The Scottish Chiefs


Jane Porter was born at Durham in 1776, but at the age of four
she went to Edinburgh with her family, was brought up in
Scotland, and had the privilege of knowing Sir Walter Scott.
Her first romance, "Thaddeus of Warsaw," was published in
1803, soon after she had removed from Edinburgh to London. Her
next romance, "The Scottish Chiefs," did not appear until
1810. It won an immediate popularity, which survived even the
formidable rivalry of the "Waverley Novels," and the book
remained a favourite, especially in Scotland, during most of
the last century. The story abounds in historical
inaccuracies, and the characters are addicted to conversing in
the dialect of melodrama-but these blemishes did not abate the
vogue of this exciting and spirited work with the reading
public. Miss Porter remained a prominent figure in London
literary society until her death on May 24, 1850.


_I.--The Lady Marion_


Sir William Wallace made his way swiftly along the crags and across the
river to the cliffs which overlooked the garden of Ellerslie. As he
approached he saw his newly-wedded wife, the Lady Marion, leaning over
the couch of a wounded man. She looked up, and, with a cry of joy, threw
herself into his arms. Blood dropped from his forehead upon her bosom.