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Old Mortality

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The collection of Scott materials gathered by James C. Corson, librarian, scholar, and Scottophile, and now to be found in Edinburgh University Library’s Centre for Research Collections, is one of the most important collections of Scott materials in existence. British writer Sir Walter Scott popularized and refined a genre of ballads and historical novels; his works include Waverley (1814) and Ivanhoe (1819).

Following the downward course of the stream we came to the ruins of Craignethan Castle, at the juncture of the Nethan with the Clyde. ‘A crag above the river Nethan’ is the literal meaning of the name. This is Tillietudlem, the castle which Scott made the residence of Lady Bellenden and her granddaughter, Edith. A ravine under the old castle of Lanark, near by, known as Gillytudlem, no doubt suggested the name. Thus William Patterson's father was William (not John); his "family were of the Episcopal Church" (not Presbyterian); and his father's connection with Scotch Patterson was through a family which "had settled in Ireland after the Conquest." Like most of Scott's novels, `Old Mortality' (1816) is rather difficult to get into but by the third chapter I was finding it a gripping and timely read. The story is set in late 17th century Scotland. Some people think of Scott as promoting a fanciful and sentimental view of Scottish history but in this novel he depicts a nation deeply divided along religious, cultural and political lines. Some of these divisions still exist.

CONTENTS

It Is about 30 years since or more that the author met this singular person in the churchyard of Dunnottar, when spending a day or two with the late learned and excellent clergyman Mr. Walker the minister of that parish, for the purpose of a close examination of the ruins of the Castle of Dunnottar, and other subjects of antiquarian research in that neighbourhood. Old mortality chanced to be at the same place on the usual business of his pilgrimage; for the Castle of Dunnottar, though lying in the anti-covenanting district of the Mearns, was, with the parish churchyard, celebrated for the oppressions sustained there by the Cameronians in the time of James II.

After an initial stunning victory against over-confident soldiers, the king's reinforcements come from the south and the final outcome is inevitable - the rebels are viciously put down. Morton uneasily tries to straddle the conflict and does gain some respect from both sides But in the end, he goes into exile in Holland, and while at the end he does return and reunites with the woman he lives, I feel this is an obligatory happy ending convention and the less said about it, the better. . In fact, approaching it with an inappropriate mindset I had trouble following and concentrating on the plot and characters.By temperament and conviction I am a Cavalier but Scott doesn’t spare the other side either, giving a balanced portrayal of the ugly persecution and injustice that the royal soldiery inflicted on the Covenanters. And of course the portrayal of Graham of Claverhouse – one of my heroes – is hardly sympathetic. He is, in his own way, shown to be just as merciless and fanatical as his enemies. Scott’s genius, of course, is to let us glimpse into the minds and motivations of those from all sides, so that even if we can’t approve, we still get at least a glimmer of understanding for why they think and act the way they do. Scott was steeped in 17th-century literature, but among the printed sources drawn on for The Tale of Old Mortality the following may be singled out for special mention: This book is an education. I don't get it all--war between presbyterians and episcopalians? I had no idea--but I understand so much Scottish history so much more now.

The novel then describes a wapenshaw held in 1679 by Lady Margaret Bellenden, life-rentrix of the barony of Tillietudlem. This was a show of her support for the Royalist cause, but most of her tenants favoured the opposing Covenanters (who wanted the re-establishment of presbyterianism in Scotland) and she has to enlist her unwilling servants. After her supporters are duly mustered, the main sport is a shoot at the popinjay in which the Cavalier favourite is narrowly defeated by Henry Morton, son of a Covenanter. He is introduced to Lady Margaret and her lovely granddaughter Edith Bellenden, with whom he is in love. Scott’s descriptions of Lanarkshire derive largely from a visit to Bothwell Castle, seat of Archibald Lord Douglas, in autumn 1799, which had included an excursion to the ruins of Craignethan Castle. Elements of both buildings are combined to construct the Castle of Tillietudlem in Old Mortality. Scott made further visits to Lanarkshire in 1801 (as a guest at Hamilton Palace) and in summer 1816.” Ch. 17 (30): With the agreement of the Covenanting council Henry meets Monmouth to explore possible peace terms; Monmouth puts an end to the discussion by demanding that the Covenanters lay down their arms before negotiations commence. Deaths involving COVID-19 by vaccination status, England: deaths occurring between 1 April 2021 and 31 May 2023

My family were of the Episcopal Church, the established religion of Ireland, in which I was born and brought up with great care and attention; and from the religious impressions which I there received, I am, under the guidance of a divine providence, indebted for my future conduct and success in life. My father was a farmer in the country, with a large family. His name was William. My mother's name was Elizabeth (her maiden name was Peoples). They were both descended from a mixture of English and Scotch families who had settled in Ireland after the conquest of that country. I was born on the first day of November, Old Style, in the year seventeen hundred and fifty-two, at the place called Fanat [now Fanad, about 12 miles from Londonderry], in the county of Donegal, Ireland, and was sent by my family at the early age of fourteen years to Philadelphia, for the purpose of being brought up to mercantile pursuits, where I arrived in the month of April, 1766." The following is the document to which I referred, and is headed "A short Memorial of my father Robert Paterson, Stonecutter ": — Old Mortality is the second volume of Tales of My Landlord, which was made up of four volumes with each containing a separate Scottish regional tale. The name Old Mortality comes from a meeting Scott had with a man that had spent 40 years wandering around Scotland with his donkey maintaining the graves and monuments of Covenanters killed in the rebellion. As is often the case, the good old days and the honorable ancestors were much better than the present.

Humma, John B. “The Narrative Framing Apparatus of Scott’s Old Mortality.” Studies in the Novel 12, no. 4 (Winter, 1980): 301-315. Explores the problem of landlord, Pattieson, Cleishbotham, and editors as commentators upon the narrative. James Clarkson Corson was born in Edinburgh on 30 June 1905. He was educated at Daniel Stewart’s College, 1911-1924, before entering Edinburgh University to read history, in which he graduated on 28 June 1928. Corson stayed on at Edinburgh University for a further six years, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1934 for his thesis on ‘The English Revolution and the Doctrines of Resistance and Non-Resistance, 1688-1714: A Study in Sovereignty’Ch. 8: Mause and Cuddie find shelter at Milnewood. Bothwell arrests Henry for succouring Burley. Mause and Cuddie prepare to leave Milnewood after she has uttered fanatically extreme Covenanting sentiments. I cheated the leddy for your clavers, but I wasna gaun to cheat my joe. But she may marry whae she likes now, for I'm clean dung ower. This is a waur dirdum than we got frae Mr Gudyill when ye garr'd me refuse to eat the plum-porridge on Yule-eve, as if it were ony matter to God or man whether a pleughman had suppit on minched pies or sour sowens."

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