Ever since his bankruptcy in 1826 Scott had been making heroic efforts to pay off his creditors. Early in 1830 he suffered a severe stroke as the result of constant overwork, and in the winter of 1831-2 he was in Italy vainly trying to recover his health. He was brought back to Abbotsford in July, and died about two months later.
Note from Sir Walter Scott, from Literary Anecdotes