ABBOTSFORD 'O bear me back to all to Memory dear, 'Twill to my faded brow be health restored To feel the breeze that waves the woods of Abbotsford.' [Illustration: ABBOTSFORD FROM THE RIVER TWEED] 'Within that pile _he_ dwelt whose ardent soul Filled with bright dreams, and aspirations high, And boundless knowledge, wonder-chained the whole Of human kind, but turned its glorious eye Of love on Caledon's bleak hills and cloudy sky.' ABBOTSFORD PAINTED BY WILLIAM SMITH, JR. DESCRIBED BY W. S. CROCKETT MINISTER OF TWEEDSMUIR; AUTHOR OF 'THE SCOTT COUNTRY,' ETC. WITH TWENTY FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR [Illustration] LONDON ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK 1905 TO SIR WALTER'S SUCCESSORS AT ABBOTSFORD, THE HON. MRS. MAXWELL SCOTT, HIS GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, AND WALTER MAXWELL SCOTT, GREAT-GREAT-GRANDSON, THESE CHAPTERS ARE DEDICATED. Preface Abbotsford merits a volume in the present series will be readily conceded. In preparing the letterpress I have found myself, not unnaturally, playing to some extent the part of a biographer, and in this I have generally followed Lockhart, always the ultimate authority on Sir Walter. A number of fresh facts, however, will be found here and there throughout the work. Mrs. Maxwell Scott has kindly read the proof of 'The Later Abbotsford,' and for the 'Treasures' chapter I am indebted somewhat to her admirable little 'Catalogue,' which no visitor to Scott's home should miss. W. S. CROCKETT. THE MANSE, TWEEDSMUIR, _June 15, 1905_. Contents CHAPTER I PAGE INTRODUCTORY 1 CHAPTER II FROM CARTLEYHOLE TO ABBOTSFORD 9 CHAPTER III THE CREATION OF ABBOTSFORD 27 CHAPTER IV SCOTT AT ABBOTSFORD 47 CHAPTER V AN ABBOTSFORD BEAD-ROLL 75 CHAPTER VI THE WIZARD'S FAREWELL TO ABBOTSFORD 103 CHAPTER VII LOCKHART AND ABBOTSFORD 123 CHAPTER VIII THE LATER ABBOTSFORD 149 CHAPTER IX THE TREASURES OF ABBOTSFORD 165 CHAPTER X AROUND ABBOTSFORD 207 INDEX 220 List of Illustrations 1. Abbotsford from the River Tweed _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE 2. The Cross, Melrose 8 3. The Abbey, Melrose 24 4. The Gateway, Abbotsford 38 5. Darnick Tower 42 6. Sandyknowe Tower 80 7. Cauldshiels Loch 92 8. The Rhymer's Glen 98