descendant of the author of "Waverley." On this occasion I was alone, but in the following summer I repeated my visit, accompanied by Mrs. Fulford and my daughter. Immediately on my first arrival, I was informed that one of the servants had died a few days before; and, as there was no clergyman of the Church of England residing in that part of the country, the family were anxious that I should perform the funeral service, the deceased having been a member of our communion. Accordingly, on the following morning, I buried the young man in the churchyard of Melrose Abbey, just under the wall of that venerable ruin, and in a grave adjoining that of old Tom Purdie, who is so often spoken of in "Scott's Life," as his favourite woodsman. A great many people were present, almost all of them being members of the Scotch Church, and many of whom had never heard our funeral service performed before. I was told afterwards, that they were exceedingly struck with it; so much so, that at another funeral, which occurred some time after, the friends requested their minister to make use of the same service, which was done accordingly; and certainly it is a most solemn, touching, and appropriate service. So much has been written, both on this side of the Atlantic and in England, descriptive of Abbotsford and the surrounding scenery, that I shall not dwell too minutely upon these particulars now. During part of my visit both the master and the mistress of the mansion were unfortunately ill, and the weather not being favorable for many out-door excursions, I had no other resource than looking over the library, and examining at my full leisure all the old curiosities with which the house is filled; and to get a look at which so many pilgrimages are made from all parts, and not least so from this continent. You will perhaps think that, while enjoying a little recreation from my usual duties, I wanted no pleasanter employment. There are some tolerable pictures there, as paintings, and several exceedingly interesting from their subjects, and as indicating Scott's own tastes and predilections. There are eight small sketches by Turner; Ginger, one of the now well-known breed of terriers, by Landseer; portraits of Charles I., Henrietta Maria, Oliver Cromwell, Charles II., James Duke of Monmouth, Queen Elizabeth, a head of Mary Queen of Scots (after death), Tom Purdie, John Ballantyne the well-known publisher of many of his works: the Castles of Dunbar, Hermitage and Tantallon; and a small miniature of the famous Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, with blue eyes, fair complexion, and light flowing hair, &c., &c., &c. Then there is the musket of Rob Roy, the freebooting leader, and the sword of the gallant Graham, Marquis of Montrose, a collection of bones from the Plains of Marathon, and a variety of other interesting articles of the like nature. But the chief interest was centered in the library. It contained about 12,000 volumes, all in most beautiful order; for Scott was exceedingly particular about his books. He was never satisfied till he got the very best editions of every work; so that, when he heard of a better copy or a new and improved edition of a work already in the Library, in order to meet the increased cost, he used to write some marginal notes in the copy already in his possession, and offer it for sale; and for the sake of obtaining a volume which contained such a memorial of the author of "Waverley and Marmion," in his own handwriting, he was able to dispose of it for a sum at least equal to what he was to pay for the other more costly edition. Besides many valuable works on Lexicography, old Chronicles, Standard Divinity, Belles Lettres, &c., there are several subjects respecting which he had been very diligent in collecting everything that he could possibly lay hands upon such as ballads, both in manuscript and print, from the earliest dates; old plays of every kind, being a most curious collection, and very illustrative of the times in which they were severally written; very full collections of everything, of every kind, on the subject of the Great Rebellion and the Jacobite Risings in 1715 and 1745, as he used mildly to term them. Then on Astrology, Demonology, Dreams, Witchcraft, Magic, &c., &c., quite an unique collection and filling several shelves. But the most curious of any perhaps consisted of several shelves full of little penny Chap-Books, as they used to be termed, or Tracts, which the travelling pedlars carried about in their packs and sold to the country people, especially all along on both sides of the Border. They are all now neatly bound up in little volumes, and are of a most miscellaneous character, and curious, as being almost the only literature formerly to be met with in those districts. They are G on religious, political and historical subjects, poetry and prose, sermons and hymns, lives of pirates, robbers and murderers; the vision of Mirza, the ballad of Chevy Chase, Robinson Crusoe, Whittington, Jack the Giant-killer, and fairy tales, the History of Guy Fawkes and Sir Wm. Wallace, &c., &c., &c. There is a note in one of the volumes, in Scott's own handwriting, dated 1810, stating "that this little collection (it refers to six volumes of them) of Stall Tracts and Ballads was formed by me, when a boy, from the baskets of travelling Pedlars. It contains most of the pieces that were popular thirty years since; and, I dare say, many that could not now be procured for any price. W. S." Appended to one ballad, printed in very odd spelling, there is a note in his hand-writing: "Found in a parcel of ballads collected in the year 1774; a palpable forgery; whoever attempts the ancient style should remember never to retain any affectation of odd spelling in a ballad, supposed to be preserved by tradition; because the orthography alters of course according to the time. W. S." It is mentioned in a note in Lockhart's life of Scott, that 'in a letter he wrote in 1830, he states that he had bound up things of this kind to the extent of several volumes, before he was ten years old. And a school-fellow of his, when he was at the High School, Edinburgh, says of him that "he began very early to collect old ballads, and as my mother could repeat a great many, he used to come and learn those she could recite to him. He used to get all the copies of these ballads he could, and select the best." These, no doubt, were among the germs of the collection of ballads in six little volumes, which, from the handwriting, had been begun at this early period, and which is still preserved at Abbotsford. And it appears that, at least as early a date must be ascribed to another collection of little humorous stories in prose, penny chap-books, as they are called, still in high favor amongst the lower classes in Scotland, which stands on the same shelf. There was one story, amongst this little collection, entitled, "The Durham Garland," whence he took the original hint for the plot of "Guy Mannering;" and many incidents thus picked up by him, in these little volumes, were skilfully interwoven into his stories. In a fly-leaf of a manuscript copy of "Tam O'Shanter," Scott had written This manuscript of the inimitable 'Tam O'Shanter' is addressed and corrected by Burns' own hand. Mr. Ainslie says, that when Burns recited it to him, he added these two verses which do not occur in the printed copies. The second line is admirable: "The crickets joined their chirping cry, The kitlings chased their tails for joy. These lines were perhaps rejected because the first resembles one in the ballad of Edwin and Angelina.' W. S." In the printed copies of Burns' works there are some verses addressed to Mr. W. Tytler, with Burns' picture, commencing, "Revered defender of beauteous Stuart," and which evidently breathe a strong Jacobite tendency. Further on in the peom, Burns says "Still in prayers for K. G. I most heartily join, The Q., and the rest of the gentry; Be they wise, be they foolish, is nothing of mine, "But why of that epocha make such a fuss? And leaving these three lines blank, he proceeds, "But loyalty truce! we're on dangerous ground, Scott, who was a warm hearted though most innocent Jacobite, fills up the hiatus in the following manner, alluding to the succession of the Elector of Hanover to the English Crown: "But why of that epocha make such a fuss, If bringing them over was lucky for us, But I must not indulge at greater length in such reminiscences; and, of all modern poets or authors, none perhaps is better known, or more generally read, than Scott. And he has been eminently fortunate, above most of his brethren, and so have the public, in his biographer, Mr. Lockhart. If it will not be taking up too much time, I will read one passage from the beginning of "The Lay of the Last Minstrel;" and I select that, as well for its own beauties, as because it was his first great work, and gives the key note to his own character and writings, all at least that he undertook freely and heartily; it tells of border scenes and chivalry, feudal pomp and clanship, and hereditary strife. "THE feast was over in Branksome tower, And the Ladye had gone to her secret bower ; Jesu Maria, shield us well! No living wight, save the Ladye alone, Had dared to cross the threshold stone. The tables were drawn, it was idlesse all; Or crowded round the ample fire: Nine-and-twenty knights of fame Hung their shields in Branksome-Hall; Nine-and-twenty squires of name Brought them their steeds to bower from stall; Waited, duteous, on them all: They were all knights of mettle true, And they drank the red wine through the helmet barr'd. |