There were present about 300 persons--a mixed company, many of
them not of the most respectable order. Sir Walter Scott took the chair,
and there was scarcely another person of any note to support him except
the actors. The dinner, therefore, would have been little better than
endurable, had it not been remarkable for the confession of Sir Walter
Scott that he was the author of the 'Waverley Novels.'
"This acknowledgment was forced from him, I believe, contrary to his own
wish, in this manner. Lord Meadowbank, who sat on his left hand,
proposed his health, and after paying him many compliments, ended his
speech by saying that the clouds and mists which had so long surrounded
the Great Unknown were now revealed, and he appeared in his true
character (probably alluding to the _expose_ made before Constable's
creditors, for I do not think there was any preconcerted plan). Upon
this Sir Walter rose, and said, 'I did not expect on coming here today
that I should have to disclose before 300 people a secret which,
considering it had already been made known to about thirty persons, had
been tolerably well kept.
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