CHAPTER IX

EDINBURGH, 1820-1821

"The mother of mischief."-Election to Chair of Moral Philosophy. -Hamilton and Wilson.-Calumnies against Wilson.-Scott's defence.-Lockhart's "Testimonium.”—Scott's letter of remonstrance.-Promises of good behaviour.-Attacks on Lockhart in Baldwin's Magazine.—Mr. John Scott, Editor of Baldwin's.Tims. Christie writes to Lockhart.-Lockhart's reply.-Demand for an apology.-Mr. John Scott's answer.-Lockhart in London. -A challenge.-Curious evidence of Horatio Smith.-A pacific second. No fight.-An oversight.-Christie's statement.-John Scott challenges Christie.-A moonlight duel.-Christie's letter to Lockhart.-Flight of Christie and Traill.-Distress of Lockhart. -Imputations on his courage.-Gallant behaviour of Christie.— The trial.-Acquittal.-Reflections.

It is with pain that we return to "the mother of mischief," and all the trouble that came of "that daughter of debate," Maga. In the end of March 1820, Lockhart wrote to Scott, who was in London, asking him to aid Wilson in his candidature for the Chair of Moral Philosophy in the Town's College of Edinburgh. The University there is essentially "the Town's College," and the electors, at that time, were the Town Council. The electors were themselves chosen on political grounds, and the Tories had a majority. The only formidable opponent was Sir William Hamilton, who, as the most learned

WILSON'S MORAL CHAIR

237

and blameless Scottish scholar of his day, ought, of course, to have been appointed. Wilson, on the other side, had "great natural powers accidentally directed" towards the subject of the Chair. But any Scot can be professor of anything, and Mr. Carlyle was equally ready for a Chair of Astronomy or of Rhetoric. The best that can be said for a struggle as fierce as any Parliamentary election, is, that it left Hamilton and Wilson on perfectly good terms, as it found them, and that Professor Wilson put all his unrivalled energy into his duties as he conceived them, kept his class thoroughly alive, and was an elder brother to his pupils.

The incongruity of his candidature, however, could not escape observation. Scott, as a friend and a Tory, and a firm believer in the candidate, took Wilson's part. He had, not unjustly, the highest opinion of his natural powers; even Carlyle admits that Wilson was "the most gifted of our literary men, either then or still." Scott conceived that the work and responsibility of the Chair would steady and indeed redeem Wilson, which, with time, they managed to effect. "He must leave off sack, purge, and live cleanly as a gentleman ought to do." 1

The election went on, both parties putting forth all their energies. The Whigs were so ill advised as to charge Wilson with being "a bad husband

1 "Life," vi. 218.

V

and a bad father." Here he was on perfectly safe ground, and obtained golden opinions to that effect. He was accused of singing "a careless careless tavern catch" at some revel, and Lockhart, in a letter already published in part, assures Scott that the enemy sank so low as to try to worm evidence out of hotel waiters, the minions of Ambrose, perhaps. On July 8, Scott himself wrote a remarkable letter on these heads to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. ("Christopher North," ii. 313.) To say, however, as he did, that Wilson was "altogether incapable of composing parodies upon Scripture," argued a slight forgetfulness of "The Chaldee!" The rest of the letter is a model in its kind. As Mrs. Wilson wrote, "the Tories were triumphant," for, in fact, the election was political. Wilson set to work with a devouring energy, and, as we have seen, justified his appointment; and he had Sir William Hamilton as an enthusiastic auditor of one, at least, of his discourses.

Lockhart, unluckily, could not but raise a wild war-whoop over Wilson's success. Mr. Cranstoun, the famous advocate, had made a poem with twenty rhymes to "Packwood" (a notoriety of the day). Lockhart, under the name of his Glasgow dentist, or Odontist, Dr. James Scott, indited the "Testimonium," with some seventy rhymes to Blackwood, in celebration of Wilson's victory. (Blackwood, July 1820.) Now the Scotsman, edited by Mr. M'Culloch, was a vehement opposer of Wilson, and

Mrs. Gordon, in "Christopher North," prints some of Mr. M'Culloch's amenities. The same paper, as a matter of course, had attacked Dr. Peter Morris. In the "Testimonium," verses xiii. and xiv. are devoted to Mr. M'Culloch, under his nickname of the Stot. This is needful to be known for the understanding of the following letter from Scott to Lockhart, and, practically, to Wilson.1 The epistle shows how far Scott "encouraged" the excesses of Blackwood. He is replying to a letter of Lockhart's of July 20, 1820. This is partly published (Scott's Letters," ii. 84). There is reference to the Testimonium," and to the passions of the hour. There was near being a challenge to the duello between two learned Professors. Lockhart also speaks of beginning his novel, "Valerius." Scott's letter follows:

66

"DEAR LOCKHART,-I had your kind letter, and congratulate you your hard-fought battle.

Wilson has surmounted difficulties of which he was not aware, for the worthy

wrote to

Lord Melville on the subject of his interference, and received a most capital answer. Moreover, all sorts of anonymous letters were directed to little purpose at the same quarter. The victory, however, being gained, it is greatly the opinion of Mr.

1 Postmark, July 25, 1820. The letter could not be discovered for Scott's Correspondence: I owe it to the kindness of my friend, Mr. C. M. Falconer of Dundee, who found this, and some other papers, by a curious accident.

Wilson's best wishers, and most especially mine, that the matter may be suffered to rest. His best triumph, and that of his friends, will be in the concentration of his powerful mind upon the great and important task before him, and in utterly contemning the paltry malice of those who have taken such foul means of opposing him. Any attempt on his part, or that of his friends, to retaliate on such a fainéant as poor Stookie, or on the Scotsman, is like a gentleman fighting with a chimney sweeper-he may lick him, but cannot avoid being smutted in the conflict. For my part, I vow to God I would sooner fight a duel with an actual scavenger than enter into controversy with such fellows.

"I am sure our friend has been taught the danger of giving way to high spirits in mixed society, where there is some one always ready to laugh at the joke and to put it into his pocket to throw in the jester's face on some future occasion. It is plain Wilson must have walked the course had he been cautious in selecting the friends of his lighter hours, and now, clothed with philosophical dignity, his friends will really expect he should be on his guard in this respect, and add to his talents and amiable disposition the proper degree of retenue becoming a moral teacher. Try to express all this to him in your own way, and believe that, as I have said it from the best motives, so I would wish it conveyed in the most delicate terms, as from one