I rose at an early hour, and looked out
between the branches of eglantine which overhung the casement. To my
surprise Scott was already up and forth, seated on a fragment of stone,
and chatting with the workmen employed on the new building. I had
supposed, after the time he had wasted upon me yesterday, he would be
closely occupied this morning, but he appeared like a man of leisure,
who had nothing to do but bask in the sunshine and amuse himself.
I soon dressed myself and joined him. He talked about his proposed
plans of Abbotsford; happy would it have been for him could he have
contented himself with his delightful little vine-covered cottage, and
the simple, yet hearty and hospitable style, in which he lived at the
time of my visit. The great pile of Abbotsford, with the huge expense
it entailed upon him, of servants, retainers, guests, and baronial
style, was a drain upon his purse, a tax upon his exertions, and a
weight upon his mind, that finally crushed him.
As yet, however, all was in embryo and perspective, and Scott pleased
himself with picturing out his future residence, as he would one of the
fanciful creations of his own romances. "It was one of his air
castles," he said, "which he was reducing to solid stone and mortar.
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