of Sir Walter Scott. Their
acquaintance ripened into a speedy intimacy; and on the 29th April 1820,
Lockhart became the son-in-law of his illustrious friend, by espousing
his eldest daughter, Sophia. Continuing to furnish sparkling
contributions to _Blackwood's Magazine_, Lockhart now began to exhibit
powers of prolific authorship. In the course of a few years he produced
"Valerius," a tale descriptive of ancient Rome; "Reginald Dalton," a
novel founded on his personal experiences at Oxford; the interesting
romance of "Matthew Wald," and "Adam Blair," a Scottish story. The last
of these works, it may be interesting to notice, took origin in the
following manner. During a visit to his parents at Glasgow, his father
had incidentally mentioned, after dinner, that Mr Adam, a former
minister of Cathcart, had been deprived for certain immoralities, and
afterwards reponed, at the entreaty of his parishioners, on the death of
the individual who had succeeded him after his deposition. On hearing
the narrative, Lockhart retired to his apartment and drew up the plan of
his tale, which was ready for the press within the short space of three
weeks. In 1823, he became known as an elegant versifier, by the
publication of his translations from the "Spanish Ballads." He
subsequently published a "Life of Napoleon Bonaparte," in "Murray's
Family Library;" and produced a "Life of Robert Burns," for "Constable's
Miscellany." At this period he chiefly resided in Edinburgh, spending
some of the summer months at Chiefswood, a cottage about two miles from
Abbotsford. But Lockhart's growing reputation ere long secured him a
more advantageous and lucrative position. In 1825, he was appointed to
the editorship of the _Quarterly Review_; and thus, at the age of
thirty-one, became the successor of Gifford, in conducting one of the
most powerful literary organs of the age. He now removed to London. On
the 15th of June 1834, the degree of Doctor of Civil Law was conferred
on him by the University of Oxford.

During the last illness of Sir Walter Scott, Lockhart was eminently
dutiful in his attendance on the illustrious sufferer. As the literary
executor of the deceased, he was zealous even to indiscretion; his
"Life of Scott," notwithstanding its ill-judged personalities, is one of
the most interesting biographical works in the language. His own latter
history affords few materials for observation; he frequented the higher
literary circles of the met