Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)
Walter Scott, founder of the romantic historical novel, was born in Edinburgh in 1771. He entered his father` law office, but before long gave up law for literature. His first works were ballads and long narrative poems. In 1814 he published the novel Waverley, which established his position as a writer. At the very height of his brilliant career he found himself morally obliged to pay off an enormous debt, and spent the rest of his life trying to do so. Scott wrote several short stories. The Bridal of Janet Dalrymple, not so well known as the far longer Wandering Willie` Tale from Redgauntlet, is a well-written and (for Scott) surprisingly short and closely-woven narrative.The present edition is reprinted from the volume, Scottish Love Tales, London, no date.
The Bridal of Janet Dalrymple
Miss Janet Dalrymple, daughter of the first Lord Stair, and Dame Margaret Ross, had engaged herself without the knowledge of her parents to the Lord Rutherford, who was not acceptable to them either on account of his political principles, or his want of fortune. The young couple broke a piece of gold together, and pledged their troth in the most solemn manner; and it is said the young lady imprecated dreadful evils on herself should she break her plighted faith.Shortly after, a suitor who was favored by Lord Stair, and still more so by his lady, paid his addresses to Miss Dalrymple. The young lady refused the proposal, and being pressed on the subject, confessed her secret engagement. Lady Stair, a woman accustomed to universal submission (for even her husband did not dare to contradict her), treated this objection as a trifle, and insisted upon her daughter yielding her consent to marry the new suitor, David Dunbar, son and heir to David Dunbar of Baldoon, in Wigtonshire.The first lover, a man of very high spirit, then interfered by letter, and insisted on the right he had acquired by his troth plighted with the young lady. Lady Stair sent him for answer, that her daughter, sensible of her undutiful behavior in entering into a contract unsanctioned by her parents, had retracted her unlawful vow, and now refused to fulfil her engagement with him.The lover in return declined positively to receive such an answer from anyone but his mistress in person; and as she had to deal with a man who was both of a most determined character, and of too high condition to be trifled with, Lady Stair was obliged to consent to an interview between Lord Rutherford and her daughter.
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