ee stanzas of the
poem--taking for his model the _Christabel_ of Coleridge--showed them
to two friends, "whose talents might have raised them to the highest
station in literature, had they not preferred exerting them in their
own profession of the law, in which they attained equal preferment."
They were more silent upon the merits of the stanzas than was
encouraging to the author; and Sir Walter, looking upon the attempt as
a failure, threw the manuscript into the fire, and thought as little
as he could of the matter. Sometime afterwards, Sir Walter meeting his
two friends, was asked how he proceeded in his romance;--they were
surprised at its fate, said they had reviewed their opinion, and
earnestly desired that Sir Walter would proceed with the composition.
He did so; and the poem was soon finished, proceeding at the rate of
about a canto per week. It was finally published in 1805, and produced
to the author 600_l._; and, to use his own words, "it may be regarded
as the first work in which the writer, who has been since so
voluminous, laid his claim to be considered as an original author." We
thus see that Sir Walter Scott was in his 34th year before he had
published an original work.

MARMION.

Sir Walter's second poem of consequence appeared in 1808, he having
published a few ballads and lyrical pieces during the year 1806. The
publishers, emboldened by the success of _the Lay of the Last
Minstrel_, gave the author 1,000_l._ for _Marmion_. Its success was
electric, and at once wrought up the poet's reputation. In his preface
to the last edition, April, 1830, he states 36,000 copies to have been
printed between 1808 and 1825, besides a considerable sale since that
period; and the publishers were so delighted with the success, as "to
supply the author's cellars with what is always an acceptable present
to a young Scotch house-keeper--namely, a hogshead of excellent
claret."

CLERK OF SESSION.

Between the appearance of _the Lay of the Last Minstrel_ and
_Marmion_, hopes were held out to him from an influential quarter of
the reversion of the office of a Principal Clerk in the Court of
Session; and, Mr. Pitt, having expressed a wish to be of service to
the author, of _the Lay of the Last Minstrel_, Sir Walter applied for
the reversion. His desire was readily acceeded to; and, according to
Chambers, George III. is reported to have said, when he signed the
commission, that "he was happy he had it in his pow