ESSAY

Evening Star, Issue 2805, 13 February 1872, Page 2

ESSAY

On the “ Writings of Sir Walter Scott, and their influence on the present age.” (Continued.) William Pitt, ' the eminent statesman and accomplished scholar, wljo was by no means celebrated for his encouragement of literature, was so struck by the beauties of this poem that he told the Eight Honorable William Dundas that it would give him pleasure to advance the fortunes of such a writer, and desired him to let him know how he could best do it. His next great poem was “ Marmion,” published in 1808. It is a good deal longer, and somewhat more ambitious than the “Lay.” It has more tedious and flat passages, though it displays more historical and antiquarian lore. If there are less sweetness and pathos in the softer passages there are also greater vehemence and force of coloring in the loftier and more active rej resentations of action and emotion. He has painted the capital, the camp, and the brave old Scottish chieftains with an enthusiastic fervor that can never die, and honored the saddest of Scotia’s misfortunes ivitU a celebration as highly pathetic as ever blended pride with sorrow—a battle-piece which is acknowledged by all judges to be the finest since the days of Homer. Though it has not the light airy charm of the “ Lay,” it has far greater strength, breadth, and boldness, both of design and execution, and considered, as a whole, it is the greatest of Scott’s poems. What could be finer than the following passages : “ Day set on Norham castled steep Apd Tweed's fair river, broad §ns deep, And Cheviot’s mountains lone ! ’ The battled towers, the Donjon keep, The loop-hole where captives weep, ‘ The flanking walls that round it sweep, In yellow lustre shone,” &c., &c. “Shift we the scene. The camp doth move : Dun-Edin’s streets are empty now, Save wiiei}, for weal of thbse they Jove, To pray the nrayer, and vow the vow, The tottering child, the anxious fair, The grey-haired sire with pious care. To chapels and to shrines repair. Where is the Palmer now ? and where The Abbess, Marmion and Clare ? Bold Douglas ! to Tantallon fair They journey in thy charge,” &c., &*, “ But as they left the dark’ning heath More desperate grew the strife of death ; The English shafts in volleys hailed, In headlong charge their horse assailed; Front, fiauk, and rear, the squadrons sweep, To break the Scottish circle deep, That fought around their king; But yet, though thick the shafts as snow, Though charging knights like whirl windf 'go, ' " Though bill-men ply the ghastly blow, Unbroken was the ring,” &c., &c. In 1810 appeared the “ Lady of tbe I^ake,”

and it created quite as great a sensation any of its predecessors. Shortly after : appearance thousands of pilgrims wend their way to see for themselves the magni cent scenery so happily described by t poet. All hotels and every ro'iceivable a commodation house were literally ciamnr by visitors from all corners, so great a far had this poem created. It is a well-asce taiued fact that from the date of the pub. cation of the "Lady of the Lake,” the pos horse duty in Scotland rose in an extraorrl nary degree, and continued to do so regular, for a number of years—the author’s succeei ing works keeping alive the enthusiasm f< the romantic scenery. It is more polishc in its diction, and more regular in its vers fication; the story is planned with f< greater skill and address ; there is a muc greater proportion of more pleasing and tei der passages, with less of antiquarian detail and, upon the whole, a greater variety ( characters more skilfully and judicious! contrasted. There are none of the passagi equal in power to the battle in “ Marmiou, or so picturesque as some of the sketches i the “ Lay,” but there is a profusion of ioc: dent, an ever-changing brilliancy of coloui ing, and a constant elasticity and occasion;; energy, which are peculiarly characterise of the author. The description of Fitz James is inimitable ; “ On his bold visage middle age Had slightly pressed its signet sage, Yet had not quenched the open truth, And fiery vehemence of youth ; Forward and frolic glee was there, The will to do, the soul to dare. The sparkling glance, soon blown to fire, Of hasty love, or headlong ire, His limbs were cast in manly mould, fop hardy sports, pr ccptest bold ; Apd though in peaceful garb arrayed, Apd weaponless except hjs blade, Ac.,&c.” And so is the following s—n Hen forth the noble Douglas sprung, And on his neck his daughter hung, The Monarch drank, that happy hour, The sweetest, holiest, draught of power,— When it can say, with godlike voice, Arise, sad Virtue, and rejoice ! —&c , &c.’ In 1811, was published “The Vision oJ Don Roderick.” Scott was asked to con. tribute to the relief of the Portuguese sufferers during the Peninsular War, and hf promised to give the profits of a poem, which he was about to write, the scene of which was to be held in Spain. He was anxious tc show that the policy of the Government in supporting Wellington in the Peninsula, was the right one, even though the Whigs loudly protested against it. This poem, notwithstanding the difficulty of the Spenserian stanza, was written very rapidly, and’shows, as a natural consequence, many traces ol negligence. The patriotic spirit pervading this poem, found an echo in many hearts, and even those who were most strongly opposed to him in politics, could not but admit that it did an incalculable amount oi good by keeping alive the patriotic fire al that most critical time There are some passages in this poem that have never beer surpassed. Such as—- “ Go, baffled Boaster ! teach thy haughty mood To plead at thine imperious master’! throne ! Say, thou hast left his legion in their blood. Deceived his hopes, and frustrated thim

own; Say, that thine utmost skill and valour shown . .. fly British skill and valour were outvied j Last say, thy conqueror was Wellington ! And if he chafe, be his own fortunes tried— God and our cause to friend, the venture we’ll abide.”

“ Yes ! hard the task, when Britens wield the sword, To give each chief and eyery fielq its fame; Hark I Albuero thunders Beresford, And red Barossa shouts for dauntless Graeme ! 0 for a verse of tumult and of flame, Bold as the bursting of their cannon sound, To bid the world re-echo to their fame ; For never, upon gory battle-ground, With conquests well-bought wreath were braver victors crowed. ” >'ext year “ Eokeby” was published, but despite.the naturalness of the charade s, the beautiful scenery where they are presented, and several wonder ally interesting chapters in the story, such as the opening interview of Bertram and Wycliff, the flight up the cliff on the Greta, the first entrance of the cave at Brignall. the firing of Eokeby Castle, in spite certainly of most beautiful lines prefusely scattered throughput the pogni, tol of : t(e|iaclled i'mag’oci aOoli as the setliug bf the tropical sun—in spite of all these merits the success of “Eokeby” was not by any means so great as any other of his poetical romances. The two following extracts are exquisite—- “ The cliffs, that rear the haughty head High o’er the river’s darksome bed, Were now all naked, wild, and grey. Now waving all with greenwood spray ; Here trees to every crevice clung, And o’er the 1 dell their branches hung; And here, all splintered and uneven, The shivered rocks ascenfl tfi heaypn,” ’ • tfq,, &q. * I ‘ l :: “ My noontide ; India may declare ! Like her fierce Sun, I fired the air ! Like him to wood and cave bade fly Her natives from mine angry eye. And now my race of terror run, lyljne be the eve of tropic sun i No pale gradations quench his ray, No twilight dews his wrath allay j With disk like battle-target red, He rushes to his burning bed, Dyes the wide wave with bloody light, Then sinks at once—and all is night.” " (To be continued.)