been indebted to her vivid memory for the substratum of his Scottish fictions-and she accordingly had been, from an early period, at no loss to fix the Waverley Novels on the right culprit.

In the sketch of Chrystal Croftangry's own history, the author has been accused of introducing some not polite allusions to respectable living individuals: but he may safely, he presumes, pass over such an insinuation. The first of the narratives which Mr Croftangry proceeds to lay before the public, "The Highland Widow," was derived from Mrs Murray Keith, and is given, with the exception of a few additional circumstances-the introduction of which I am rather inclined to regret-very much as the excellent old lady used to tell the story. Neither the Highland cicerone MacLeish, nor the demure waitingwoman, were drawn from imagination; and on re-reading my tale, after the lapse of a few years, and comparing its effect with my remembrance of my worthy friend's oral narration, which was certainly extremely affecting, I cannot but suspect myself of having marred its simplicity by some of those interpolations, which, at the time

when I penned them, no doubt passed with myself for embellishments.

The next tale, entitled "The Two Drovers," I learned from another old friend, the late George Constable, Esq. of Wallace-Craigie, near Dundee, whom I have already introduced to my reader as the original Antiquary of Monkbarns. He had been present, I think, at the trial at Carlisle, and seldom mentioned the venerable Judge's charge to the jury, without shedding tears,—which had peculiar pathos, as flowing down features, carrying rather a sarcastic, or almost a cynical expression.

This worthy gentleman's reputation for shrewd Scottish sense-knowledge of our national antiquities—and a racy humour, peculiar to himself-must be still remembered. For myself, I have pride in recording, that for many years we were, in Wordsworth's language,

66 a pair of friends, though I was young,
And George' was seventy-two."

W. S.

Abbotsford, Aug. 15, 1881.

APPENDIX

ΤΟ

INTRODUCTION.

[It has been suggested to the Author, that it might be well to reprint here a detailed account of the public dinner alluded to in the foregoing Introduction, as given in the newspapers of the time; and the reader is accordingly presented with the following extract from the EDINBURGH WEEKLY JOURNAL for Wednesday, 28th February, 1827.]

THEATRICAL FUND DINNER.

BEFORE proceeding with our account of this very interesting festival-for so it may be termed -it is our duty to present to our readers the following letter, which we have received from the President:

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EDINBURGH WEEKLY

--

JOURNAL.

Sir, I am extremely sorry I have not leisure to correct the copy you sent me of what I am stated to have said at the Dinner for the Theatrical Fund. I am no orator; and upon such oc

casions as are alluded to, I say as well as I can what the time requires.

However, I hope your reporter has been more accurate in other instances than in mine. I have corrected one passage, in which I am made to speak with great impropriety and petulance, respecting the opinions of those who do not approve of dramatic entertainments. I have restored what I said, which was meant to be respectful, as every objection founded in conscience is, in my opinion, entitled to be so treated. Other errors I left as I found them, it being of little consequence whether I spoke sense or nonsense, in what was merely intended for the purpose of the hour.

I am, sir,

Your obedient servant,

WALTER SCOTT.

Edinburgh, Monday.

The Theatrical Fund Dinner, which took place on Friday, in the Assembly Rooms, was conducted with admirable spirit. The Chairman, Sir WALTER SCOTT, among his other great qualifications, is well fitted to enliven such an entertainment. His manners are extremely easy, and his style of speaking simple and natural, yet full of vivacity and point; and he has the art, if it be art, of relaxing into a certain homeliness of manner, without losing one

particle of his dignity. He thus takes off some of that solemn formality which belongs to such meetings, and, by his easy and graceful familiarity, imparts to them somewhat of the pleasing character of a private entertainment. Near Sir W. Scott sat the Earl of Fife, Lord Meadowbank, Sir John Hope of Pinkie, Bart., Admiral Adam, Baron Clerk Rattray, Gilbert Innes, Esq., James Walker, Esq., Robert Dundas, Esq., Alexander Smith, Esq., &c.

The cloth being removed, " Non Nobis Domine” was sung by Messrs Thorne, Swift, Collier, and Hartley, after which the following toasts were given from the chair:

“The King”—all the honours.

"The Duke of Clarence and the Royal Family." The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the next toast, which he wished to be drunk in solemn silence, said, it was to the memory of a regretted prince, whom we had lately lost. Every individual would at once conjecture to whom he alluded. He had no intention to dwell on his military merits. They had been told in the senate; they had been repeated in the cottage; and whenever a soldier was the theme, his name was never far distant. But it was chiefly in connexion with the business of this meeting, which his late Royal Highness had condescended in a particular manner to patronise, that they were called on to drink to his memory. To