When the news transpired at Oxford, Mr. William Scott said to a friend there, "I suppose you have heard of this very foolish act of my very foolish brother." The softening observation being made—"I hope it may turn out better than you anticipate," he replied; "Never, Sir, never! he is completely ruined, nor can any thing now save him from beggary. You do not know how unhappy this makes me, for I had good hopes of him till this last confounded step has destroyed all." The despair of Moises I have already commemorated. A story is told that, in the present abject state of his fortunes, the future Chancellor was in imminent danger of being punished for his imprudence by being condemned to spend the remainder of his days in selling figs and raisins. It is said that an old and very wealthy grocer, being childless, went to Scott, the father, and, saying "he took compassion on the destitute condition of John," offered at once to give him an equal share of his lucrative business without any premium-that the father was well pleased with the proposal, but said " he could not accept it without consulting his oldest son, who was at Oxford,”that he wrote to William accordingly, and that it was only upon William requesting that John might be sent back to his college, wife and all, and promising to do what he could for them, that the offer was rejected. But there is no written, and very slender parol, evidence for this statement, and it was probably invented to multiply the marvels of Lord Eldon's career. I do not believe that after his academical distinction he would ever have submitted to the degradation of standing behind a counter. At the very time when this negotiation is supposed to have been going on, conscious of his own upright intentions, and relying with some confidence on his own powers, he wrote the following spirited letter to his cousin Reay, then at Oxford:— "MY DEAR REAY, "It gives me some satisfaction to find that, amidst the censures of those whose frowns I despise, and the applause of others whose good opinion I am not very anxious to secure, a change of life on my part has not been attended with a change of sentiment on yours. Those who knew me not were at liberty to deal out their plaudits, or express their disapprobation, in as strong terms as they pleased; and whilst I expected, from impertinent ignorance or morose old age, reflections upon my honour and my prudence, I was contented that the latter should be suspected by those friends whose knowledge of me would lead them without hesitation (I flatter myself,) to believe that I had acted with an unremitting attention to the former. Virtute med me involvo: and I can with the greatest confidence retire, from the harsh criticisms of a world which must ever remain ignorant of the justifying circumstances, to a heart which will never reproach me. I hope I shall not be suspected of vanity, if I assert that no man, who knew me thoroughly, would condemn me as consulting only the gratification of a boyish passion. "You have long known me, Hal; you will not suspect me of dis simulation, if, where there is so little occasion for any other arguments to disarm you of any suspicions with respect to the rectitude of my conduct, I farther assert in general terms, that I have only acted the unavoidable part: I cannot honourably descend to such particulars as may prove the truth of the assertion. I should not have said so much, if I had not been writing to a person whose behaviour has endeared him to me so greatly, that I should be uneasy under his disapprobation. "Such are the motives upon which the scheme was undertaken: it was executed with some wonderful escapes, and exhibits in my conduct some very remarkable generalship: I eluded the vigilance of three watchmen stationed in the neighbourhood, without the assistance of a bribe; and contrived to be sixty miles from Newcastle before it was discovered that I had left the place. My wife is a perfect heroine, and behaved with a courage which astonished me. In truth, fortes Fortuna juvat; how else can I account for the first intimations about a scheme which I should not have dreamt would ever have been thought of the success of a plan seemingly impracticable-and the ready forgiveness of those whom I expected to have found unrelenting?-I have now, Reay, bid adieu to all ambitious projects, because my highest ambition is gratified: though a husband, I am yet so much of a lover, as to think the world well lost, whilst I retain the affections of one woman, the esteem of a few friends, and the good wishes of Reay. Some of the good folks here, as you surmised, have starved me, out of pure pity: but, though I shall not expire by a surfeit, I think I shall scarce die of hunger. "With respect to your being a candidate for my fellowship, the college will suffer no loss by my imprudence, if I have such a successor. I expect to hear from you again soon: in the mean time, believe me to be, dear Reay, "Wednesday." "Your sincere friend, and 66 (Upon your mother's authority,) "J. SCOTT. "A love-match may be a very silly and selfish action, or a very wise and disinterested one-the suggestion of a passing fancy, or the result of reflection and self-knowledge."* The elopement of Mr. Scott and Miss Surtees was of a very venial character, and is chiefly to be regretted as giving countenance to a practice which can seldom admit of such palliations. Her parents, though they might reasonably refuse their consent to her union with a young man unable to support her, had no right to insist on her marrying another, when her affections were pre-engaged. His family having once countenanced the courtship, were not justified in suddenly trying to put a stop to it; and it should always be remembered that he was ready to submit to all the exertions, priva * Words of Lord Eldon in his old age. tions and sacrifices demanded by the relation he thus clandestinely contracted. Both made ample atonement to society for their offence, if it was one. There never was a more faithful or affectionate pair; and they afforded a beautiful example of the consortium vitæ, which constitutes the essence of the married state. She conformed to his tastes, and thought only of his advancement.-One example is more worth than any amount of general praise. When her husband was qualifying himself for the Bar, she would sit up with him during his midnight studies, watching him with silent affection, and moving about on tip-toe that she might not disturb the connexion of his thoughts. The faults of penuriousness and seclusion, which she afterwards displayed, grew out of the habits she acquired when exercising self-denial for his sake. He showed his deep sense of the obligations under which he had come -not only by his unwearied exertions to be able creditably to maintain her, but when youth and beauty were gone, and peculiarities of temper and manners appeared in her which were to be regretted, though excusable-he still treated her with fondness. Being told, after the clandestine match of his eldest daughter, Lady Elizabeth, that he should force Lady Eldon into society, in order to chaperon the younger daughter, Lady Frances-he replied, "When she was young and beautiful, she gave up every thing for me. What she is, I have made her; and I cannot now bring myself to compel her inclinations. Our marriage prevented her mixing in society when it might have afforded her pleasure; it appears to give pain now, and why should I interpose?". When she was snatched away from him by death, he still tenderly cherished her memory. Within two or three years of his own decease, when a north-country friend came over to see him at Rushyford, the old peer observed to him," I know my fellow-townsmen at Newcastle complain of my never coming to see them, but how can I pass that bridge?" -meaning the bridge across the Tyne, looking upon the Sand-hill. Then musing on the dead-with tears in his eyes-after a pause he exclaimed, "Poor Bessie! if ever there was an angel on earth, she was one. The only reparation which one man can make to another for running away with his daughter, is to be exemplary in his conduct towards her." But we have now to attend Mr. and Mrs. John Scott in Love Lane. She was, and therefore so was he, still most wretched, on account of the obduracy of her father, who vowed that he never would see her more, nor forgive her even on his death-bed. But at length the old gentleman, hearing of her anguish, and feeling the want of her pious attentions, in which he had so much delighted, gradually relented, and sent her his forgiveness and his blessing. Her brother John, who was the bearer of this message, said, "She threw her arms about me in a transport of joy, and kissed me for a considerable time without intermission." They now removed to Mr. Surtees' house on Sand-hill, where they met with a kind reception. Soon after, "Articles" were executed, whereby Mr. Scott settled upon them 20007., and Mr. Surtees 10007., (which he afterwards doubled,) to bear interest at 5l. per cent. [JAN. 7, 1773.] I need not formally refute the false statement which has been so often repeated that Lord Eldon, never having been reconciled to Mr. Surtees, showed his thirst for revenge by sealing with his own hand, when Chancellor, a commission of bankruptcy against him. Mr. Surtees lived and died in affluent circumstances, although the bank to which he belonged long afterwards failed; and he lived with his son-in-law on terms of the greatest confidence and affection.* R * Of this I am able to give a very striking proof by a letter which has never yet appeared in print, showing that Mr. Scott was employed by Mr. Surtees in the delicate matter of advising with him about the framing of his will:"Honoured Sir, "I had this day delivered to me a parcel from you containing a will formerly made by you, and your instructions as to the alterations which you wish to be made at present. I shall take care to finish it the first thing I do, and will send it you as soon as I hear of any person coming to Newcastle, with whom it is prudent to intrust it. "I have no difficulty about your meaning, except in a single particular or two. All your real and personal estate, except what is in the bank, you propose to leave to your eldest son, and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten: that expression, which I have scored under, will give your son, Mr. William Surtees, as ample a power of disposing of your lands absolutely from, his family, in case it should be thought advisable by him to do so, as can possibly exist in law. As he has children, I presume it is your intention to leave it entirely in his power; and if that is so, this expression, viz. heirs of the body, you will probably think less proper than to give it to him and his heirs, without saying, of his body lawfully begotten. The expressions do not differ in effect, except that, although both give the same power over the estate, any thing which your son may wish to do with the estate will be much more expensive to him if the words heirs of the body lawfully begotten are used, than if the word heirs only is used. On the other hand, if you mean at all events to secure it to his children after his death, and, failing them, to your own, according to their seniority of age, as in the old will sent to me, the word heirs of the body lawfully begotten' will not do. You will be so obliging as to favour me with a letter explaining this. The personal estate which you direct to be disposed of in the same way may also require your consideration for personal estate given to a man and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten will not go in law to those heirs, but entirely to the man himself. Nor is there any way of giving personal estate to a man but giving him it absolutely, and at his own disposal, unless he is merely to take the interest of it, and the principal is to be tied up in the hands of trustees; which, I presume to think, is not what you mean to your very deserving son.' You will be so kind as to explain this point also. "You are so very obliging, as, upon the supposition that Mrs. Scott and I may not survive you, to give her legacy to your grandson. As I hope in God you will see a great many years, and it may happen that your daughter's family may increase, I submit it to your goodness to determine whether, supposing it should please God to remove my wife and myself, you would not alter that matter and give it, in that case, to John, in case we have no more children living at your death; but if we have, equally among and between him and the others. 1 Alluding to Lord Eldon's school-fellow and eldest brother-in-law, Mr. William Surtees, who for many years resided at 31, Montagu Square, London, and between whom (till his death, on 1st January, 1832,) and Lord Eldon an intimate intercourse and constant correspondence always continued. To bring this matrimonial narrative to a conclusion I have only to state, that although no doubt was entertained about the marriage celebrated at Blackshiels being sufficient, both in law and religion,-with a view to easy evidence of marriage in future times, it was thought right to follow the practice of the Chancellor, with respect to his wards, and to have the parties re-married in England, in conformity to the provisions of Lord Hardwicke's Act. Accordingly [A. D. 1773.] the ceremony was again performed in the parish church of St. Nicholas, Newcastle, in the presence of the father of the bride and the brother of the bridegroom, and the following entry was made of it in the register:— "John Scott and Elizabeth Surtees, a minor, with the consent of her father, Aubone Surtees, Esq., and both of this parish, were married in this church, by license, the 19th day of January 1773, by me, "CUTH. WILSON, Curate. "This marriage was solemnized between us, John Scott and Elizabeth Surtees, In the presence of us, Aubone Surtees, Henry Scott." The bride and bridegroom, on this occasion, without trepidation, entered a post-chaise which waited for them at the church door,—and, rapidly crossing the Tyne, bade adieu to Newcastle. "The world was all before them, where to choose CHAPTER CXCII. CONTINUATION OF THE LIFE OF LORD ELDON TILL HE WAS CALLED TO It was now necessary that Mr. John Scott should form a new scheme of life. He could no longer look to the Church as a profession. After "With respect to what is to be divided among your younger children, after Mrs. Surtees's death, if I understand you right, it is to go amongst your three younger sons and your two daughters, if they are all then living; and if any of them die before, then among such of them as are left. Or do you mean, that if any of them should be then dead, and have left several or any children behind them, that those children should have what their parent, if then alive, would have had; or is it to be confined to your children, without giving the share of your child, in case of his or her death, to his or her children? I beg the favour of your answer to these particulars. Give me leave to add, that I cannot help thinking all your family under extremely high obligations to you; and, for my own part, my gratitude shall be as lasting as your kindness has been great. "Lord Ravensworth called upon me on Friday, and he tells me your trade will certainly be protected. I am, with love and duty to Mrs. Surtees and yourself, in which Mrs. Scott and John beg to be joined with me, and also in love to all the family, dear Sir, "Your much obliged and dutiful son, "Please to excuse haste. "March 2, 1779." "JOHN SCOTT. |