ate_ (1827 and 1828),
the latter of which contains the beautiful story of _St. Valentine's Day_,
or _The Fair Maid of Perth_. It is written in his finest vein, especially
in those chapters which describe the famous Battle of the Clans. In 1829
appeared _Anne of Geierstein_, another story presenting the figure of
Charles of Burgundy, and his defeat and death in the battle with the Swiss
at Nancy.

POWERS OVERTASKED.--And now new misfortunes were to come upon him. In 1826
he had lost his wife: his sorrows weighed upon him, and his superhuman
exertions were too much for his strength. In 1829 he was seized with a
nervous attack, accompanied by hemorrhages of a peculiar kind. In
February, 1830, a slight paralysis occurred, from which he speedily
recovered; this was soon succeeded by another; and it was manifest that
his mind was giving way. His last novel, _Count Robert of Paris_, was
begun in 1830, as one of a fourth series of _The Tales of My Landlord_: it
bears manifest marks of his failing powers, but is of value for the
historic stores which it draws from the Byzantine historians, and
especially from the unique work of Anna Comnena: "I almost wish," he said,
"I had named it Anna Comnena." A slight attack of apoplexy in November,
1830, was followed by a severer one in the spring of 1831. Even then he
tried to write, and was able to produce _Castle Dangerous_. With that the
powerful pen ended its marvellous work. The manly spirit still chafed that
his debts were not paid, and could not be, by the labor of his hands.

FRUITLESS JOURNEY.--In order to divert his mind, and, as a last chance for
health, a trip to the Mediterranean was projected. The Barham frigate was
placed by the government at his disposal; and he wandered with a party of
friends to Malta, Naples, Pompeii, Paestum, and Rome. But feeling the end
approaching, he exclaimed, "Let us to Abbotsford:" for the final hour he
craved the _grata quies patriae_; to which an admiring world has added the
remainder of the verse--_sed et omnis terra sepulchrum_. It was not a
moment too soon: he travelled northward to the Rhine, down that river by
boat, and reached London "totally exhausted;" thence, as soon as he could
be moved, he was taken to Abbotsford.

RETURN AND DEATH.--There he lingered from July to September, and died
peacefully on the 21st of the latter month, surrounded by his family and
lulled to repose by the rippling of the Tweed. Among the noted dead of