Prince Leopold’s visit

Abbotsford, 3 Oct. 1819.

MY DEAR LORD,

I am honoured with your Buxton letter.... Anent Prince Leopold, I only heard of his approach at eight o’clock in the morning, and he was to be at Selkirk by eleven.  The magistrates sent to ask me to help them to receive him.  It occurred to me he might be coming to Melrose to see the Abbey, in which case I could not avoid asking him to Abbotsford, as he must pass my very door.  I mentioned this to Mrs. Scott, who was lying quietly in bed, and I wish you had heard the scream she gave on the occasion.  ’What have we to offer him?’—­’Wine and cake,’ said I, thinking to make all things easy; but she ejaculated, in a tone of utter despair, ’Cake!! where am I to get cake?’ However, being partly consoled with the recollection that his visit was a very improbable incident, and curiosity, as usual, proving too strong for alarm, she set out with me in order not to miss a peep of the great man.  James Skene and his lady were with us, and we gave our carriages such additional dignity as a pair of leaders could add, and went to meet him in full puff.  The Prince very civilly told me, that, though he could not see Melrose on this occasion, he wished to come to Abbotsford for an hour.  New despair on the part of Mrs. Scott, who began to institute a domiciliary search for cold meat through the whole city of Selkirk, which produced one shoulder of cold lamb.  In the meanwhile, his Royal Highness received the civic honours of the BIRSE[1] very graciously.  I had hinted to Bailie Lang, that it ought only to be licked symbolically on the present occasion; so he flourished it three times before his mouth, but without touching it with his lips, and the Prince followed his example as directed.  Lang made an excellent speech, sensible, and feeling, and well delivered.  The Prince seemed much surprised at this great propriety of expression and behaviour in a magistrate, whose people seemed such a rabble, and whose whole band of music consisted in a drum and fife.  He noticed to Bailie Anderson, that Selkirk seemed very populous in proportion to its extent.  ‘On an occasion like this it seems so,’ answered the Bailie, neatly enough I thought.  I question if any magistrates in the kingdom, lord mayors and aldermen not excepted, could have behaved with more decent and quiet good-breeding.  Prince Leopold repeatedly alluded to this during the time he was at Abbotsford.  I do not know how Mrs. Scott ultimately managed; but with broiled salmon, and black-cock, and partridges, she gave him a very decent lunch; and I chanced to have some very fine old hock, which was mighty germain to the matter.