"No matter when, a poet's muse is
To make them grow just where she chooses."
[Note D, vol. i, chapter xi.]—Switzerland.
The descriptions are drawn from nature, and the impressions those which a tour, in the loveliest weather, through the romantic country created in the author's mind. He, however, believes he has crowned Rigi with an hotel before due time.
[Note E, vol. i, p. 140.]—Devil's Bridge.
Le Pont du Diable is a thread-like bridge spanning a tremendous gap made by the Reuss through the rocks near Fluellen. The author, with some friends, saw it under the circumstances here described, and the little incident narrated actually took place among the party.
[Note F, vol. i, p. 148.]—The Towers.
Though the main topics of the scenery are true to nature, it is almost needless to say no such castles as the Towers ever existed near the Lammermoors save in imagination. The same may be said of the scenery in the next few chapters. Individually each spot is as faithful a picture of some place as the author could draw, but en masse they are grouped without any attention to topography beyond the general resemblance one spot has to another in Scotland's romantic land.
[Note G, vol. i, p. 237.]—Justifiable Suicide.
The author is aware that some demur may be raised against the lawfulness of suicide under any circumstances, and that many deem it irreconcileable with a Christian profession in every contingency. He begs to leave it an open question. During the Indian mutiny, and in similar cases of certain death by human violence, he believes that suicide was not only attempted, but committed, by truly religious persons. The moral character of the heroine was only gradually developing itself, and he trusts all final judgment upon her will be reserved till the close of the romance.
[Note H, vol. i, p. 258.]—Rebecca.