ense of the word, you
can be what you never will be in any other, _ambidexter_.
But I am sorry you took so much trouble, and I fear _pains_
besides, to display your new talent.

Ever your Grace's truly faithful,

Walter SCOTT.

The closing sentence of this letter refers to a fit of the gout which
had disabled the Duke's right hand, but not cooled his zeal on a
subject which, throughout January, 1818, occupied, I firmly believe,
much more of his correspondent's thoughts by day and dreams by night,
than any one, or perhaps than all others, besides. The time {p.206}
now approached when a Commission to examine the Crown-room in the
Castle of Edinburgh, which had sprung from one of Scott's
conversations with the Prince Regent in 1815, was at length to be
acted upon. The minstrel of the "Rough Clan" had taken care that the
name of his chief should stand at the head of the document; but the
Duke's now precarious health ultimately prevented him from being
present at the discovery of the long buried and almost forgotten
Regalia of Scotland. The two following letters on this subject are of
the same date--Edinburgh, 14th January, 1818.

TO THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH, ETC., ETC., BOWHILL.

MY DEAR LORD,--You will hear from the Advocate that the
Commission for opening the Regalia is arrived, and that the
Commissioners held their first meeting yesterday. They have
named next Wednesday (in case your Grace can attend) for
opening the mysterious chest. So this question will be put
to rest forever.

I remember among the rebel company which debauched my youth,
there was a drunken old Tory, who used to sing a ballad made
about these same Regalia at the time of the Union, in which
they were all destined to the basest uses; the crown, for
example,

"To make a can for Brandy Nan
To puke in when she's tipsy."

The rest of the song is in a tone of equally pure humor; the
chorus ran:--

"Farewell, thou ancient kingdom--
Farewell, thou ancient kingdom.
Who sold thyself for English pelf--
Was ever such a thing done?"

I hope your Grace feels yourself sufficiently interested in
the recovery of these ancient symbols of national
independence, so long worn by your forefathers, and which
were never profaned by the touch of a monarc