Battle of St. Lucia

On December 15, 1778, the British Royal Navy fought the French Navy, as part of the Battle of American Independence.  The English, under Samuel Barrington, won this battle.  St. Lucia, in the West Indies, ended up being the last home of someone known to Walter Scott; General David Stewart of Garth.

From Mr. Croftangry introduces another tale (the Two Drovers), in Walter Scott’s “Chronicles of the Canongate”, comes the following text and note on Stewart of Garth:

‘…Much might have been made at an earlier time, out of the history of a Highland regiment, and the singular revolution of ideas which must have taken place in the minds of those who composed it, when exchanging their native hills for the battle-fields of the Continent, and their simple , and sometimes indolent domestic habits, for the regular exertions demanded by modern discipline.  There is Mrs. Grant of Laggan, has drawn the manners, customs, and superstitions of the mountains in their natural unsophisticated state; and my friend, General Stewart of Garth*, in giving the real history of the Highland regiments, has rendered any attempt to fill up the sketch with fancy-colouring extremely rash and precarious….

* The gallant and amiable author of the History of the Highland Regiments, in whose services his own share had been great, went out Governor of St. Lucia in 1828, and died in that island on the 18^th of December, 1829, - no man more regretted, or perhaps by a wider circle of friends and acquaintance…’

The Compleat Angler

Izaak Walton, the author of "The Compleat Angler", died on December 15, 1683.  Walton lived a long life; 90 years.  Fishing must have been good for Walton, whose early career was spent as an ironmonger. 

Sir Walter Scott provided an unsigned preface and notes to an edition of Walton's work published in 1821.  In a later edition, published by Wiley & Putnam in 1847, Charles Cotton's name is listed along with Walton's  This book contains a section titled "Some Account of the Life and Times of Charles Cotton", which contains the remark: 'The practical angler, though fresh from the study of Hofland, Chitty, or Ronald, will be gratified and instructed by reading Cotton after Walton, notwithstanding that Walter Scott says: "Walton's practice was entirely confined to bait-fishing...'

Whigs and Tories

December 15, 1826 - from Scott's Journal:

"...Our discussion went off very decently; no discussions or aggravating speeches. Sir John Jackass seconded the Whig's nominee. So much they will submit to get a vote. ... The Tory interest was weak among the old stagers, where I remember it strong, but preferment, country residence, etc., has thinned them..."

James Boswell provided this Samuel Johnson description of the difference between a Whig and a Tory (Life of Johnson):

"A wise Tory and a wise Whig, I believe, will agree. Their principles are the same, though their modes of thinking are different. A high Tory makes government unintelligible; it is lost in the clouds. A violent Whig makes it impracticable: he is for allowing so much liberty to every man, that there is not power enough to govern any man. The prejudice of the Tory is for establishment: the prejudice of the Whig is for innovation. A Tory does not wish to give more real power to Government; but that Government should have more reverence. Then they differ as to the Church. The Tory is not for giving more legal power to the Clergy, but wishes they should have a considerable influence, founded on the opinion of mankind: the Whig is for limiting and watching them with a narrow jealousy."