spoke to him, life had passed away without a sigh or groan.  Poor fellow!  There is a heart cold that loved me well, and, I am sure, thought of my interest more than his own.  I have seldom been so much shocked.  I wish you would take a ride down and pass the night.  There is much I have to say, and this loss adds to my wish to see you.  We dine at four.  The day is indifferent, but the sooner the better.—­Yours very truly,

     “WALTER SCOTT.[359]

     “31st (sic) October,” Qy. 29th.

To Mr. Cadell, a few days later, he says, “I have lost my old and faithful servant, my factotum, and am so much shocked that I really wish to be quit of the country.  I have this day laid him in the grave.”

On coming to Edinburgh, Sir Walter found that his old friend and neighbour Lady Jane Stuart[360] was no longer there to welcome him.  She also had died somewhat suddenly on October 28th, and was buried at Invermay on November 4th.

FOOTNOTES: 

[351] Right Hon. David Boyle.

[352] 5 The familiar name applied to Sir William Knighton, sometimes also the Great Unseen.

[353] For list of the members of The Club, which was formed in 1788, see Life, vol. i. p. 208.

[354] Some little time before his death, the worthy Sheriff-substitute of Roxburghshire received a set of his friend’s works, with this inscription:—­“To Robert Shortreed, Esq., the friend of the author from youth to age, and his guide and companion upon many an expedition among the Border hills, in quest of the materials of legendary lore which have at length filled so many volumes, this collection of the results of their former rambles is presented by his sincere friend, Walter Scott.”—­J.G.L.

[355] Who had died on the 22d June 1829.

[356] See p. 329 n.

[357] Mr. Skene in his Reminiscences records that—­“Tom Purdie identified himself with all his master’s pursuits and concerns; he had in early life been a shepherd, and came into Sir Walter’s service upon his first taking up his abode at Ashiestiel, of which he became at last the farm manager; and upon the family removing to Abbotsford continued that function, to which was added gamekeeper, forester, librarian, and henchman to his master in all his rambles about the property.  He used to talk of Sir Walter’s publications as our books, and said that the reading of them was the greatest comfort to him, for whenever he was off his sleep, which sometimes happened to him, he had only to take one of the novels, and before he read two pages it was sure to set him asleep.  Tom, with the usual shrewdness common to his countrymen in that class of life, joined a quaintness and drollery in his notions and mode of expressing himself that was very amusing; he was familiar, but at the same time perfectly respectful,