lution; but
Count Paul de Remusat, who has been consulted on the subject, has kindly
pointed out that the lady of whom Scott speaks must have been the widow
of the Chevalier de Boufflers-Remencourt, known by his poems and
stories. Her maiden name was de Jean de Manville, and her first husband
was a Comte de Sabran. She died in 1827.--See _Correspondance inedite de
la Comtesse de Sabran_, Paris, 8vo, 1875.

[400] Readers who may wish to compare with the visit of 1826 Scott's
impressions of Paris in 1815 will find a brilliant record of the latter
in _Paul's Letters_, xii.-xvi.

[401] A Sunday newspaper started in 1820, to advocate the cause of
George IV., and to vilify the Queen and her friends, male and female.
The first number was published on December 17th, and "told at once from
the convulsed centre to the extremity of the Kingdom. There was talent
of every sort in the paper that could have been desired or devised for
such a purpose. It seemed as if a legion of sarcastic devils had brooded
in Synod over the elements of withering derision." Hook, however, was
the master spirit, the majority of the lampoons in prose, and all the
original poetry in the early volumes from the "Hunting the Hare," were
from his own pen, except, perhaps, "Michael's Dinner," which has been
laid at Canning's door.

Oddly enough Scott appears to have been the indirect means of placing
Hook in the editorial chair. When he was in London, in April 1820, a
nobleman called upon him, and asked if he could find him in Edinburgh
some clever fellow to undertake the editorship of a paper about to be
established. Sir Walter suggested that his Lordship need not go so far
a-field, described Hook's situation, and the impression he had received
of him from his table talk, and his Magazine, the _Arcadian_. This was
all that occurred, but when, towards the end of the year, _John Bull_
electrified London, Sir Walter confessed that he could not help fancying
that his mentioning this man's name had had its consequences.

Hook, in spite of his L2000 per annum for several years from _John
Bull_, and large prices received for his novels, died in poverty in
1841, a prematurely aged man. His sad story may be read in a most
powerful sketch in the _Quarterly Review_, attributed to Mr. Lockhart.

[402] See Beckford's _Vathek_, Hall of Eblis.

[403] Lady Stafford says: "We were so lucky as to have Sir W. Scott here
for a day, and were glad to see him look well, and t