g since I forswore its dominion, I
have acquired a prescriptive right to act as I will--and I shall
accordingly anticipate the station of a _matron_ in addressing _a
young man_.

I can express but a very, very little of what I feel, and shall
ever feel, for your unintermitting friendship and attention. I
have ever considered you as a brother, and shall _now_ think
myself entitled to make even larger claims on your confidence.
Well do I remember the _dark_ conference we lately held together!
The intention of unfolding _my own_ future fate was often at my
lips.

I cannot tell you my distress at leaving this house, wherein I
have enjoyed so much real happiness, and giving up the service of
so gentle a master, whose yoke was indeed easy. I will therefore
only commend him to your care as the last bequest of Mary Anne
Erskine, and conjure you to continue to each other through all
your pilgrimage as you have commenced it. May every happiness
attend you! Adieu!

Your most sincere friend and sister,

M. A. E.

Mr. Erskine writes on the other page, "The poems are gorgeous, but I
have made no bargain with any bookseller. I have told M. and M. that I
won't be satisfied with indemnity, but an offer must be made. They
will be out before the end of the week." On what terms the publication
really took place, I know not.

It has already been mentioned that Scott owed his copy of Buerger's
works to the young lady of Harden, whose marriage occurred in the
autumn of 1795. She was daughter of Count Bruehl of Martkirchen, long
Saxon ambassador at the Court of St. James's, by his wife Almeria,
Countess-Dowager of Egremont. The young kinsman was introduced to her
soon after her arrival {p.229} at Mertoun, and his attachment to
German studies excited her attention and interest. Mrs. Scott supplied
him with many standard German books, besides Buerger; and the gift of
an Adelung's dictionary from his old ally, George Constable (Jonathan
Oldbuck), enabled him to master their contents sufficiently for the
purposes of translation. The ballad of The Wild Huntsman appears to
have been executed during the month that preceded his first
publication; and he was thenceforth engaged in a succession of
versions from the dramas of Meier and Iffland, several of which are
still extant in his MS., marked 1796 and 1