[45] "The Duke was then making a progress in the North of England, to
which additional importance was given by the uncertain state of
political arrangements; the chance of Lord Goderich's being able to
maintain himself as Canning's successor seeming very precarious, and the
opinion that his Grace must soon be called to a higher station than that
of Commander of the Forces, which he had accepted under the new Premier,
gaining ground every day. Sir Walter, who felt for the great Captain the
pure and exalted devotion that might have been expected from some
honoured soldier of his banners, accepted this invitation, and witnessed
a scene of enthusiasm with which its principal object could hardly have
been more gratified than he was."--_Life_, vol. ix. pp. 156-7.
[46] See _Correspondence of Princess Lieven and Earl Grey_ for Lord
Grey's opinion, vol. i. p. 60.
[47] Dr. William Van Mildert had been appointed to the See of Durham in
1826 on the death of Dr. Shute Barrington. He died in 1836.
[48] Admiral Sir John Beresford had some few years before this commanded
on the Leith Station--when Sir Walter and he saw a great deal of each
other--"and merry men were they."--J.G.L.
[49] An eye-witness writes:--"The manner in which Bishop Van Mildert
proceeded on this occasion will never be forgotten by those who know how
to appreciate scholarship without pedantry, and dignity without
ostentation. Sir Walter had been observed throughout the day with
extraordinary interest--I should say enthusiasm. The Bishop gave his
health with peculiar felicity, remarking that he could reflect upon the
labours of a long literary life, with the consciousness that everything
he had written tended to the practice of virtue, and to the improvement
of the human race."--Hon. Henry Liddell. _Life_, vol. ix. p. 160.
[50] _Histoire de la guerre de la Péninsule sous Napoléon_, etc. Publiée
par Madame la Comtesse Foy. Paris, 4 vols. 8vo, 1827. See _Croker_, vol.
i. p. 352.
[51] This story is told also in Lord Stanhope's _Conversations with the
Duke of Wellington_. 8vo, London, 1888, p. 54.
[52] The present generation are apt to forget the enormous sums spent in
Parliamentary elections; _e.g._, Mme. de Lieven tells Earl Grey (_Cor._
ii. p. 215) that Lord Ravensworth's neighbour, the Duke of
Northumberland, will subscribe £100,000 towards the election of 1831.
[53] Hugh, third Duke of Northumberland.
[54] Dr. Bethell, who had been tutor to the Duke of Northumberland, held
at this time the See of Gloucester.--J.G.L.
[55] Launcelot Brown, 1715-1782.
[56] A quarto volume, containing 39 etchings (privately printed in
1823), still preserved at Abbotsford.
[57] Mr. Archdeacon Singleton.--J.G.L.
[58] Stanhope's _Notes_, p. 24; and _Croker_, vol. ii. p. 233.
[59] From Stratford-on-Avon.
[60] For the utilisation of this story, see _Fair Maid of Perth_,
published in the following year.
[61] See M.G. Lewis's _Journal of a West Indian Proprietor_. 8vo, Lond.,
1834, p. 47; and Introduction to _Fair Maid of Perth_, p. 16.
[62] On the 13th of October Sir Walter had received a letter from "one
who had in former happy days been no stranger," and on turning to the
signature he found to his astonishment that it was from Lady Jane
Stuart, with whom he had had no communication since the memorable visit
he had made to Invermay in the autumn of 1796. The letter was simply a
formal request on behalf of a friend for permission to print some
ballads in Scott's handwriting which were in an album that had
apparently belonged to her daughter, yet it stirred his nature to its
depths. The substance of his reply may be gathered from the second
letter, which he had just read before making this sad entry in his
Journal.--Lady Jane tells him that she would convey to him the
Manuscript Book
--,"as a _secret_ and _sacred_ Treasure, could I but know that you
would take it as I give it without a drawback or misconstruction of
my intentions;"
and she adds--
"Were I to lay open my heart (of which you know little indeed) you
would find how it has and ever shall be warm towards you. My age
[she was then seventy-four] encourages me, and I have longed to tell
you. Not the mother who bore you followed you more anxiously (though
secretly) with her blessing than I! Age has tales to tell and
sorrows to unfold."
As is seen by his Journal Sir Walter resumed his personal intercourse
with his venerable friend on November 6th and continued it until her
death, which took place in the winter of 1829.--_Ante_, vol. i. p. 404,
and _Life_, vol. i. pp. 329-336.
[63] Kirn, the feast at the end of the harvest in Scotland.
[64] The correspondence of Robert, second Marquis of Londonderry, was
edited by his brother in 1850, but there was no memoir published until
Alison wrote the _Lives of Lord Castlereagh and Sir Charles Stewart,
Second and Third Marquesses of Londonderry_. 3 vols. 8vo, Edinburgh,
1861.