SCOTT, Sir Walter (1771-1832). Novelist & poet.
Autograph Letter Signed [to Robert Pearse Gillies], 1 page 4to with one-page addition (some wear to the second leaf affecting a few words), Abbotsford, 11 January 1828. Relating to the article on Molière which Scott was writing in segments for the Foreign and Quarterly Review and enclosing (on the second leaf) a correction to an earlier article of his on Hoffmann and German Romances.
Scott, despite having no time to spare as he attempted to repay by his pen his own creditors and those of Constable and Ballantyne, nevertheless responded to the repeated pleas of the indigent and somewhat desperate Gillies to write articles on various foreign authors for the Foreign and Quarterly Review, edited by Gillies for Treuttel and Würtz. This letter relates to the article on Molière Scott was writing in segments whenever he had a moment to spare. It follows a letter had sent less than a week earlier (Millgate #7894) to the importunate Gillies in which he had supplied the first part of the Molière article.

'I received your letter last night from which I conclude though you do not expressly say so that my previous communication came to hand Of course I had no purpose is sending out installments excepting to save time & contribute as speedily as possible to your convenience I now send the rest and heartily congratulate you on your amended prospect In consequence one or two applications to me & some inquiries which I have made I wish you would insert the subjoind note in your notice to correspondents. From what I understand the Captain Macpherson of the story was not worse in his recruiting operations than other people though I have not heard that he was much better Pray let your servant throw the inclosed into the 2d post My address for proof sheets will be Shandwick place No 6 Edinr. I am Dear Sir in haste / your faithful humble Servant / Walter Scott
Abbotsford 11 January 1828
'I have not taken time to read the inclosed over so much will remain to be done in the proofs.

[On the recto of the second leaf Scott has written a correction to an earlier article of his on Hoffmann and German Romances, published the first issue of the Foreign and Quarterly Review in July 1827. This correction was published in February 1828 in the third isue of the periodical, following Scott's essay on Molière.]

'We have learnd with concern that a respectable family in the Badenoch Inverness Shire North Britain has[?] conceived that a popular tale[?] [preceding words very hard to read on the scan] in our article on German Romances No I to relate to the melancholy fate of Captain Macpherson of that country who perishd many years since in a manner nearly resembling that of the Captain M. of our legend. Their feelings have of course sufferd from the invidious light in which the popular report had placed the character of the unfortunate whose actual character we are assured laid him open to no such impeachment. We gave the legend as it was given to the author of the article many years ago by late regretted and beloved Lord W---r S---r and we still possess the manuscript in his handwriting We thought it necessary to write at the same time a caveat that it was merely[?] to be read as a popular tale by which the character of the unfortunate gentleman was by no means to be judged of. We were not even certain that the outline of the occurrence was true had no belief whatever in the supernatural machinery introduced and considerable doubts as to the dark shades thrown onto the character of the unfortunate We have since had full reason to be assured what we partly intimated as probable at the time that common report had done great injustice to the character of the unfortunate gentleman in order to ingraft a tale of superstition upon his extraordinary fate.'

[This correction did not satisfy the Macpherson family and Scott was very distressed on 1 April 1828 by a letter he received from Macpherson's daughter, Helen Macburnet (Millgate #4631); see Journal, ed. Anderson, p.451.]
We are indebted to Jane Millgate for the scholarly description and transcript of this letter.
Links: The Walter Scott Project.Scott, despite h
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