Stephenson: The Ettrick Shepherd 



65 



"To Walter Scott, Esq., Castle Street. 



"Gabriel Road, February 28, 1815. 

 "Mr. Scott, — 1 think it is great nonsense for two men who are 

 friends at heart, and who ever must be so — indeed it is not in the 

 nature of things that they can be otherwise — should be professed 

 enemies. 



"Mr. Grieve and Mr. Laidlaw, who v/ere very severe on me, and to 

 whom I was obliged to show your letter, have long ago convinced me 

 that I mistook part of it, and that it was not me you held in such con- 

 tempt, but the opinion of the public. The idea that you might mean 

 that (though I still think the reading will bear either construction), 

 has given me much pain; for I knew I answered yours intemporately, 

 and in a mortal rage. I meant to have inclosed yours, and begged of 

 you to return mine, but I cannot find it, and am sure that some one 

 to whom I have been induced to show it has taken it away. However, 

 as my troubles on that subject were never like to wear to an end, I 

 could not longer resist telling you that I am extremely vexed about it. 

 I desire not a renewal of our former intimacy, for haply, after what I 

 have written, your family would not suffer it; but I wish it to be under- 

 stood that, when we meet hy chance, we might shake hands, and speak 

 to one another as old acquaintances, and likewise that we may exchange 

 a letter occasionally, for I find there are many things which I yearn to 

 communicate to you, and the tears rush to my eyes when I considei" 

 that I may not. 



"If you allow of this, pray let me know; and if you do not, let me 

 know. Indeed, I am anxious to hear from you, for 'as the day of trouble 

 is with me, so shall my strength be.' To be friends, from the teeth 

 forwards is common enough; but it strikes me that there is something 

 still more ludicrous in the reverse of the picture, and so to be enemies: — 

 and why should I be, from the teeth forivards, yours sincerely, 



"James Hogg?" 



This curious epistle, so indicative of pride struggling with shame in 

 confessing a fault and craving forgiveness, was rightly estimated ; and 

 Scott instead of parading a lecture in return, answered by a short note, 

 desiring him to think no more about the matter, and come to breakfast 

 next morning. The pair, so strangely dissimilar, and yet in many points 

 so alike, were united once more, and perhaps their renewed friendship 

 was all the stronger for the interruption. But still, though desired to 

 think no more about it, Hogg could not rest without an explanation of 

 the quarrel, and on the day of that morning, he introduced it, while 

 they walked round St. Andrew Square; but Scott parried the subject. 

 The attempt was renewed by the Shepherd a few days after, in Sir 

 Walter's study; but the latter again eluded it with such dexterity, that 

 Hogg was left in the dark as before, and obliged to conjecture w^hat 

 could be the cause of the other's peremptory refusal of a contribution to 

 The Poetic Mirror. This guess, how^ever, did full honor to the char- 

 acter of Scott. "I knew him too -well", he says, "to have the least sus- 

 picion that there could be any selfish or unfriendly feeling in the de- 

 termination which he adopted, and I can account for it in no other way, 



5—21943 



