he Tweed, within a walk of Abbotsford, was delighted to see his
dreams realized; and the family took up their residence next spring at
the new house of Toftfield, on which Scott then bestowed, at the
ladies' request, the name of Huntly Burn: this more harmonious
designation being taken from the mountain brook which passes through
its grounds and garden,--the same famous in tradition as the scene of
Thomas the Rhymer's interviews with the Queen of Fairy. The upper part
of the _Rhymer's Glen_, through which this brook finds its way from
the Cauldshiels Loch to Toftfield, had been included in a previous
purchase. He was now master of all these haunts of "True Thomas," and
of the whole ground of the battle of Melrose, from _Skirmish-field_ to
_Turn-again_. His enjoyment of the new territories was, however,
interrupted by various returns of his cramp, and the depression of
spirit which always attended, in his case, the use of opium, {p.176}
the only medicine that seemed to have power over the disease.[71]

[Footnote 70: On completing this purchase, Scott writes
to John Ballantyne:--"DEAR JOHN,--I have closed with
Usher for his beautiful patrimony, which makes me a
great laird. I am afraid the people will take me up for
coining. Indeed, these novels, while their attractions
last, are something like it. I am very glad of _your_
good prospects. Still I cry, _Prudence!
Prudence!_--Yours truly,
W. S."]

[Footnote 71: [On August 1, 1817, Jeffrey writes to
Scott, asking if he could not be induced to write a
notice of Mr. C. K. Sharpe's edition of Kirkton's
_Secret and True History of the Church of Scotland_, for
the _Edinburgh Review_, to which Scott replies, August
5:--

"I flatter myself it will not require many protestations
to assure you with what pleasure I would undertake any
book that can give you pleasure; but in the present case
I am hampered by two circumstances: one, that I promised
Gifford a review of this very Kirkton for the
_Quarterly_; the other that I shall certainly be unable
to keep my word with him. I am obliged to take exercise
three or four hours in the forenoon and