the chief clerkships in the Scottish court of sessions. The fulfillment
of his long-cherished desire of abandoning his labors as an advocate, in
order to devote himself to literature, was now at hand. He had already
delighted the public by various early literary efforts, the most
important being the "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border," parts of which
had occupied him since childhood. This was followed by "Sir Tristrem"
and the "Lay of the Last Minstrel." Scott was now enrolled among the
poets of the day, and while never neglecting the duties of office, he
entered upon his literary career with unflagging industry. "Marmion,"
"The Lady of the Lake," "Don Roderick," and "Rokeby" reflected his
romantic fervor.

Lord Byron now had entered the field of letters, and Scott, conscious of
the power of his rival, determined to seek fame in other than poetic
paths. This determination produced "Waverly," whose success gave birth
to Scott's desire to be numbered among the landed gentry of the country.
Under the influence of this passion, the novels now associated with his
name followed with startling rapidity, and their growth developed in the
author an unwillingness to be known as a penman writing for fortune.
Literary fame was less dear to him than the upbuilding of a family name.
The novels went for a time fatherless, but the baronial mansion, still
one of the most famous shrines of the curious, grew into the stately
proportions of Abbotsford.

In 1820. George IV. conferred upon Scott the baronetcy, dearer than all
the plaudits of the public. But

"Giddy chance never bears,
That mortal bliss shall last for years,"