But such was Scott--he appeared to have
nothing to do but lavish his time, attention, and conversation on those
around. It was difficult to imagine what time he found to write those
volumes that were incessantly issuing from the press; all of which,
too, were of a nature to require reading and research. I could not find
that his life was ever otherwise than a life of leisure and haphazard
recreation, such as it was during my visit. He scarce ever balked a
party of pleasure, or a sporting excursion, and rarely pleaded his own
concerns as an excuse for rejecting those of others. During my visit I
heard of other visitors who had preceded me, and who must have kept him
occupied for many days, and I have had an opportunity of knowing the
course of his daily life for some time subsequently. Not long after my
departure from Abbotsford, my friend Wilkie arrived there, to paint a
picture of the Scott family. He found the house full of guests. Scott's
whole time was taken up in riding and driving about the country, or in
social conversation at home. "All this time," said Wilkie to me, "I did
not presume to ask Mr. Scott to sit for his portrait, for I saw he had
not a moment to spare; I waited for the guests to go away, but as fast
as one went another arrived, and so it continued for several days, and
with each set he was completely occupied.
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