It was delightful to observe the generous spirit in which he spoke of
all his literary contemporaries, quoting the beauties of their works,
and this, too, with respect to persons with whom he might have been
supposed to be at variance in literature or politics. Jeffrey, it was
thought, had ruffled his plumes in one of his reviews, yet Scott spoke
of him in terms of high and warm eulogy, both as an author and as a
man.
His humor in conversation, as in his works, was genial and free from
all causticity. He had a quick perception of faults and foibles, but he
looked upon poor human nature with an indulgent eye, relishing what was
good and pleasant, tolerating what was frail, and pitying what was
evil. It is this beneficent spirit which gives such an air of bonhomie
to Scott's humor throughout all his works. He played with the foibles
and errors of his fellow beings, and presented them in a thousand
whimsical and characteristic lights, but the kindness and generosity of
his nature would not allow him to be a satirist. I do not recollect a
sneer throughout his conversation any more than there is throughout his
works.
Such is a rough sketch of Scott, as I saw him in private life, not
merely at the time of the visit here narrated, but in the casual
intercourse of subsequent years.
Pages:
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99