. 1,300 2,000 0 ings of Messrs Ballantyne's creditors, a copy of Produce of New Works by Sir Walter Scott at pre- 1. Woodstock, 3 volumes, 9,500 ; L. d. awkward avowal of the authorship on the part shop-price 315, 6d. boards. 14,962 10 of Sir Walter. As he was well aware that the Deduct one-third, to reduce to circumstances would soon make their way through trade-price, and cover expenses the press, he determined to catch at some little of sale 4,987 10 eclat, while yet there was time--some little credit Cost of paper and printfor disclosing that himself, which all the world ing (same as Redwere soon to learn from others. gauntlet) 2,225 « These are items from the accounts. Sum to cover contin•Value of Sir Walter Scott's literary property. gencies 1,000 '1. Copyright of published works, estimated at the rate obtained from Constable and Co. for 8,212 10 similar works.' Remains 6,750 0 St Ronan's Well 1,300l. Add value of copy-right, after first Redgauntlet impresssion. 1,300 Crusaders Produce of Woodstock : 8,050 4,6ool. 2. Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, 62. Eventual rights to works sold to Constable 5 vols. 8,000 copies, shop-price and Co. for which bonds to the extent of 7,8vol. 52s.6d, boards 21,000 are granted, but for reasons above stated, no va Deduct one-third, as lue can be rated in this state.? abote 7,000 “3. Works in progress. As none of these are Ditto for paper, etc. 3,706 0 completed, no salue put on them at present be- Ditto contingencies 1,200 yond what is before stated as due to Ballantyne and Co. for printing works in progress, and on 11,906 the value of Messrs Constable and Co.'s paper on 9,094 hand; but ultimately will be very valuable. See Add value of copy-right after first Appendix as to these works. edition. . 2,166 13 4 « In the debtor and creditor account of Constable and Co. with Ballantyne and Co., the follow- Produce of Bonaparte's Life : 11,260 13 4 ing item occurs on the credit side:-Sums ad. 3. Literary productions by Sir vanced by Constable and Co. to Sir Walter Scott, being their two-third shares of sums stipulated Walter Scott already finished, to be paid in advance for two works of fiction but not yet published, though not named, and not yet written, as per missives, in the course of publication, which may be safely stated at dated 7th and 20th March, 1823. « These works being undelivered, it is consider « At the second meeting of creditors, held 3d ed the author has an undoubted right to retain February; . 1826, a resolution is entered, that them, and impute the sums paid to account in the printing establishment should be continued, the general balance owing to Constable and Co. both as a source of profit, and as necessary for « In Appendix, No. II., being estimates of funds the publication of Sir W. Scott's works; who had that may accrue to Ballantyne and Co. within a requested of Mr Gibson to communicate, that he year, occur several curious particulars relative to was to use every exertion in his power on behalf Woodstock and the Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. of the creditors; and by the diligent employ ment of his talents, and adoption of a strictly 1 « This price is that given for the subsequent editions, economical mode of life, to secure, as speedily after the first of 10,000.» as possible, full payment to all concerned. ? « It is a condition of these bonds, that if they are not paid, the copyrights revert to the author; so that, in spite « The cause of the delay in the publication of of the failure of the granters, it is supposed they will be the Life of Napoleon will be found in the followpaid.» ing minute: 3 « This alludes to the Life of Napoleon.» "The circumstances connected with the two 4 «Were the right the other way, it would be a very difficult matter to enforce it. An author of works of fic literary works, entitled Woodstock, and The tion is not to be delivered against his will; a legal process Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, having been conto force Sir Walter Scott to produce a couple of 'novels, sidered; the trustees expressed their opinion, that would be the Cæsarean operation in literature.» so far as they understood the nature of the bar gain between Sir Walter Scott and Constable and to kindle the eloquence, to exercise the wisdom Co., the latter had no claim in law for the pro- and skill, or to stimulate the intellectual ambiceeds of either of these books; but think it de- tion of the historian. Yet, notwithstanding the sirable for all parties that they should be finish- unquestionable powers of the celebrated author ed, which should be communicated to Sir Walter; | -notwithstanding the fame which he had « set and also, that he should be requested to give his upon the cast » the magnitude of the occasion, aid to the sale of them to the best advantage. — and all the inspiring circumstances of the underMr Gibson was instructed to endeavour to con- taking, it would be vain to deny that the work, cert some arrangement with Constable and Co. upon the whole, is a failure. The book has, evifor consigning in some bank the price of the dently, been written in haste and with vegliworks, until all questions concerning them were gence; the author has given himself no time decided. either for the well-digested arrangement of facts, « On the 26th May, 1826, a meeting was held, or profound reflexion on the great combinations when Mr Gibson reported particulars of sale of of political action. He has not, in simple lanWoodstock, 7,900 copies of which had been sold guage, studied his subject; but has put together to Hurst and Robinson, at 6,500l.: but they be- an immense mass of materials, as rapidly as they ing unable to complete the bargain, they had been accumulated under his hands, with little care in transferred to Longman and Co. on same terms. the selection, and no thought for their relative « The money had been paid, and was deposited importance and measurement. It is, in short, a with Sir W. Forbes and Co. to wait the issue of voluminous compilation, executed indeed with the decision as to the respective claims of Con- wonderful celerity, and adorned with brilliant stable and Co. and Sir W. Scott's trustees, re- passages, but nothing worthy either of the gegarding this work. The remainder of the im- nius of Walter Scott or the true dignity of hispression had been sold to Constable and Co.'s tory. But the real cause of his failure in writtrustee at 18s. 6d. each copy, ‘at a credit of ing the history of our eventful times must not be ten months from delivery, with five per cent traced either to ignorance or incapacity. It is discount for any earlier payment,' of which the too visible that lower considerations than the trustees approved. In consequence of advice generous love of fame inspired the author. from Sir Walter Scott and Longman and Co., it Hence, only, the haste, the negligence, the prohad been thought advisable to restrict the first lixity of the composition, the want of compresedition of the Life of Napoleon to 6,000, instead sion, of reviewing, of deliberate arrangement.of 8,000 copies, as originally intended. At the same time, we should be guilty of great « The excerpts contain a great number of items, injustice if we failed to remark the extraordinary which lay open the precise state of Sir Walter's skill displayed by Sir Walter Scott in the relaprivate affairs: a hundred years hence they may tion of military events. Not only are the shifting be a great curiosity, and their publication may alarums of the battle-field exhibited with all the then be correct; at present it would certainly be eager animation, all the picturesque and dramaindelicate and unhandsome, not only to the ad- tic energy of description, which were to be lookmirable writer himself, but also to several other ed for from the « Author of Waverley,» but the private individuals. Every thing belonging to a plans of campaign, and the movements of argreat national genius is public property, and in mies, are explained in a clear and methodical the course of a short time these excerpts will be style, which evinces a perfect acquaintance with sought for with avidity, and published with as the principles of strategy.-- Finally, of the third little hesitation as Mr Todd lately printed Milton's volume we are bound to speak in terms of unpecuniary squabbles with his mother-in-law.» qualified commendation. It forms the most exThe last, but not the « last best work » of Sir citing and delightful fragment of heroic biograWalter Scott, is his Life of Napoleon Bona- phy with which we are acquainted.' PARTE, a production of which neither our limits, nor our inclinations, will allow us to say much. 1 It is with much regret that we feel ourselves obliged In an historical point of view it possesses few me- to notice an unpleasant epistolary discussion, which has rits, and, we are constrained to admit, is equally arisen between General Gourgaud and Sir Walter Scott, unworthy of the extraordinary character it treats in consequence of some passages in the latter's « Life of Napoleon,» in which the general's fidelity to his late of, as of its author's splendid literary reputation. exiled master is more than called in question. To this The extent and importance of the subject were charge the general, in a long letter inserted in the Paris calculated to afford an ample scope for the dis- journals , has given the « lie direct,» and termed the whole play of the very highest ability. A more excit- work a romance. Sir Walter has since published a spirited ing theme of narration-a fairer field of philo- the official documents, etc., on which the passages in dis reply in the English newspapers, and produced copies of sophical contemplation, was never before given cussion were founded. THE POETICAL WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. The Lay of the Last Minstrel. IN SIX CANTOS. Dum relego, ecripsisse pudet, quia plurima cerno. Me quoque, qui feci, judice, digua lini. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES, EARL OF DALKEITH, This poem is Inscribed, BY THE AUTHOR. ADVERTISEMENT. INTRODUCTION. The poem now offered to the public is intended to illustrate the customs and manners which anciently prevailed on the Borders of England and Scotland. The inhabitants, living in a state partly pastoral and partly warlike, and combining habits of constant depredation with the influence of a rude spirit of chivalry, were often engaged in scenes highly susceptible of poetical ornament. As the description of scenery and manners was more the object of the author than a combined and regular narrative, the plan of the ancient metrical romance was adopted, which allows greater latitude, in this respect, than would be consistent with the dignity of a regular poem. The same model offered other facilities, as it permits an occasional alteration of measure, which, in some degree, author ises the change of rhythm in the text. The machinery also, adopted from popular belief, would have seemed puerile in a poem which did not partake of the rudeness of the old ballad or metrical romance. For these reasons, the poem was put into the mouth of an ancient minstrel, the last of the race, who, as he is supposed to have survived the Revolution, might have caught somewhat of the refinement of modern poetry, without losing the simplicity of his original model. The date of the Tale itself is about the middle of the sixteenth century, when most of the personages actually flourished. The time occupied by the action is three niclits and three days. The way was long, the wind was cold, He pass'd whicre Newark's stately tower 1 The Minstrel gazed with wishful eye- But when he caught the measure wild, swept the sounding chords along: THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL. CANTO 1. When kindness had his wants supplied, And the old man was gratified, Began to rise his minstrel pride : And he began to talk anon, Of good Earl Francis, dead and gone, And of Earl Walter,3 rest him God! "A braver ne'er to battle rode; And how full many a tale he knew Of the old warriors of Buccleuch ; And, would the noble duchess deign To listen to an old man's strain, Though stiff his hand, his voice though weak, He thought, even yet, the sooth to speak, That, if she loved the harp to hear, He could make music to her ear. I. The feast was over in Branksome tower, (1) And the Ladye had gone to her secret bower; Her bower that was guarded by word and by spell, Deadly to hear and deadly to tellJesu Maria shield us well! No living wight, save the Ladye alone, Had dared to cross the clireshold stone. JI. The tables were drawn, it was idlesse all; Knight, and page, and household squire, Loiter'd through the lofty hall, Or crowded round the ample fire. The stag-hounds, weary with the chace, Lay stretch'd upon the rushy floor, And urged in dreams the forest race, From Teviot-stone to Eskdale-moor. The humble boon was soon obtain'd; gave him heart, and gave him time, III. Hung their shields in Branksome-hall; (2) Brought them their steeds from bower to stall; Nine-avd-iwenty yeomen tall Waited duteous on them all : They were all knights of meille true, Kinsmen to the bold Buccleuch. IV. They lay down to rest With corslet laced, They carved at the meal With gloves of steel, And they drank the red wine through the helmet barrd. ' Anne. Duchess of Buccleuch and Moumouth, representative of the ancient lords of Buccleuch, and widow of the unfortunate James, Duke of Monmouth, who was beheaded in 1685. * Francis Scott, Earl of Buccleuch, father to the duchess. 3 Walter, Earl of Buccleuch, grandfather to the duchess, and a celebrated warrior. |