"Our wishes for riches are seldom satisfied by possessing more than we can use, enjoy or bequeath," Walter Scott once wrote in his journal. However, like much of Scott's life, this comment displays a contradiction between his life and his words, between the intellect and the heart. In reality, Scott--made a baronet in 1818 and thereafter known as Sir Walter Scott--had wishes that far exceeded personal use. After becoming a successful poet with publication of the fabulously popular The Lay of the Last Minstrel and Lady of the Lake, Scott purchased an estate on the banks of the Tweed which he called Abbotsford, and proceeded to build a fake medieval castle, complete with turrets, but also with such modern conveniences as toilets and gas lighting. He planted 500 acres of this domain with mature oaks to give it the appearance of age, and took up the life of the landed...