Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart.
Walter Scott to Robert Shortreed, 13 April 1819
“Abbotsford, 13th April, 1819.
“I am very desirous to procure, and as soon as
242 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. | |
possible, Mrs Shortreed’s
excellent receipt for making yeast. The Duke of
Buccleuch complains extremely of the sour yeast at Lisbon as
disagreeing with his stomach, and I never tasted half such good bread as
Mrs Shortreed has baked at home. I am sure you will be
as anxious as I am that the receipt should be forwarded to his Grace as soon as
possible. I remember Mrs Shortreed giving a most distinct
account of the whole affair. It should be copied over in a very distinct hand,
lest Mons. Florence makes blunders.
“I am recovering from my late indisposition, but as
weak as water. To write these lines is a fatigue. I scarce think I can be at
the circuit at all—certainly only for an hour or two. So on this occasion I
will give Mrs Shortreed’s kind hospitality a little
breathing time. I am tired even with writing these few lines. Yours ever,
Robert Shortreed (1762-1829)
Sheriff-substitute of Roxburghshire; he was a ballad-collector and close friend of Sir
Walter Scott.