Publications of the Scottish History Society, Vol. 36 | Page 5

the dilemma he found himself thrown into. It is full of strange contradictions. He talks of "printing rather than _publishing_" a book which was publickly advertised and publickly sold. He assures me that he believed that it was _Fountainhall's Life_, and not his works I meant to publish, though the former part of the correspondence between us must have made him fully aware that it was the works I had in view; and he unwittingly proves to me immediately afterwards that he had not altogether forgotten that it was the works I had taken in hand to publish, for he says, "I expected to see you before I should have thought of publishing the letter on the Revolution, and hoped to whet your almost blunted purpose about doing that and some other things yourself." And again afterwards--"it would have been easy to have written to enquire into your intentions, indeed I intended to do so, but the thing had gone out of my head." Why did you intend to write to me, Sir Walter, about intentions which you have said you were unconscious had any existence? But who can dare to be angry with Sir Walter Scott? Who could be savage enough to be angry with the meanest individual who could write with so much good nature and bonhommie as he displays in his letter? Had one particle of angry feeling lurked in my bosom against him, I should have merited scourging. My answer was as follows....'
[14] sic for 22nd May.
Sir Thomas was unable to accept Sir Walter's invitation, but proposed to call on him, and received the following reply:--
'My dear Sir Thomas,--I am much mortified at finding that by a peremptory message from my builder at Abbotsford, who is erecting an addition to my house, I must set out there to-morrow at twelve. But we must meet for all that, and I hope you will do me the honour to breakfast here, though at the unchristian hour of _Nine o'clock_, and if you come as soon after eight as you will, you will find me ready to receive you. I mention this because I must be in the court at Ten. I hope this will suit you till time permits a longer interview. I shall therefore expect you accordingly.--Yours very sincerely,
WALTER SCOTT.
'_Castle Street, Friday_'
'It gives me sincere regret that this unexpected news[15] prevents my having the pleasure of receiving you on Monday.'
[15] This word doubtful. It is indistinctly written.
Sir Thomas proceeds in his narrative:--
'N.B.--I kept my appointment accurately to the hour and minute, and found the Great Unknown dashing off long foolscap sheets of what was soon to interest the eyes, and the minds, and the hearts of the whole reading world; preparing a literary food for the voracious maw of the many-headed monster, every mouth of which was gaping wide in expectation of it. He received me most kindly, though I could not help secretly grudging, more than I have no doubt he did, every moment of the time he so good-naturedly sacrificed to me. He repeated in words, and, if possible, in stronger terms, the apologies contained in his letter. I offered him my Manuscript and my humble services. He insisted that he would not rob me of the fruits of my pious labours. "As I know something of publishing," said he, with an intelligent smile on his countenance, "I shall be able to give you some assistance and advice as to how to bring the work properly and respectably out." I thanked him, and ventured to entreat that he would add to the obligation he was laying me under by giving me a few notes to the proposed publication. In short, the result of an hour's conversation was that he undertook to arrange everything about the publication with a bookseller, and to give me the notes I asked, and, in fact, to do everything in his power to assist me, and I left him with very great regret that a matter of business prevented me from accepting of his pressing invitation to breakfast. Before parting, he wrote for me the ensuing letter to Mr. Kirkpatrick Sharpe, which I was deprived of an opportunity of delivering by the shortness of my visit to Edinburgh.'
Sir Thomas soon afterwards completed his transcript, and on 7th June 1823 he wrote:--
'_Relugas, near Forres, 7th June_ 1823.
'MY DEAR SIR WALTER,--Can you pardon me for thus troubling you, in order to have my curiosity satisfied about our old friend Fountainhall, whose work I gave you in July last. I hope you received the remainder of the Manuscript in October from my agent, Mr. Macbean. If you can spare time to say, in a single line, what is doing about him, you will confer a great obligation, on yours very faithfully,
T.D. LAUDER.'
Sir Walter replied:--
'MY