best poems, "Marmion," "Lady of the Lake," and "Lay of the Last Minstrel," though delightful to most readers, had no political bearing or intention. But his historical novels were indeed the literary exploits of a real