Rhode Island American And Gazette

Anecdotes of Sir Walter Scott.

Sir Walter always disliked the acrimony of disputation; he never, like Dr. Johnson, entered the lists as a champion for the palm of conversational honor; he never talked for victory, but rather as a relaxation from severer studies, and in order to amuse and promote kindly feelings; and he was always remarkably attentive to those who were diffident, gently encouraging them and drawing them on to take a share in the conversation, with a kindness and consideration that was truly admirable.

As a public speaker, he was graceful, easy, and fluent. He was in the habit of composing with singular ease and fluency, and he seldom altered his first ideas or language. He generally finished about a sheet or sixteen pages of the novels per day, and the original manuscript is in a fair and legible hand, with scarcely any alterations. The most brilliant scenes and dialogues in 'Guy Mannering,' the 'Antiquary,' 'Tales of my Landlord,' &c. are written out in this manner with scarcely any interlineations, and apparently without any hesitation. The full flood of his ideas seem to have been poured forth from his excited mind with wonderful freedom and facility; and on one occasion, it is related of him, that when he was dictating to a friend (being unable to write from recent indisposition) one of the dialogues in Ivanhoe, in which Front de Bœuf is the hero, he rose up from his chair, in the animation of his fancy, and acted the scene which he was describing, giving that part of the dialogue which belonged to Front de Bœuf with extraordinary force and vivacity, and with every suitable accompaniment of tone, gesture, and manner.

He evinced the same facility in the composition of his poetry. Like many other great men he was distrustful of his own talents, and not at all conscious of their wonderful extent; or rather he tried his performances by the severe tests of his own exquisite taste, and was more humbled by the deficiencies which he discovered than exalted by what he had actually performed.

Sir Walter Scott's father was cut off by the same malady, and about the same age as his son, who, it is singular, had always a dread, which the event has unhappily realised, that his disease would overtake him in the decline of life. Yet he was of a remarkably strong constitution, enjoyed in general robust health, was of moderate habits, and took regular exercise. It was his practice to rise in the morning about seven or earlier, and, with the interval of breakfast, to apply to his literary studies until one or two o'clock, when he went out to walk with his dogs, with whose gambols he was much amused; nor was he in the habit of allowing his valuable time to be interrupted by visitors, who, though they were treated with extreme courtesy, were allowed after the first day to find their own amusements. He took great interest in adorning the grounds around Abbotsford, by planting, &c. and in the course of his walks he always carefully surveyed the progress of these improvements.—Edinburgh Evening Courant.