Christmas at Abbotsford

From Scott's Journal, 12/25/1825

Arrived here last night at seven. Our halls are silent compared to last year, but let us be thankful—when we think how near the chance appeared but a week since that these halls would have been ours no longer. Barbarus has segetes? Nullum numen abest, si sit prudentia. There shall be no lack of wisdom. But come—il faut cultiver notre jardin. Let us see: I will write out the "Bonnets of Bonnie Dundee"; I will sketch a preface to La Rochejacquelin for Constable's Miscellany, and try about a specimen of notes for the W[averley Novels]. Together with letters and by-business, it will be a good day's work. "I make a vow,
And keep it true."

Next day, Scott was too sick to do anything; kidney stones, it sounded like.  Even he could overreach, and perhaps his body had been overworked, and was in revolt.