Sir Walter Scott 's Letter. 313 



in 1791, when he paid a visit to Wooler and its neigh- 

 bourhood, is of value, were it for nothing else but 

 showing that in these days here, as in Coquetdale, 

 the keeping of goats for the sake of the milk, &c., 

 was common, though now the hill farmer has turned 

 his attention to the more profitable occupation of sheep- 

 rearing, and the lowland farmer to the more scientific 

 cultivation of the soil, which has led to a great change 

 in the landscape in many ways. But we must give 

 ourselves the pleasure of quoting a part of Sir Walter's 

 most characteristic letter : 



" I am very snugly settled here in a farmer's house 

 about six miles from Wooler, in the very centre of the 

 Cheviot Hills, in one of the wildest and most romantic 

 situations which your imagination ever suggested. And 

 what the deuce are you doing there ? methinks I hear 

 you say. Why, sir, of all things in the world, drinking 

 goats' whey : not that I stand in the least need of it, 

 but my uncle having a slight cold, and being a little 

 tired of home, asked me last Sunday evening if I 

 would like to go with him to Wooler, and I, answering 

 in the affirmative, next morning's sun beheld us on 

 our journey through a pass in the Cheviots, upon the 

 backs of two special nags, and man Thomas behind 

 with a portmanteau and two fishing-rods fastened 

 across his back, much in the style of St. Andrew's 

 cross. Upon reaching Wooler we found the accom- 

 modation so bad that we were forced to use some 

 interest to get lodgings here, where we are most 

 delightfully appointed indeed. To add to my satis- 

 faction, we are among places renowned by the feats 

 of former days : each hill is crowned with a tower, or 

 camp, or cairn, and in no situation can you be nearer 

 more fields of battle Flodden and Chevy Chase, Ford 



