Scott's 'Quentin Durward' 1823

   

First edition 1823

 

Apparently, with the aid of a map of Touraine, a French gazeteer, a copy of Philippe de Commynes' Memoires and his memories of a visit to France in 1815, Scott embarked on the first novel he was to place outside of Britain. Quentin Durward (set in 1468) has had a much better ride than Peveril of the Peak with the reviewers, both contemporary and subsequently. This is deserved as it has a much tighter construction, a sense of steady pace throughout and some engaging characters, not least that of Louis XI, the Universal Spider.

Quentin meets 'Maitre Pierre' and henchman

From the first meeting of Quentin with Maitre Pierre (Louis in disguise), Scott builds up a compelling creation: the expression of this man's countenance was partly attractive, and partly forbidding. His strong features, sunk cheeks, and hollow eyes, had, nevertheless, an expression of shrewdness and humour congenial to the character of the young adventurer. But then, those same sunken eyes, from under the shroud of thick black eyebrows, had something that was at once commanding and sinister...

Scott had already given the reader a pretty (historically) accurate picture of the monarch: brave enough for every useful and political purpose, Louis had not a spark of that romantic valour, or of the pride connected with, and arising out of it, which fought on for the point of honour, when the point of utility had been long gained. Calm, crafty, and profoundly attentive to his own interest, he made every sacrifice, both of pride and passion, which could interfere with it... Scott's Louis is 'all of a piece' throughout the tale - vindictive, cruel, deceitful, avaricious, excessively superstitious and disposed to low pleasures - the reader understands exactly why the king behaves as he does, without condoning it.

As for the 19-20 year-old Quentin - although his form had not yet attained its full strength, he was tall and active...his complexion was fair, in spite of a general shade of darker hue, which the foreign sun...had, in some degree, embrowned it. His features, without being quite regular, were frank, open, and pleasing...his teeth were well set, and as pure as ivory; whilst his bright blue eye [expressed] good humour, lightness of heart, and determined resolution.  No wonder the young Countess of Croye, the Lady Isabelle, fell for him.

Quentin Durward on a book cover

The beautiful Countess is first introduced to Quentin, and the reader, disguised as a maidservant, Jacqueline, rather above than under fifteen years old...a quantity of long black tresses...formed a veil around a countenance, which... in its regular features, dark eyes, and pensive expression, resembled that of Melpomene, though there was a faint glow on the cheek, and an intelligence on the lips and in the eye... (not Rebecca again?!) And, later, beautiful shape...regular features, brilliant complexion, and dazzling eyes, an air of conscious nobleness, that enhanced their beauty. Well, we know how story will end already - lucky Quentin.

Scott's descriptions of places - the Castle of Plessis-les Tours, the Bishop of Liege's palace of Schonwaldt, Charles of Burgundy's fortress of Peronne; of other characters - Ludovic Leslie with the Scar, La Balafré, who was Quentin's uncle; Oliver Dain, the king's barber, known as Oliver Mauvais or Oliver le Diable; the king's ruffian henchmen, Trois-Eschelles and Petit-André; Lord Crawford (one of the last reliques of the gallant band of Scottish lords and knights who had so long and so truly served Charles VI); the Count de Dunois and Louis, Duke of Orleans; Cardinal and Prelate, John of Balue, who is subject to the ribaldry of king and all, when his horse suddenly bolts during the Chase; the Duke of Burgundy's envoy, the Count of Crevecoeur, a renowned and undaunted warrior; the maverick Countess Hameline de Croye; the treacherous Hayraddin Maugrabin, the Zingaro, the Bohemian, the Egyptian... - are all brought to life to add to the rich pageant.  His portrait of the unfortunate Princess Joan, daughter of Louis is stark: she was pale, thin and sickly in her complexion, her shape visibly bent to one side, and her gait so unequal that she might be called lame... 

Charles the Bold/Rash of Burgundy is another excellent portrayal - relying heavily on Philippe de Commynes, Scott gives a faithful picture of that unruly and headstrong noble. The chapters where he is pitched against Louis (his overlord) are excellent. Of course, Scott has to have one character versed in the mysterious arts - here we meet Galeotti Martivalle, a tall, bulky, yet stately man, considerably past his prime...his features, though rather overgrown, were dignified and noble. His influence with Louis, allows Scott to give full rein to his contempt for the beliefs in the  Hermetical Philosophy. Astrologers, Roman Catholics and Jews rarely get a good press with the author.

John Buchan's summary is percipient: the book is a fairy tale, with all the merits of those airy legends which the folk-mind of Europe invented to give colour to drab lives...Quentin, from the Glen of the Midges, is the eternal younger son who goes out to seek his fortune, as Louis is the treacherous step-mother...[the novel] is Scott's main achievement in the vein in which Dumas excelled...it is a better performance, I think, than Ivanhoe, for it swings to its triumphant close without a single hitch or extravagance...one masterly scene follows another...Quentin himself is the best of Scott's young heroes, because he is content to make him only young, chivalrous and heroic, and over-weights him with no moralities.

Quentin Durward is certainly in my top five of the Waverley novels I have [re] read so far. There may be anachronisms; there may be occasional periods of longueur, but they are very few. These are but rare flies in a rich ointment. The hero thinks and acts for himself; the heroine is gorgeous; the characters of Louis XI and Charles of Burgundy dominate their scenes; the Butcher of Ardennes, if only actually met at his demise, is an evil spectre.  Scenes follow swiftly on from each other, with little side-tracking.