believe is your last composition, is charmed with it; I mean the song beginning

'Alas, my love, you do me wrong

To treat me thus discourteously.'

The words are apparently old; and as an amateur, and a sort of connoisseur, of our old poetry, I have been applied to, to tell where those words are to be found. But I have been obliged, with a little mortification, to confess my ignorance on the subject. Will you oblige me by telling me where I can find the little poem! I should like to insert it in the next edition of my Specimens of the British Poets.

"I have been a great wanderer since I saw you; but sure it was strange enough to meet at Algiers with the same individual Chevalier Neukomm, whom I met at your hospitable mansion. You may guess how glad I was to see him. He has imposed a task upon me which the anticipated honor of joining my name with his, would not allow me to decline. It is composing the words of an Oratorio, from the book of Job. It is so difficultI should rather say, so impossible-to versify the sublime text of the Bible, that I fear it will require the 'patience of Job' to read my poetical lucubration. It will not be out till winter.

"I have listened in Africa to the native strains, both vocal and instrumental, of the Moors and Arabs; but their music is really not worth going so far to hear. It has no discernible rhythm; but from the kindness of a charming French vocalist, Madame De Verger-the wife of a French colonel at Algiers, and a great friend of Neukomm's-I have been able to bring home three popular Algerine melodies, which will be published in 'The New Monthly.' T. C."

*

A new edition of the Poems being called for, it was agreed that, in imitation of Rogers's "Italy," it should be brought out with all the attractions that tasteful designs and finished engravings could bestow.

Mr. Turner was commissioned to furnish the designs, Goodall the engravings. With such a combination of talent, the profits of an "illustrated Edition" promised to indemnify the author for all expenses, and leave a handsome surplus at his disposal. The cost of the drawings and engravings, as he calculated, would amount to 8007.; but in the end, I believe, it much ex ceeded that sum.

About the same time, he entered into an arrangement with

ÆT. 58.] LETTERS FROM THE SOUTH-ILLUSTRATIONS.

329

Mr. Colburn to supply "The New Monthly" with a regular series of "Letters from the South." For this undertaking he was well prepared, as it only required that he should carefully revise the original letters, which he had forwarded in weekly despatches to a friend in England, from the time of his first landing at Algiers.

Thus employed, his health continued firm, his activity unabated; and as his letters successively appeared in "The New Monthly," he had the pleasure to observe that the novelty of the subject, and the manner in which it was handled, were fully appreciated by the readers of that popular Journal.

After a long blank in his private correspondence, he writes: "Feb. 14th.-I console myself with rewriting to you my fourteenth Letter from Algiers. At present I am on my voyage to Bona, and stopping at Bugia. From thence you will have some matter which I trust will be interesting to you. It is the history of a little Irish girl, the daughter of a Count Burke, an officer in the Spanish service, who, about a hundred years ago, was wrecked near Bugia with her uncle, and some domestics; and after romantic hazards, was relieved from her captivity by the Kabyles. The story might be the subject of a melo-drama. The son of a Kabyle Chief fell in love with Miss Burke, and demanded her in marriage; but the neighboring Chiefs interposed, being anxious to have her ransom. She was restored uninjured; but her mother and brother perished in the shipwreck.".

"Turner has sent three more drawings for my poems to the engraver, making in all, five out of twelve for which he engaged. Two are finished by Goodall, very exquisitely; but he is now rising in price, and demands 301. for each vignette, the size of a crown piece. Turner's drawing for 'O'Connor's Child,' is a charming thing. T. C."

*

*

*

*

Arrangements being made for a visit to his "Northern brethren," as he often designated his friends in Scotland, he writes to Mr. Gray:

66

'May 24th.-In the midst of my preparations for my departure northward, I think it may be as well to give warning to you as to the particular time of my arrival in Glasgow. I have taken my place in the steamer for next Saturday, the 28th, and expect to be in Leith on the 31st. I shall tarry at Edinburgh, perhaps, three days; and then you are as sure

of seeing me at Claremont Place, as of seeing King William at the Plain Stanes! So be sure to have plenty of salt herrings and white puddings for your poor, dependent relation."* "T. C."

As the history of this visit the "happiest he had ever made in Scotland"-is faithfully preserved in his private letters, the reader will be pleased to have its details in the Poet's own words: with this view, the extracts which follow, extending over a period of four months, are carefully arranged in the form of a diary :

"As far as company was concerned, the voyage was an agreeable one. In the intervals between my fits of illness, I could enjoy even the romps of a playful little family of children from the West Indies. There never were prettier misses to flirt with the Nestor of flirtation! The elder was only six. Their mother, on being told who I was, said, 'I am delighted to hear that our fellow-passenger is C. the poet; for the moment I saw him look at my little ones, I said, that man is a devoted lover of children.' Mrs. M-e, their mother, told me that she was bringing them home for their education, and was looking out for a governess. At that moment, word was brought me that a young lady-a very elegant one too--regretted that she was too ill to see me. The name recalled to me Miss D—s, whom I had met often in Algiers, where she was governess to the family of Mr. Lacroutz the banker. As soon as she was well enough to meet me, I introduced her to Mrs. M-e, reminding her of her wish to have a most respectable governess for her children. Here, I said, is a trustworthy person. The St. Johns, the Lacroutzes, and all who knew her at Algiers, held Miss D-s in the greatest regard, and lamented that her health had obliged her to leave Africa. In consequence of this conversation, Miss D-s is engaged as governess to the M-es."

"On Monday morning, as I was sitting languidly up at breakfast, Mrs. M. said-'Mr. C. do you see a lady who is looking very hard at you?' and, sure enough, I saw a comely Scotch

ish.

For these two national dainties the Poet had always a particular rel"Homer and a salt herring," he used to say, were indispensable at

his breakfast table.

His residence, during this visit, was chiefly at the house of his cousin, Mr. Gray, of Blairbeth, near Glasgow; and in Edinburgh, at that of Mr. Alison.

ET. 57.]

LETTERS FROM SCOTLAND.

331

leddie smiling and looking at me very kindly. She then came and addressed me in broad Scotch: Maister Cammel-eh me! have ye forgotten Sabina L-?' and this was the daughter of one of my dancing-school sweethearts, Mrs. L., on whose three daughters, older than Sabina, I once wrote a long, foolish poem. Sabina then introduced me to her husband, a Scotch gentleman of fortune; and thus we had agreeable society enough, if I could have enjoyed it.

"At five this morning I reached Leith more dead than alive. Luckily my friend Blair is with me, whose attentions are of great use to me. I repaired instantly to my sister Mary. Oh, the meeting was painful! She is almost deaf and blind. I was taken very ill under her roof, in consequence of the agitation I felt at seeing her-poor, dear soul, her memory is going. I have not yet seen Mrs. Dugald Stewart or Mr. Alison; they are in the country; and I have not nerve to stand a meeting with them-but shall see them on my return from Glasgow.

T. C."

"BLAIRBETH, June 8th.

"What a blessing it is to be under this roof, in my present state of prostrated strength! The attention of the three Miss Grays is sisterliness itself. Every species of comfort that can be thought of is found for me; and the moral solace of kind-hearted society is more effective than medicine-if I took medicine, which I do not; for I trust to repose-and the medicatrix vis naturæ. But by repose, I don't mean sleep; I even avoid resting on the sofa for fear of dozing in the day-time, which I find by experience to be noxious. My convalescence, though slow, seems to be sure-as this very letter proves; for I could not have achieved it yesterday. I have grown so saucy to-day, as to eat a whole chop to my luncheon, and to be independent, for hours together, of the society of my kind cousins, which hitherto I could not dispense with. You would only need some lessons in Scotch, and some acquaintance with those good dear souls, to appreciate them as I do. respect them for a strong vein of shrewd sense-and you would love them for that affection for their kinsman, which has descended to them from their mother. They have been travellers, like myself having been as far as the island of Madeira, of which they give an entertaining account.

You would

* See her character, as drawn by the Poet, pp. 178-9.

"The grounds about the house are pleasant, and the view from it is magnificent. It stretches northward, over undulations of rich green hills to the Clyde, and the spacious, wellsteepled city of Glasgow. Beyond, lie the Grampian mountains, terminating to the west in a hill, at the foot of which Galgacus fought the Romans at the head of his Caledonians. If Herbert is beside you, and has a copy of Tacitus with him, make him translate to you the speech of the Caledonian King.

"T. C."

"June 9th.-Yesterday my letter was interrupted by a deputation from the Campbell Club,' to congratulate me on my arrival, and ask me to fix a day for dining with them. I expected two or three persons; but there arrived two coach-loads of them; and, as hospitality required, cold fowls, tongue, wine, &c., were liberally supplied by the Grays, at a three o'clock luncheon. I gave them a promise to dine with them this day fortnight-health permitting. Among the invitations which I must regret being unable to accept, is one from Samuel Hthe editor of the Glasgow 'Argus —a flaming tory, but a most original, honest fellow, whom the very radicals like. Sam is a sort of Falstaff, without either his knavery or his drunkenness. His facetiousness is a god-send in relieving the fudge of a public dinner. . . . Tory as he is, he supported me in my election to the Rectorship, and when some waggish enemy published that my mother had been a 'washerwoman in the Goose-dubs of Glasgow,'* Samuel's zeal to repel the calumny was perfectly amusing.

* Tickler. Our worthy friends, the people of the West Country, did themselves infinite credit by their cordial reception of their Bard and Rector.

North. They did so indeed. Campbell's speeches and addresses, on his installation, and at the public dinner, contained very many happy touchesapt, ingenious, hearty, and grateful.

Tickler. You heard, I presume, that the Gander tried to disturb the genial feeling of sympathy and admiration, by his Goose-dub gabble, but got hissed and hooted back to his green-mantled pool.

North. I noticed, with pleasure, an able castigation of this creature in "The Scots Times;" and it is agreeable to know that the illustrious Author of "The Pleasures of Hope" cut him dead. In England such baseness would be held incredible. Yet, plucked as he is of every feather, and bleeding all over, he struts about in the same mock-majesty as ever, and construes pity and contempt into keudos and glorification.

Noctes

Shepherd. I dinna ken wha you're speakin' about. But wha wull the College laddies mak' Rector neist - BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. Ambrosianæ, July, 1827.