Part 2 (1/2)
”_Thursday Night._ 17 HERIOT Row.
”My DEAR MISS FERRIER--I cannot leave Edinburgh without a grateful acknowledgment of your very kind and flattering gift. Mr. Lister called upon you in hopes of being able to wish you good-bye, and to tell you in person how much we were pleased with the proof you have given us that we are not unworthy of enjoying and appreciating your delightful works--pray accept our very best thanks, and I hope as _an auth.o.r.ess_ you will not feel offended if I say that they will now have an added charm in our eyes from the regard which our personal acquaintance with the writer has engendered. I knew that, to those who do not mix much in society, the acquaintance with strangers is often irksome: we therefore feel the more obliged to you for having allowed us the pleasure of knowing you, and I hope that if we return in the course of the year that we may find you less suffering in health, but as kindly disposed to receive our visits as you have hitherto been. We feel very grateful for all the kindness we have met with in Edinburgh, and amongst the pleasant reminiscences of the last five months we must always rank high the having received from you as a token of regard so acceptable a gift.--Believe me (or, indeed, I ought to say us), my dear Miss Ferrier, yours most sincerely,
M. THERESA LISTER.”
Lord Murray, the late Scotch Judge, writes to a mutual friend of his and Miss Ferrier's (Miss Walker of Dalry):--
”I received a copy of _Inheritance_ in the name of the author, and as I do not know who the _author_ is, and I suspect that you know more than I do, trust you will find some channel through which you will convey my thanks. I read _Inheritance_ with very great pleasure. The characters are very well conceived, and delineated with great success. I may add I have heard it highly commended by much better judges. Jeffrey speaks very favourably. He is particularly pleased with the Nabob (Major) and spouse, the letter from the Lakes, and the _P.S._ to it. Lord Gwydyr, who lives entirely in fas.h.i.+onable circles, said to me much in its praise, in which I concurred.
”From many other symptoms I have no doubt of its complete success.”
Miss Hannah Mackenzie, daughter of the ”Man of Feeling,” writes to her friend Miss Ferrier:--
”Walter Scott dined here the other day, and both he and papa joined heartily in their admiration of uncle Adam, and their wish to know who he is. Sir W. also admires Miss Becky Duguid, and said he thought her quite a new character. I should like very much to see you, and talk all over at length, but fear to invite you to my own bower for fear of suspicion; but I trust you will soon come boldly, and face my whole family. I do not think you need fear them much; of course, like other people, they have their thoughts, but by no means speak with certainty, and Margaret has this minute a.s.sured us that she does _not_ think it Miss Ferrier's.”
Uncle Adam, with ”his seventy thousand pounds,” and as ”cross as two sticks,” in some degree resembled old Mr. Ferrier, who was somewhat brusque and testy in his manner, and alarmed many people who were otherwise unacquainted with the true genuine worth and honesty of his character. Miss Becky is a poor old maid, saddled with commissions from all her friends of a most miscellaneous description.
”She was expected to attend all _accouchements,_ christenings, deaths, chestings, and burials, but she was seldom asked to a marriage, and never to any party of pleasure.”
She is an admirable pendant to the ”Pratt,” who is inseparable, however, from her invisible nephew, Mr. Anthony Whyte. Miss Pratt is a sort of female Paul Pry, always turning up at the most unexpected moment at Lord Rossville's, and finally puts the finis.h.i.+ng stroke to the pompous old peer by driving up to his castle door in the hea.r.s.e of Mr. M'Vitie, the Radical distiller, being unable to procure any other mode of conveyance during a heavy snow-storm, and a.s.sured every one that she fancied she was the first person who thought herself in luck to have got into a hea.r.s.e, but considered herself still luckier in having got well out of one.
Caroline, d.u.c.h.ess of Argyll, [1] expresses her appreciation of _The Inheritance_ to the author, for whom she entertained a warm friends.h.i.+p:--
[1] Daughter of Lord Jersey, and wife of the first Marquis of Anglesea, whom she divorced, when Lord Paget, in 1810: m. the same year George, sixth Duke of Argyll.
”UPPER BROOK STREET, _Monday Evening._
”What can I say sufficiently to express my thanks either to you, my dear Miss Ferrier, or to the _author_ of _The Inheritance,_ whoever she may be, for the most perfect edition of that _most perfect_ book that was ever written! and now that I may be allowed to have my _suspicion,_ I shall read it again with double pleasure. It was so kind of you to remember your promise! When I received your kind letter and books this morning I was quite delighted with my beautiful present, and to find I was not forgotten by one of my best friends.”
_The Inheritance--a_ fact not generally known--was dramatised and produced at Covent Garden, but had a very short run, and was an utter failure, as might have been expected. Mrs. Gore was requested to adapt it for the stage by the chief comic actors of the day, and she writes to Miss Ferrier on the subject:--
”Since the management of Covent Garden Theatre fell into the hands of Laporte, he has favoured me with a commission to write a comedy for him, and the subject proposed by him is again the French novel of _L'Heretiere,_ which turns out to be a literal translation of _The Inheritance._ He is quite bent upon having Miss Pratt on the stage. I have not chosen to give Monsieur Laporte any positive answer on the subject without previously applying to yourself to know whether you have any intention or inclination to apply to the stage those admirable talents which are so greatly appreciated in London.”
Mrs. Gore, meanwhile, had been forestalled in her attempt, as a play on the subject had been held before the reader to Covent Garden, and she writes again to Miss Ferrier:--
”I have since learned with regret that the play is the production of a certain Mr. Fitzball, the distinguished author of the _Flying Dutchman,_ an sixty other successful melodramas, represented with great applause at the Surrey, Coburg, City, and Pavilion Theatres, etc.; in short, a writer of a very low cla.s.s. The play of _The Inheritance_ has been accepted at Covent Garden; but, from my knowledge of the general engagements of the theatre, I should say that it has not the slightest chance of approaching to representation. For your sake it cannot be better than in the black-box of the manager's room, which secures it at least from performance at the Coburg Theatre.”
We must let the curtain, so to speak, drop on _The Inheritance,_ and pa.s.s on to _Destiny._ This novel also appeared six years after, in 1831, and was dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. And he acknowledges the compliment as follows:--
_Sir Walter Scott to Miss Ferrier._
”My DEAR MISS FERRIER--Ann returned to-day, and part of her Edinburgh news informs me that you meditated honouring your present literary offspring with my name, so I do not let the sun set without saying how much I shall feel myself obliged and honoured by such a compliment. I will not stand bandying compliments on my want of merit, but can swallow so great a compliment as if I really deserved it, and indeed, as whatever I do not owe entirely to your goodness I may safely set down to your friends.h.i.+p, I shall scarce be more flattered one way or the other.
I hope you will make good some hopes, which make Ann very proud, of visiting Abbotsford about April next. Nothing can give the proprietor more pleasure, for the birds, which are a prodigious chorus, are making of their nests and singing in blithe chorus. 'Pray come, and do not make this a flattering dream.' I know a little the value of my future G.o.dchild, since I had a peep at some of the sheets when I was in town during the great snowstorm, which, out of compa.s.sion for an author closed up within her gates, may prove an apology for his breach of confidence. So far I must say that what I have seen has had the greatest effect in making me curious for the rest.
”Believe me, dear Miss Ferrier, with the greatest respect, your most sincere, humble servant,
”WALTER SCOTT.
”Abbortsford, _Tuesday Evening_.”
In the next note he acknowledges a copy of _Destiny_, sent him by the author:--