Sir Walter Scott Appreciation discussion

Please post comments or questions here.

I just started chapter 3. We read Last of the Mohicans in another book, and it's nice to see Hawkeye (Leather Stocking) again. He still has the same long-winded way of speaking ;-) He must be quite old now; I had the impression that he was around 40 in LotM.

Right now "the youth" is in the sledge and they've just entered the village. I wonder who he is and why he's so nervous? Enjoying the book so far!

This book was actualy written before the others in the series, which I have not read. I will start reading the book this week. I am glad you are enjoying it so far.

I am hoping mine will ne at my library this week and look forward to reading it.

I really enjoy the description of the snowy sleighride. It makes me think of Christmas, and the author actually mentions a one-horse open sleigh!

Right, it was really interesting! It was nice to read about Christmas in those times. I was a bit surprised that squirrel and bear meat occupied such a prestigious place on the Christmas table!

It was good to see Chingachgook again (sorry; I can't help referencing Last of the Mohicans, but I won't reveal spoilers from that book).

So, who is "the youth" that Judge Temple shot? And why does he apparently resent Marmaduke?

It made me wonder - did we ever hear about what happened to Marmaduke's Tory friend (forgot the name, sorry), the one he met in school? Marmaduke had his money and documents, did he ever see him again to return them? If not, could the young hunter be his son? Marmaduke also profited quite a bit from the misfortune of others during and after the war. Could this young man be from one of these families?

I like the different characters, and they are often quite comical! Richard is a lot like Leather Stocking in his way - they are both quite long-winded and proud of their accomplishments.

Do Germans actually talk that way, with the unvoiced stops (d becomes t; b becomes p)? Walter Scott often presents highlanders talking that way.

As a Canadian, I want to share this quote from chapter 2. They are talking about the Major:

Any one of our readers, who has the occasion to cross the Niagara, may easily observe, not only the self-importance, but the real estimation enjoyed by the humblest representative of the Crown, even in that polar region of royal sunshine.

It is true about the attititude to the Crown, but the "polar" is more poetic than factual. It gets hot in the Niagara region.

I am enjoying this book so far, because I like the way he writes, but especially the fact of the North American attitude to society in contrast to the classist system in England. In Ontario and Quebec of the time, the society was still more classist, but things changed there in the mid 19th century.

I am a bit behind with this book, because I am engrossed in Doctor Thorne and want to finish it sooner, rather than later.

I have caught up with the reading and am enjoying the book a lot. That Christmas dinner sounds like a huge meal. They used to call a table laden with food "the groaning board." If they had helpings of everything they would groan!
Richard is one of those know-it- alls who drive me crazy. The things he says to make himself look good are funny and irritating at the same time.
The Judge's comments about the waste of good wood are very apt. Maple was used for making furniture, not burning. It is also true that the early pioneers were very wasteful with natural resources, so the Judge is showing foresight.
As for the youth, he is mysterious and has had some education. We shall have to wait and find out more.
The German accent is quite well done. I took a course in the history of the German language, which talked about a sound shift of consonants, in which certain letters change the further north one goes. Cooper has done a good job with the Major's accent.
As for Monsieur Le Quoi, I like the many mangled pronunciations of his name.
In French, Quoi means "what?". It is an unusual name.

I read a review of the book and it stated that this book is based very much on Cooper's own experiences. For the character of the Judge he used his father. Cooper was concerned at how quickly the area he grew up in was being changed and wondered if it was all good. Chopping down trees that may have taken a generation to grow was a concern also. Killing more game than a man could want was also an abuse that was occurring.
Because this book is based on reminiscences this made it a pleasure to write and was a big success.
The followers of William Penn did not usually keep slaves and keeping a 'black' was for a set period of about 7 years and then they were free.

Rosemarie wrote: "I have caught up with the reading and am enjoying the book a lot. That Christmas dinner sounds like a huge meal. They used to call a table laden with food "the groaning board." If they had helpings..."

Thanks for letting us know about the German pronunciation.

You're welcome.