ith such comical humor in _The Antiquary_, his lameness did not
prevent his taking part with the volunteers, as quartermaster--a post
given him to spare him the fatigue and rough service of the ranks. The
French did not come; and Scott returned to his studies with a budget of
incident for future use.

TRANSLATIONS AND MINSTRELSY.--The study of the German language was then
almost a new thing, even among educated people in England; and Scott made
his first public essay in the form of translations from the German. Among
these were versions of the _Erl Koenig_ of Goethe, and the _Lenore_ and
_The Wild Huntsman_ of Buerger, which appeared in 1796. In 1797 he rendered
into English _Otho of Wittelsbach_ by Steinburg, and in 1799 Goethe's
tragedy, _Goetz von Berlichingen_. These were the trial efforts of his
"'prentice hand," which predicted a coming master.

On the 24th of December, 1797, he married Miss Carpenter, or Charpentier,
a lady of French parentage, and retired to a cottage at Lasswade, where he
began his studies, and cherished his literary aspirations in earnest and
for life.

In 1799 he was so fortunate as to receive the appointment of Sheriff of
Selkirkshire, with a salary of L300 per annum. His duties were not
onerous: he had ample time to scour the country, ostensibly in search of
game, and really in seeking for the songs and traditions of Scotland,
border ballads, and tales, and in storing his fancy with those picturesque
views which he was afterwards to describe so well in verse and prose. In
1802 he was thus enabled to present to the world his first considerable
work, _The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, containing many new ballads
which he had collected, with very valuable local and historical notes.
This was followed, in 1804, by the metrical romance _of Sir Tristrem_, the
original of which was by Thomas of Ercildoune, of the thirteenth century,
known as _Thomas the Rhymer_: it was he who dreamed on Huntley bank that
he met the Queen of Elfland,

And, till seven years were gone and past,
True Thomas on earth was never seen.

The reputation acquired by these productions led the world to expect
something distinctly original and brilliant from his pen; a hope which was
at once realized.

THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL.--In 1805 appeared his first great poem, _The
Lay of the Last Minstrel_, which immediately established his fame: it was
a charming presentation of the olden time to the new. It