ighborhood. He several times also entertained Scott
and his young companions at dinner; but the last of those dinners was
thoroughly poisoned by a preliminary circumstance. The poet, on
entering the saloon, was presented to a stranger, whose physiognomy
struck him as the most hideous he had ever seen; nor was his disgust
lessened, when he found, a few minutes afterwards, that he had
undergone the _accolade_ of David "of the blood-stained brush."

From Paris, Mr. Bruce and Mr. Pringle went on to {p.064} Switzerland,
leaving the poet and Gala to return home together, which they did by
way of Dieppe, Brighton, and London. It was here, on the 14th of
September, that Scott had that last meeting with Lord Byron, alluded
to in his communication to Mr. Moore, already quoted. He carried his
young friend in the morning to call on Lord Byron, who agreed to dine
with them at their hotel, where he met also Charles Mathews and Daniel
Terry. The only survivor of the party[23] has recorded it in his
note-book as the most interesting day he ever spent. "How I did
stare," he says, "at Byron's beautiful pale face, like a
spirit's--good or evil. But he was _bitter_--what a contrast to Scott!
Among other anecdotes of British prowess and spirit, Scott mentioned
that a young gentleman ---- ---- ---- had been awfully shot in the
head while conveying an order from the Duke, and yet staggered on, and
delivered his message when at the point of death. 'Ha!' said Byron, 'I
dare say he could do as well as most people without his head--it was
never of much use to him.' Waterloo did not delight him, probably--and
Scott could talk or think of scarcely anything else."

[Footnote 23: John Scott, Esq., of Gala, died at
Edinburgh, 19th April, 1840.--(1842.)]

Mathews accompanied them as far as Warwick and Kenilworth, both of
which castles the poet had seen before, but now reexamined with
particular curiosity. They spent a night at Sheffield; and early next
morning Scott sallied forth to provide himself with a planter's knife
of the most complex contrivance and finished workmanship. Having
secured one to his mind, and which for many years after was his
constant pocket-companion, he wrote his name on a card, "Walter Scott,
Abbotsford," and directed it to be engraved on the handle. On his
mentioning this acquisition at breakfast, young Gala expressed his
desire to equip himself in like fashion, and was directed to the shop
accor