Sir Walter Scott

When Sir Walter Scott was a boy he was not considered very bright. As a result, most folks ignored him. When he was twelve, he went to a social gathering where a number of literary figures were present. Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet, was admiring a painting under which was written a couplet of poetry. He asked about the author but nobody knew who had written the lines. That was when Scott very shyly quoted the rest of the poem and gave the author's name. Burns placed his hand on the young boy's head and said, "Son, you will be a great man in Scotland someday." Years later, Scott remembered Burns' encouraging words as the turning point in his life.