And honey-suckles loved to crawl The region in which young Walter was placed was well calculated to impress his youthful fancy with wild legends and romantic tales, for it abounded in scenes celebrated in song and story. Aunt Jenny did not fail to relate to him all these marvels, and pointed to the very places where they were said to have transpired. Such was the beginning of Walter Scott's education. When he was five or six years old, his grandfather died, and Aunt Jenny removed to Kelso. Walter accompanied her, and as there was a school-house near, she determined to send him there. The first time a child enters a school-room, the scene is quite appalling. In looking round, he observes a crowd of children seated on benches, with an aspect declaring that no boy's play is going on here. He notices among them a serious and severe looking man, seated or standing, holding some instrument, perhaps of discipline, in his hand. The child proceeds, the master's eye falls upon him; he feels indescribably queer, and putting his thumb into his mouth, by way of making himself at home, goes to his seat. Such is the scene on ordinary occasions; but there was something peculiarly formidable to young Walter, in his initiation at school; for the master was a "big, queer-looking, uncouth man, with an enormous wig, one blind eye, and the worst temper of any man in Great Britain." Beside all these redoubtable qualities, he bore the tremendous title of Launcelot Whale! At this school, Walter remained about a year. He did not associate much with the other scholars at this time; in the school, he was studious, and when it was over, he was generally seen passing rapidly on his crutches through the group of other children, to his home. He used often to amuse himself, at this time, by riding about the country on a pony. Scott's parents were anxious to do everything in their power to recover the health, and remove the lameness of their son. It being recommended that he should try the waters of Bath, in England, he went thither, his faithful and devoted Aunt Jenny being his attendant. The expedition was made, and was, perhaps, of some benefit; for soon after, that is, in 1779, at the age of eight years, we find him at the high school in Edinburgh. When he first went there, however, he was so feeble as to be carried in the arms of a servant. After a while, he improved, and was left more to take care of himself. He was regarded by his school-fellows as rather a dull boy; but if they imposed upon him, his crutch usually made them repent their impertinence. There is an amusing anecdote told of him at this time. As the boys of the school were one day poking their heads through the iron railing around George's Square, young Walter must needs put his through, too. It chanced that his head was unusually large, and though he contrived to get it in, he could not get it out. There was a good deal of pulling and hauling, squeezing and crying; but all would not do, and the young rat was held fast in the trap,till a blacksmith came with his tools, and let him out. Young Walter's health now mended fast, and from a puny child, he soon became a daring, active, and somewhat rowdy boy. In the time of snow-balling he signalized himself by his feats; and in the frays that took place between the different parties, into which the boys of Edinburgh were divided, he took a leading part. He has himself given us an account of one of these adventures in which he was engaged, which is too amusing to be omitted. Here it is. "It is well known in the south, that there is little or no boxing at the Scottish schools. About forty or fifty years ago, however, a far more dangerous mode of fighting in parties or factions, was permitted in the streets of Edinburgh, to the great disgrace of the police, and danger of the parties concerned. These parties were generally formed from the quarter of the town in which the combatants resided; those of a particular square or district fighting against those of an adjoining one. Hence it happened, that the children of the higher classes were often pitted against those of the lower; each taking their side according to the residence of their friends. "So far as I recollect, however, it was unmingled either with feelings of democracy or aristocracy, or indeed, with malice or ill-will of any kind towards the opposite party. In fact, it was only a rough mode of play. Such contests were, however, maintained with great vigor, with stones, and sticks, and fisticuffs when one party dared to charge, and the other stood their ground. Of course, mischief sometimes happened; boys are said to have been killed at these bickers, as they were called, and serious accidents certainly took place, as many cotemporaries can bear witness. "The author's father, residing in George Square, on the southern side of Edinburgh, the boys belonging to that family, with others in the square, were arrayed into a sort of company, to which a lady of distinction presented a handsome set of colors. Now, this company or regiment, as a matter of course, was engaged in weekly warfare with the boys inhabiting the cross-causeway, Bristo street, the Potter Row; in short, the neighboring suburbs. These last were chiefly of the lower rank, but hardy loons, who threw stones to a hair's breadth, and were very rugged antagonists at close quarters. "The skirmish sometimes lasted for a whole evening, until one party or the other were victorious; when, if ours were successful, we drove the enemy to their quarters, and were usually chased back by the reinforcement of bigger lads, who came to their assistance. If, on the contrary, we were pursued, as was often the case, into the precincts of our square, we were, in our turn, supported by our elder brothers, domestic servants, and similar auxiliaries. "It followed, from our frequent opposition to each other, that though not knowing the names of our enemies, we were yet well acquainted with their appearance, and had nick-names for the most remarkable of them. One very active and spirited boy might be considered as the principal leader in the cohort of the suburbs. He was, I suppose, thirteen or fourteen years old, finely made, tall, blue-eyed, with long fair hair, the very picture of a youthful Goth. This lad was always first in the charge, and last in the retreat,— the Achilles at once, and the Ajax of the cross-causeway. He was too formidable to us not to have a cognomen; and, like that of a knight of old, it was taken from the most remarkable part of his dress, being a pair of old green livery breeches, which was the principal part of his clothing; for, like Pentapolin, according to Don Quixote's account, Green Breeks, as we called him, always entered the battle with bare arms, legs and feet. "It fell that once upon a time, when the combat was at the thickest, this plebeian champion headed a charge so rapid and furious that all fled before him. He was several paces before his comrades, and had actually laid his hands on the patrician standard, when one of our party, whom some misjudging friend had entrusted with a couteau de chasse, or hanger, inspired with zeal for the honor of the corps, worthy of Major Sturgeon himself, struck poor Green Breeks over the head, with sufficient strength to cut him down. "When this was seen, the casualty was so far beyond what had ever taken place before, that both parties fled different ways, leaving poor Green Breeks, with his head plentifully dabbled in blood, to the care of the watchman, who, honest man, took care not to know who had done the mischief. The bloody hanger was thrown into one of the meadow ditches, and |