[500] See Shenstone's _Pastoral Ballad_, Part ii., Hope.
[501] The coach to Edinburgh.
[502] See "The Braes of Ballochmyle;" Currie's _Burns_, vol. iv. p. 294.
[503] The conduct of the _Quarterly_ at this time was in after years
thus commented upon by John Wilson.
"_North._--While we were defending the principles of the British
constitution, bearding its enemies, and administering to them the knout,
the _Quarterly Review_ was meek and mum as a mouse.
"_Tickler._--Afraid to lose the countenance and occasional assistance of
Mr. Canning.
"_North._--There indeed, James, was a beautiful exhibition of party
politics, a dignified exhibition of personal independence."--_Noctes
Ambrosianae._
It is understood that Canning, who had received the King's commands in
April 10, felt keenly the loneliness of his position--estranged from his
old comrades, and deterred by the remembrance of many bitter satires
against them from having close intimacy with his new co-adjutors.
[504] See _Spectator_.
[505] "... Your letter has given me the vertigo--my head turns round
like a chariot wheel, and I am on the point of asking--
'Why, how now? Am I Giles, or am I not?'
"The Duke of Wellington out?--bad news at home, and worse abroad. Lord
Anglesea in his situation?--does not much mend the matter. Duke of
Clarence in the Navy?--wild work. Lord Melville, I suppose, falls of
course--perhaps _cum totâ sequelâ_, about which _sequela_, unless Sir W.
Rae and the Solicitor, I care little. The whole is glamour to one who
reads no papers, and has none to read. I must get one, though, if this
work is to go on, for it is quite bursting in ignorance. Canning is
haughty and prejudiced--but, I think, honourable as well as able: _nous
verrons_. I fear Croker will shake, and heartily sorry I should feel for
that...."--Scott to Lockhart: _Life_, vol. ix. p. 99.
[506] R. Plumer Ward.--See July 4.
[507] A fuller statement of Scott's views at this crisis will be found
in his letters to Lockhart and Morritt in _Life_, vol. ix. (April, May,
and June, 1827).
[508] Count Itterburg, then in his 20th year, was the name under which
Gustavus, the ex-Crown Prince of Sweden, visited Scotland in 1819. It
was his intention to study at the University of Edinburgh during the
winter session, but, his real name becoming known, this was rendered
impracticable by the curiosity and attention of the public. He devoted
himself mainly to the study of military matters, and out-door exercises,
roughing it in all sorts of weather, sometimes,--to his mentor Baron
Polier's uneasiness,--setting out on dark and stormy nights, and making
his way across country from point to point. This self-imposed training
was no doubt with the secret hope that he might some day be called upon
by the Swedes to oust Bernadotte, and mount the throne of the great
Gustavus. Mr. Skene saw a good deal of him, and gives many interesting
details of his life in Edinburgh, such as the following account of a
meeting at his own house. "He was interested with a set of portraits of
the two last generations of the Royal Family of Scotland, which hung in
my dining-room, and which had been presented to my grandfather by Prince
Charles Edward, in consideration of the sacrifices he had made for the
Prince's service during the unfortunate enterprise of the year 1745,
having raised and commanded one of the battalions of Lord Lewis Gordon's
brigade. The portrait of Prince Charles Edward, taken about the same age
as Comte Itterburg, and no doubt also the marked analogy existing in the
circumstances to which they had been each reduced, seemed much to engage
his notice; and when the ladies had retired he begged me to give him
some account of the rebellion, and of the various endeavours of the
Stewarts to regain the Scottish crown. The subject was rather a
comprehensive one, but having done my best to put him in possession of
the leading features, it seemed to have taken very strong hold of his
mind, as he frequently, at our subsequent meetings, reverted to the
subject. Upon another occasion by degrees the topic of conversation
slipped into its wonted channel--the rebellion of 1745, its final
disaster, and the singular escape of the Prince from the pursuit of his
enemies. The Comte inquired what effect the failure of the enterprise
had produced upon the Prince's character, with whose gallant bearing and
enthusiasm, in the conduct of his desperate enterprise, he evinced the
strongest interest and sympathy. I stated briefly the mortifying
disappointments to which Charles Edward was exposed in France, the
hopelessness of his cause, and the indifference generally shown to him
by the continental courts, which so much preyed on his mind as finally
to stifle every spark of his former character, so that he gave himself
up to a listless indifference, which terminated in his becoming a sot
during the latter years of his life. On turning round to the Prince, who
had been listening to these details, I perceived the big drops chasing
each other down his cheeks and therefore changed the subject, and he
never again recurred to it."--_Reminiscences_.
Count Itterburg, or Prince Gustavus Vasa, to give him the title of an
old family dignity which he assumed in 1829, entered the Austrian army,
in which he attained the rank of Lieutenant Field-Marshal. His services,
it is needless to say, were never required by the Swedes, though he
never relinquished his pretensions, and claimed the throne at his
father's death in 1837. He died at Pillnitz on the 4th August 1877,
leaving one daughter, the present Queen of Saxony.
Notices of his visits to 39 Castle Street and Abbotsford are given in
the 6th vol. of _Life_.
[509] This refers to the _Miscellaneous Prose Works_, forming 24 vols.,
the publication of which did not commence until May 1834, although, as
is shown by the Journal, the author was busy in its preparation. The
"criticism on Defoe" will be found in the fourth volume, pp. 247-296,
forming a supplement to John Ballantyne's Biographical Notice of Defoe
in the same volume. The "Essay on Border Antiquities" appeared,
notwithstanding Scott's misgivings, in the seventh volume.
[510] Lord Pitmilly.--See _ante_, p. 125.