MR CONSTABLE requested that Sir Walter would introduce Queen Elizabeth
in his next romance as a companion to Mary Stuart of the Abbot. The
great novelist consented, and having selected that period when the
sudden death of the first Countess of Leicester opened to her husband's
ambition the way to sharing a crown, gave to his romance the name of
"Kenilworth." It was published in January 1821, in three volumes, and
at once excited the deepest interest. "Kenilworth," writes Mr Lockhart,
"continues, and I doubt not, will ever continue, to be placed in the
very highest rank of prose fiction. The rich variety of character and
scenery and incident in this novel has never indeed been surpassed,
nor, with the one exception of the 'Bride of Lammermoor,' has Scott
bequeathed us a deeper and more affecting tragedy than that of Amy
Robsart." Refer-ing to his materials for the novel, Sir Walter writes in
1831: "The reader will find I have borrowed several incidents, as well
as names, from 'Ashmole's Antiquities,' and the more early authorities;
but my first acquaintance with the history was through the more pleasing
medium of verse. There is a period in youth when the mere power of
numbers has a more strong effect on ear and imagination, than in more
advanced life. At this season of immature taste the author was greatly
delighted with the poems of Mickle and Langliome, poets who, though by
no means deficient in the higher branches of their art, were eminent
for their powers of verbal melody above most who have practised this
department of poetry. One of those pieces of Mickle, which the author
was particularly pleased with, is a ballad, or rather a species of
elegy, on the subject of Cumnor Hall, which, with others by the same
author, were to be found in Evans's 'Ancient Ballads' (vol. iv., p.
130), to which work Mickle made liberal contributions."
Among the sports at Kenilworth got up to entertain Queen Elizabeth, was
a mock battle between the English and the Danes, somewhat resembling the
ancient hocktide play. On a preconcerted signal the combatants engaged,
but the concussion was less violent than had been anticipated. This was
not owing to any apprehension of each other, but to the fear of being
pushed into the lake. When the battle raged furiously the former
precaution was neglected, and the pressure causing the railings to
yield, many were precipitated into the water. This scene is depicted in
the accompanying illustration.
[Illustration: 080]
[Illustration: 081]
In his etching Mr Cruikshank represents a stirring incident in the
novel. Wayland Smith and Tresilian, being now partners in a serious
adventure, the former consented to abandon for a season his mysterious
forge; but scarcely had he done so, when Flibbertigibbet entered the
dark tenement, and employed the combustibles he found there to blow up
the cave. He had hinted at his mischievous intentions as Tresilian and
Wayland were mounting their horses, but when the former attempted to
catch, and compel him to speak less mystically, the urchin fled with
a velocity almost preternatural, and baffled the best efforts of his
pursuers.