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Worcester College Oxford
March 6, 1932
Dear Buchan
My best thanks for your Scott which I am delighted to have. I fear I shall not have time to read it carefully till the end of the week, but I am not going to study your views of my favourite novelist hastily.
A glance is most tempting. I am glad you pay tribute to the opening chapters of Waverley; it is high time someone did. Personally I refuse to admit that the Baron is a "comedy figure". He has too much in common with Don Quixote, and too good a way of putting things. "Fuimus Troes ... and there's the end of an auld sang" etc.
When your next edition comes out, you may like to correct a misprint in the index under Peveril of the Peak; the last entries should be 250, 253-255 instead of 350, 353- 355.
I believe Hudson threw doubts on the story of Crabbe first meeting Scott after the latter's reception of the King. I have a letter
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from Crabbe which puts the matter beyond doubt. He writes from 39 Castle Street, Edinburgh, and dates his letter Aug:15,1822, the date may be wrong. But he says "Sir Walter is gone or going to meet "the King," he is the guiding figure in the Exhibition". He had obviously been some days in Edinburgh as he speaks of having dined with "Mr Mackenzie the Man of Feeling, for so he is here called" and with Miss Fletcher. "..we are all going to make the Shew for the King to see.."He comes to see us" say the Sons of Edin. true to be sure & so they are all to be very fine. Very fine I cannot be but clean I can .. "
I hear that someone writing in the 'Times' a week or two ago, and remembering, I suppose, that there was some doubt about Crabbe's visit, denied that Crabbe and Scott ever met!
When I was in Edinburgh last autumn one of the booksellers showed me the original leaflet of Scott's poem of welcome, but he wanted too much for it - £30 I think. I bid for a Landseer pen and ink sketch of Scott last week, but my bid was a few shillings too small. It fetched £5.5.0 I think,
Again all my best thanks,
Yours very sincerely
C.H. Wilkinson
