mind, pouring out
an incessant flow of anecdote, story, with dashes of
humor, and then never monopolizing, but always ready to
listen to and appreciate what came from others. I never
felt such a consciousness of happiness as when under his
roof."--_Washington Irving's Life and Letters_, vol. iv.
p. 260.]]

Among other visitors who succeeded the distinguished American that
autumn, were Lady Byron, the wife of the poet, and the great artist,
Mr., now Sir David Wilkie, who then executed for Captain Ferguson that
pleasing little picture, in which Scott and his family are represented
as a group of peasants, while the gallant soldier {p.191} himself
figures by them in the character of a gamekeeper, or perhaps poacher.
Mr. Irving has given, in the little work from which I have quoted so
liberally, an amusing account of the delicate scruples of Wilkie about
soliciting Scott to devote a morning to the requisite sitting, until,
after lingering for several days, he at length became satisfied that,
by whatever magic his host might contrive to keep Ballantyne's presses
in full play, he had always abundance of leisure for matters less
important than Ferguson's destined heirloom. I shall now, however,
return to his correspondence; and begin with a letter to Joanna
Baillie on Lady Byron's visit.

TO MISS JOANNA BAILLIE, HAMPSTEAD.

ABBOTSFORD, September 26, 1817.

MY DEAR MISS BAILLIE,--A series of little trinketty sort of
business, and occupation, and idleness, have succeeded to
each other so closely, that I have been scarce able, for
some three weeks past, to call my time my own for half an
hour together; but enough of apologies--they are vile
things, and I know you will impute my negligence to anything
rather than forgetting or undervaluing your friendship. You
know, by this time, that we have had a visit from Lady
Byron, delightful both on its own account, and because it
was accompanied with good news and a letter from you. I
regret we could not keep her longer than a day with us,
which was spent on the banks of the Yarrow, and I hope and
believe she was pleased with us, because I am sure she will
be so with everything that is intended to please her:
meantime her visit gave me a most lawyer-like fit of the
bile. I have