ABBOTSFORD AXD MELROSE ABBEY. 97 



Scottish crown on the part of kings and chieftains ; 

 and bloody bickerings between Scot and Britain in 

 regard to the Anglo -Nor man frontier. The results of 

 a battle reconstructed boundaries, and provoked ani- 

 mosities which became chronic. The land was full of 

 song and story ; the valiant deeds of chieftains were 

 rehearsed at every fireside on the border, and the 

 youthful maker of rhymes wove these tales into capti- 

 vating prose and verse. Walter Scott was naturally 

 a genius, but the surroundings of the man helped to 

 develop his talents, and to give them a turn in a given 

 direction. He was a patriotic son of Scotia, and 

 warmly sympathized with the gallant heroes who 

 triumphed well at Bannockburn, but lost at Floclden 

 Field. In these decisive battles, fought mostly in 

 hand-to-hand encounters, were ample opportunities 

 to display 



"That stern joy which warriors feel 

 In foemen worthy of their steel." 



The Lay of the Last Minstrel and Marmion are 

 faithful representations of contests in armor, the 

 weapons of the cavaliers being swords, spears, and 

 halberts. Individual tilts took place on horseback as 

 \vell as on foot. Sometimes heads were severed by 

 the stalwart blow of a battle-ax. The issue of a 

 fight depended more upon the display of personal 

 bravery on the part of leaders than upon the disci- 

 pline and skillful handling of troops. 



The famous "Border Wars" were over before 

 Scott was born, therefore he became a subject of the 

 English Crown. But his heart was ever loyal to the 

 land of his birth and that of his ancestry. He could 

 not help bestowing glory upon Scotland and champ- 



