“Your very acceptable letter of the 26th reached me
to-day. I had begun to be apprehensive that the draft had fallen into the hands
of the Philistines, but the very long calm must have made the packets slow in
their progress, which I suppose was the occasion of the delay. Respecting the
allowance, Colonel Murray informs me
that from L.200 to L.250, in addition to the pay of a Cornet, ought to make a
young man very comfortable. He adds, which I am much pleased to hear, that your
officers are, many of them, men of moderate fortune and disposed to be
economical. I had thought of L.200 as what would suit us both, but when I see
the account which you very properly keep, I shall be better able to determine.
It must be considered that any uncommon expense, as the loss of a horse or the
like, may occasion an extra draught over and above the allowance. I like very
much your methodical arrangement as to expenses; it is rather a tiresome thing
at first to keep an accompt of pounds, shillings, and pence, but it is highly
necessary, and enables one to see how the money actually goes. It is, besides,
a good practical way of keeping up acquaintance with arithmetic, and you will
soon find that the principles on which all military movements turn are
arithmetical, and that though one may no doubt learn to do them by rote, yet to
understand them, you must have recourse to numbers.
Your adjutant will explain this to you. By the way, as he is a foreigner, you
will
| 300 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. |
“I observe with pleasure you are making
acquaintances among the gentry, which I hope you will not drop for want of
calling, &c. I trust you have delivered all your recommendations, for it is
an affront to omit doing so, both to the person who writes them, and those for
whom they are designed. On the other hand, one always holds their head a little
better up in the world when they keep good society. Lord and Lady Melville are
to give you recommendations when you go to Dublin. I was at Melville Castle for
two days and found them both well. I was also one day at Langholm lodge to meet
Lord Montagu. Possibly, among your
Irish friends, you may get some shooting. I shall be glad you avail yourself of
any such opportunities, and also that, when you get your own horses, you hunt
in the winter, if you be within the reach of hounds. Nothing confirms a man in
horsemanship so well as hunting, though I do not recommend it to beginners, who
are apt to learn to ride like grooms. Besides the exercise, field-sports make a
young soldier acquainted with the country, and habituate him to have a good eye
for distance and for taking up the carte du
pays in general, which is essential to all, but
especially to officers of light troops, who are expected to display both
alertness and intelligence in reporting the nature of the country, being in
fact the eyes of the army. In every point of view, field-sports are preferable
to the in-doors’ amusement of a billiard-table, which is too often the
lounging-place for idle young officers, where there is nothing to be got but a
habit of throwing away time, and an acquaintance with the very worst society—I
mean at public billiard-rooms
| LETTER TO CORNET SCOTT. | 301 |
“I am glad you go to the anatomical lectures. An acquaintance with our own very extraordinary frame is a useful branch of general knowledge, and as you have some turn for drawing, it will also enable you to judge of the proper mode of disposing the limbs and muscles of your figures, should you prosecute the art so far. In fact, there is no branch of study can come much amiss to a young man, providing he does study, and very often the precise occupation of the time must be trusted to taste and opportunity.
“The White Boys made a great noise when I was a boy. But Ireland (the more is the pity) has never been without White Boys, or Right Boys, or Defenders, or Peep-of-day Boys, or some wild association or another for disturbing the peace of the country. We shall not be many degrees better if the Radical reformers be not checked. The Manchester Yeomen behaved very well, upsetting the most immense crowd ever was seen, and notwithstanding the lies in the papers, without any unnecessary violence. Mr Hunt pretends to have had several blows on his head with sabres, but has no wound to show for it. I am disposed to wish he had got such a one as once on a day I could have treated him to. I am apt to think his politic pate would have broached no more sedition.
“Miss
Rutherford and Eliza
Russell are now with us. We were also favoured with a visit of
the Miss ——s, who are rather empty canisters, though I
dare say very good girls. Anne tired of
them most in-
| 302 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. |
“All here send love. Dogs and cat are well. I dare say you have heard from some other correspondent that poor Lady Wallace died of an inflammation, after two days’ illness. Trout* has returned here several times, poor fellow, and seems to look for you; but Henry Scott is very kind to him, and he is a great favourite.
“As you Hussars smoke, I will give you one of my pipes, but you must let me know how I can send it safely. It is a very handsome one, though not my best. I will keep my Meer-schaum until I make my continental tour, and then you shall have that also. I hope you will get leave for a few months, and go with me. Yours very affectionately,
