Scott, Sir Walter Autograph Letter Signed, to Lady Jane Stuart "my dear Lady Jane, I send this by William Forbes who has been on a visit a few days here with the Skenes... I sent on by a servant that was leaving me a little bunch of asparagus to show how good my garden is and a few lines of a letter. Its miscarriage is not of the least consequence except hat it has left me a sufferer in your good chances for want of kindness and affection... We have very much severe weather here. I hope it is now relenting for the sake of the poor lambs which will be appearing on our hills by thousands in a few days & a great advantage it is when the mothers have a little fresh grass to eat", referring to the weather, "I wade through the snow and never am the worst of it", and the health of his son and daughter, 2 pages, integral address panel, Abbotsford, 6 April 1829 Footnote: Note: Lady Jane Stuart [formerly Lady Jane Belsches], daughter of the Earl of Leven and Melville, and the mother of Scott's first love, Williamina Belsches, who married Sir William Forbes. Curiously, Scott appears to have addressed the letter to Right Hon. Lady Jane Leven, 12 Melville Street, before correcting this to "Lady Jane Stuart, 12 Maitland Street". In another hand are the words "Addio, Italian for Adieu", possibly a reference to the fact that this was Scott's last letter to Lady Jane who died later the same year. Purchased Lyon & Turnbull, 29 August 2012, lot 292