The Life and Letters of John Gibson Lockhart
Vol. I. Preface
Vol. I Contents.
THE LIFE AND LETTERS
OF
JOHN GIBSON LOCKHART
BY
ANDREW LANG
FROM ABBOTSFORD AND MILTON LOCKHART MSS.
AND OTHER ORIGINAL SOURCES
With Fifteen Illustrations
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOLUME THE FIRST
LONDON:
JOHN C. NIMMO
NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
MDCCCXCVII
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
GLASGOW, 1794-1808
PAGE
“An Ell of Genealogy.”—Origin and History of the
Lockharts.—Symon’s town.—The House of Saint
Lys.—Lockharts of Symington, of the Lee.—The Heart of
Bruce.—Cognisance of the
Lockharts.—Sir Stephen and
Sir Allan.—Homicidal Lockharts.—Lockharts of Cleghom,
Birkhill, Wicketshaw.—Milton Lockhart.—Lockharts of the
Covenant.—A “Flyting.”—After Bothwell
Brig.—Somervilles, Nimmos,
Pringles.—Lockhart’s parents.—His
birth.—His shyness.—“Twa Puddens.”—His early
stoicism.—School days.—Habit of caricature.—Glasgow University.—His
prizes.—The Blackstone.—The Snell Exhibition.—Goes to Oxford in a round
jacket
1-27
CHAPTER II
OXFORD, 1808-1813
The journey to Oxford described in “Reginald
Dalton.”—Prince Charles at
Derby.—Companions on the way.—Letter to Dr.
Lockhart.—Mr. Jenkyns.—The Oxford of
1809.—Lockhart’s College friends.—Sir
William Hamilton.—Constancy of Lockhart’s
friendships.—Mr. Jonathan Christie.—His description of
Lockhart as an undergraduate.—Letters to Mrs.
Lockhart.—Balliol sermons.—No Fellowships for
Scots.—Hamilton’s kindness.—A wine
party.—St. Andrew’s Day.—The Prince’s
memory.—Lockhart “crossed.”—His
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wish to join the Spaniards against Napoleon.—His
linguistic studies.—Letters to Mr.
Christie.—Hamilton’s studies in
magic.—Lockhart in The Schools.—Dinners at
Godstowe.—“No Scotch Need Apply.”—Gets a First-Class.—Leaves
Oxford.—His acquirements
28-59
CHAPTER III
GLASGOW, 1813-1815
Early disadvantages of Lockhart.—His loneliness
Reflections.—Letters to Mr. Christie.—The Theatre in
London.—Miss Duncan.—The Schools.—Anecdotes of
Scotch clergymen.—The stool of repentance.—Dulness of Glasgow.—Admiration
of Wordsworth and Byron.—Mr.
Christie’s projected
novel.—Lockhart’s novel.—Scotch
manners.—Mediaeval studies.—Double authorship of “Waverley.”—“Wattie a fecund
fellow.”—Lockhart’s own novel
postponed.—“Lockhart will blaze!”—His
neglect of his own poetical powers. —Sordid ignorance of Glasgow.—Hamilton and
the Humanity Chair in Glasgow.—Lockhart’s
novel.—“The Odontist.”—Solitude.—Glasgow society.—A
commercial ball—Count
Pulltuski.—“Gaggery.”—Dinner with a dentist.
—Caricature of Pulltuski.—Tour after trout.—Scheme
of an “Oxford Olio.”—A pun.—Anecdotes of the clergy.—A Holy
Fair.—Lockhart goes to Edinburgh to study law
60-90
CHAPTER IV
EDINBURGH, 1815-1817
Edinburgh described in “Peter’s
Letters.”—Letters to Christie.—Description of
Wilson.—His inconsistency.—His charm.—Edinburgh
populated by authors.—Sir William Hamilton writing on
Waterloo.—A dinner with Hamilton.—Description of
De Quincey.—Lockhart’s Essay on
Heraldry.—An Edict of Glasgow University.—Study of
Wordsworth.—Parodies of Wordsworth by
Lockhart.—Sir William Hamilton an elder
of the Kirk.—Death of Mrs. Nicoll.—Death of
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a friend.—Hamilton’s baronetcy.—His
disadvantages.—Kean acting in Edinburgh.—Literary
projects.—Lockhart called to the Bar.—His first fee
spent on punch.—Criticism of “Old
Mortality.”—Needless
severity.—“Blacky.”—Lockhart’s train
of negro servants.—Description by the Ettrick
Shepherd.—German tour.—Early transaction with Mr.
Blackwood.—Problem of Lockhart’s attachment
to Blackwood’s
Magazine.—Lockhart on Mr.
Blackwood’s character.—Intellectual defects of Edinburgh
society.—Whig arrogance and ignorance.—Lockhart’s
mission.—Scotland in a state of “facetious and rejoicing
ignorance.”—Lockhart’s ideas resemble those of
Carlyle.—His want of earnestness.—His
opportunity.—“Prophesying not to be done on these terms”
91-125
CHAPTER V
EDINBURGH, 1817-1818
Blackwood’s Magazine.—Account of it in letter to
Haydon (1838).—Lockhart “helps
Blackwood out of a scrape.”—“Row in
Edinburgh.”—Lockhart made the scapegoat.—His
regrets.—His prospects ruined.—“Intolerably grievous
fate.”—Parallel of Theodore Hook.—Responsibility for
Blackwood’s.—Wilson and
Lockhart not paid Editors.— Lockhart
not the assailant of the Lake Poets.—Errors in “Life of Christopher
North.”—The early numbers of the
Magazine.—Lockhart’s articles on Greek
Tragedy.—Blackwood quarrels with his original
Editors.—They take service with Constable.—Their new
Opposition Magazine.—Scott and
Pringle.—Attack on
Coleridge.—Wilson,
Jeffrey, and
Coleridge.—Lockhart on literary Whigs
of Edinburgh.—Attack on the “Cockney
School.”—Keats and Lockhart agree
in their views of Leigh Hunt.—“Vain, egotistical, and
disgusting.”—His “Tale of
Rimini.”—His enmity to Sir Walter Scott.—He
and Keats fancy that Scott is their
assailant.—Persistence of this absurdity.—“The Chaldee
Manuscript.”—Hogg claims the authorship.—Burlesque
reply.—Lockhart’s own statement.—Analysis of
“The Chaldee.”—“No end of public
emotion”
126-162
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CHAPTER VI
EDINBURGH, 1817-1819
PAGE
Blackwood’s next scrape.—Its origin.—Cavalier
and Covenanter.—Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe.—His edition of
Kirkton.—Dr. M’Crie assailed for
contributing to Blackwood.—Lockhart
carries the war into Africa.—Attacks clerical contributors to the Edinburgh Review.—Writes as Baron von
Lauerwinkel.—Criticises
critics.—Shakespeare.—The real
Lockhart.—On Napoleon.—On
Jeffrey.—Jeffrey’s real
insignificance.—His ignorance.—His treatment of
Goethe.—Lockhart’s defence of
Christianity against the Edinburgh Review.—How far
justified.—Examples of religious criticism from the Edinburgh.—The sceptical priest.—Sydney
Smith’s flippancies in the Edinburgh.—“Merriment of
Parsons.”—Evangelicals “nasty
vermin.”—Lockhart on Scottish religion.—His
reprisals.—Personal attack on
Playfair.—Scott’s
disapproval.—Wilson and Lockhart are
attacked anonymously.—“Hypocrisy
Unveiled.”—They challenge their
opponent.—Jeffrey’s reply.—Mr. Macvey
Napier suspected.—Denies the charge.—Extracts from his
unpublished Correspondence.—Sir John Barrow’s
letter.—Playfair and the Quarterly
Review
163-190
CHAPTER VII
EDINBURGH, 1818-1820
Lockhart meets Scott.—“The Shirra.”—Invitation
to Abbotsford.—Lord Melville.—Scott
discourages the iniquities of Blackwood’s.—His
chuckle.—The attack on Keats.—Mr.
Colvin’s theory.—Bailey’s
story.—The story criticised.—Common friends of Keats and
Lockhart.—Christie on
Keats.—Kindly remark of Lockhart on
Keats.—Lockhart and the scrape of a
friend.—Action of Lockhart.—His relations with his
father.—Letter to Christie.—His view of Leigh
Hunt and Hazlitt.—Quarrel with
Hamilton
191-205
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CHAPTER VIII
EDINBURGH, 1819-1820
PAGE
“Peter’s
Letters.”—Scott’s bequest of his
baton.—Scott’s politics.—His comments on
“Peter’s Letters” in Blackwood.—On Allan, the
painter.—Lockhart revisits Abbotsford.—Rides with
Scott—Scott’s
illness.—Praises “Peter’s
Letters.”—Analysis of “Peter’s
Letters.”—Mr. Wastle of
Wastle.—Jeffrey.—Goethe.—A
Burns Dinner.—Wilson—The
Shepherd.—Neglect of Greek.—Lockhart’s supposed
irony.—The Edinburgh
Review.—Jeffrey as a
critic.—Lockhart compared with
Carlyle.—Defence of Coleridge.—The
booksellers.—Mr. Blackwood.—Story of Gabriel’s
Road.—John Hamilton Reynolds.—Description of
Scott at Abbotsford.—His woods.—The
Kirk.—Letters to Coleridge.—Reynolds suggested as editor
of a Tory paper.—Popular commotions.—Lockhart as a
yeoman.—Ballads attributed to him.—His betrothal to Miss Sophia
Scott.—Her letters.—Prince
Gustavus.—Descriptions of Miss
Scott.—Scott asleep
206-235
CHAPTER IX
EDINBURGH, 1820-1821
“The mother of mischief.”—Election to Chair of Moral
Philosophy.—Hamilton and
Wilson.—Calumnies against
Wilson.—Scott’s
defence.—Lockhart’s
“Testimonium.”—Scott’s letter of
remonstrance.—Promises of good behaviour.—Attacks on
Lockhart in Baldwin’s
Magazine.—Mr. John Scott, Editor of Baldwin’s.—Tims.—Christie
writes to Lockhart.—Lockhart’s
reply.—Demand for an apology.—Mr. John Scott’s
answer.—Lockhart in London.—A challenge.—Curious
evidence of Horatio Smith.—A pacific second.—No
fight.—An oversight.—Christie’s
statement.—John Scott challenges
Christie.—A moonlight
duel.—Christie’s letter to
Lockhart.—Flight of Christie and
Traill.—Distress of Lockhart.—Imputations on his
courage.—Gallant behaviour of Christie.—The
trial.—Acquittal.—Reflections
236-282
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CHAPTER X
CHIEFSWOOD, 1821-24
PAGE
Life at Chiefswood.—Border Scenes.—“Valerius.”—Criticism of the book.—Its failure.—Letter
to Christie.—Hogg,
Rose, and wild-ducks.—Lockhart’s
love of children.—Hugh
Littlejohn.—Boswell slain by
Dunearn.—“Adam
Blair.”—Origin of the tale.—Criticism.—“Adam Blair” and “Faublas!”—George
IV. in Edinburgh.—Scott’s
energy.—Crabbe.—Crabbe on
Lockhart.—Lockhart on
Crabbe.—Abbotsford. —Lockhart edits
“Don Quixote.”—Begins an edition of
Shakespeare.—Melrose in July 1823.—“Leal
Tories.”—“Reginald Dalton.”—Letters
from Christie.—Christie on
Hunt and Byron.—Report of
Williams’s death.—“Quentin
Durward” unpopular
283-312
CHAPTER XI
EDINBURGH, 1817-24
Lockhart’s Poems.—Spanish
Ballads.—Sources.—Weak lines.—Song of the Galley.—The Wandering
Knight.—Serenade.—“The Mad Banker.”—Verses on
Jeffrey.—On Holyrood.— On the
Stuarts.—Queen
Mary.—Scott’s reference to these
verses.—“Take thou the Vanguard of the Three.”—Criticism of
Lockhart’s verse.—His reserve.—Reasons why he
wrote little.—His comic verse.—“Captain Patten.”—The
Odontist.—Trooper lyrics.—His skill in
caricature.—Examples.—Fenella.—A wet day.—Charles
Scott.—Miss Violet Lockhart.—A
Presbytery.—A cock-fighter.—Analogy with Thackeray in
verse and caricature.—Lockhart almost abandons the Art
313-342
CHAPTER XII
CHIEFSWOOD, 1821-23
Life on the Border.—Birth and death of a daughter.—Hugh
Littlejohn.—Letter to Dr.
Lockhart.—“Matthew
Wald.”—Lockhart in
London.—Coleridge.—Canning.—Brontesque
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novel.—A false quantity.—Lockhart at a
fire.—Yule at Abbotsford.—The muffled drum.—Scott to
Marchioness of Stafford.—Sutherland
Sheriffship.—Constable’s scheme.—Cheap
literature.—Lockhart’s suggestions.—Irish tour
with Scott.—Meeting with Wilson,
Canning, and Wordsworth.—Tired of Blackwood.—Work at Shakespeare.—Asked to edit
Murray’s paper.—Young Mr.
Disraeli.—Proposals as to the Quarterly
Review.—Mr. Wright’s
suggestion.—Scott not author of the
plot.—Lockhart in town.—Mr. John T.
Coleridge, Southey, and the Quarterly.—Later
difficulties.—Lockhart becomes Editor.—Southey’s
chagrin.—Lockhart’s “bonspiel.”—He
leaves Chiefswood for London.—Reflections
343-383
CHAPTER XIIII
LONDON 1826
Sorrows of 1826.—Failure of Murray’s
newspaper.—Scott’s ruin. —Illness of
Hugh Littlejohn.—Illness of Mrs.
Lockhart.—Illness of Lady
Scott.—Constable in London.—“Dear me,
Archy!”—“A mad
proposal.”—Cadell preferred to
Constable.—Constable abandons hope.
—Mr. Thomas Constable’s criticism.—Its
futility.—Lockhart on Scott’s
trading enterprises.—Sir Walter on James
Ballantyne.—Defence of Lockhart against
Constable’s biographer.—Ruin always
inevitable.—Scott’s resolve.—“Firm as
Eildon Hill.”—Letters to Lockhart.—Malagrowther.—Political predictions. —Illness and death
of Lady Scott.—Letters from Sir
Walter.—Reviews for the Quarterly.—Disappointments.—Scott in
London.—A year of misery.—Lockhart on novels
384-416
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
VOLUME THE FIRST
John Gibson Lockhart
Frontispiece
Painted by Sir Francis Grant,
F.R.A., Engraved by F. Huth.
An Old Hand At The Cockpit, Oxford
Facsimile of a Water-Colour Drawing by J. G. Lockhart,
in the
possession of Mr. Brewster
MacphersonPage 48
Sir William Hamilton Buying Books
Facsimile of a Pen-and-ink Drawing by J. G. Lockhart,
in the
possession of Mr. Brewster
Macpherson96
Professor Wilson
Drawn by Daniel Maclise,
R.A.144
Leigh Hunt
From the Picture by Benjamin
Haydon,
in the National Portrait Gallery.
Photo-Etched Plate192
Lockhart and Sir Walter
Scott (?) riding
Facsimile (reduced) of a Water-Colour Drawing by J. G. Lockhart,
in the
Abbotsford Collection224
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Miss Scott, afterwards Mrs.
Lockhart
Facsimile of a Drawing by J. G.
Lockhart,
in the Abbotsford Collection
Page 288
Fenella dancing before Charles
II.
Facsimile (slightly reduced) of a Caricature by J. G. Lockhart,
of the
well-known Scene in “Peveril of the Peak” From
the Abbotsford Collection. Double-page Plate340
