"A most perfect creature of heaven ... of the noblest northern breed ... deep in the chest, strong in the stern, black colour, and brindled on chest and legs, not spotted with white, but just shaded into grey - strength to pull down a bull - swiftness to catch an antelope."
The Talisman - Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Schottish poet, novelist en lawyer. He was quite successful with his ballads, but became famous because of his historical novels, known as the Waverley-novels named after the first one in 1814. He wrote, for example, Rob Roy (1818) and Ivanhoe (1820). His influence on the European literature was enormous.
At home - Abbotsford House, west of Melrose - he was always surrounded by his dogs. His favourite dogs were Camp, a brown-black terrier, and Maida, a Scottish Deerhound which had the habbit of putting its head on the lap of her writing master. Maida, but his love for the breed itself as well, inspired Scott to write the above tribute to the Deerhound.
In the same era as Scott, painter/ artist Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873), was able to preserve Maida for the generations to come on the masterpiece "Abbotsford: hounds". Landseer's name itself also proved to be time-proof: the Landseer Newfoundlander still carries his name.
On the painting (dating 1828) Maida is quite old and uses the armour for pillow. Maida died, at the age of 18, in 1824. To support him in his grief and mourning Sir Walter Scott was presented two beautifull pedigree Deerhounds, Nimrod and Bran.
Sir Walter Scott's statue is at Princess Street, Edinburgh. From the top of some kind of tower, Scott seems to oversee the park. The Deerhound at his feet is not Maida, as Torm of Colonsay was the model used for the statue that was completed in 1844. Maida is burried at the earlier mentioned estate: Abbotsford House. Scott lived there for many years and his study, where he wrote his books, has been preserved. Sculptured Deerhounds serve as sentry at the gates of the estate.
With this internetsite we - my spouse and me - share some of our enthusiasm for the breed, or at least we will try to do so.
We will use facts as well as our experiences for this purpose. Like Sir Walter Scott we are dedicated to the Scottish Deerhound and hopefully, after visiting our site, you too.
