Sir Walter was born at Edinburgh, on the 15th of August, 1771--or, on
the birthday of Napoleon Buonaparte. His father was a man of
prosperous fortune and good report; and for many years was "an elder
in the parish church of Old Grey Friars, while Dr. Robertson, the
historian, acted as one of the ministers. The other clergyman was Dr.
John Erskine, of whom Sir Walter has given an animated picture in his
novel of _Guy Mannering_."[1] Mrs. Scott is described as a
well-educated gentlewoman, possessing considerable natural talents;
though she did not enjoy the acquaintance of Allan Ramsay, Blacklock,
Beattie, and Burns, as has been stated by some biographers. She,
however, advantageously mixed in literary society, and from her
superintendence of the early education of her eldest son, Walter,
there is reason to infer that such advantages may have influenced his
habits and taste. He was the third of a family, consisting of six sons
and one daughter. The cleverest of the sons is stated by Sir Walter to
have been Daniel, a sailor, who died young. Thomas, the next brother
to Sir Walter, was a man of considerable talent, and before the avowal
of the authorship of the Waverley Novels, report ascribed to him a
great part or the whole of them. Sir Walter observes--"Those who
remember that gentleman (of the 70th regiment, then stationed in
Canada) will readily grant, that, with general talent at least equal
to those of his elder brother, he added a power of social humour, and
a deep insight into human character, which rendered him an universally
delightful member of society, and that the habit of composition alone
was wanting to render him equally successful as a writer. The Author
of Waverley was so persuaded of the truth of this, that he warmly
pressed his brother to make such an experiment, and willingly
undertook all the trouble of correcting and superintending the press."
Ill health, however, unfitted Mr. Scott for the task, though "the
author believes his brother would have made himself distinguished in
that striking field, in which, since that period, Mr. Cooper has
achieved so many triumphs."[2]
[1] Chamber's Life of Sir Walter Scott.
[2] General Preface to the Waverley Novels, 41 vols.
The house in which Sir Walter Scott was born no longer exists. It was
situated at the head of the College Wynd, at its entrance into North
College-street. It was thus described by Sir Walter in 1825:--"It
consisted of two flats above Mr. Keith's, and belonged to my father,
Mr. Walter Scott, Writer to the Signet. There I had the chance to be
born, 15th of August, 1771. My father, soon after my birth, removed to
George's Square, and let the house in the College Wynd, first to Mr.
Dundas, of Philipstoun, and afterwards to Mr. William Keith, father of
Sir Alexander Keith. It was purchased by the public, together with Mr.
Keith's (the inferior floors), and pulled down to make way for the new
College."