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6
M JE M O I R
,j)
J'
OF
ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
m-
BY REV. D*AVID RINTOUL,
HON. MEMBER OF THE LIT, AND PHIL. 80C. OP THE UNITED COLLEGE,
ST. ANDREWS.
TORONTO:
fWI^IED BY J. CI'»-yp. AND SOLD IT 0£014^S BROWN
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THE FOLLOWING
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.::i.''..i.i'...^MMli!u...
MEMOIE OF A YOUTHFUL POET,
IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR.
TO ♦♦* •♦**♦****, AN AMERICAN LADY.
\ \
\\ " STAT NOMINIS UMBRA."
\ . \\
" Yes» of thy country's fame, worthy art thou,
^A noble matron, sure, though young in years ;
'And though I see around thee fair compeers,
No envy comes to darken thy pale b|ow ;
Thine eye with eagle's brightness well I wean
Woman's real greatness has discc/ncd true—
A fountain sealed, a garden fair a/e you j
Ay, and most artful— bxit in wisd/>m seen.
Aspiring after end that's worthy kill ;
jAmbition c all it no t, nor thought of jiraise.
Thy hidden aim that leads the/ thus to raise. '
Above the bubbles vulgar fab-iiion j)]^ase—
No; sure 'tis not of euijh, but frofii above
Thy spirit glows wilh roye of Ik a yen's own love.
And in the pre^cut suli the f^tur^ sees."
;■
«^6d
-r.
riAiiLi^jil*
*!*
LIFE
O^
BOBERT POLLOK, A. M.
PART FIRST.
.^tS -Tr^- 1 u^ ^^''^ ^^'""^ f'^y •"«" '^*n understand ; and though it
IS true that it is the history of an individual, vet on the supposition that he is
an individual who has reached distinction by his talents or by his virtues —
that he has come out from among the multitude, and is one wl^ftl thev have
delighted to honour, he is, in the elements al least, of his ch Jfaer, 'one of
themselves-a representative or type of a large class of men, Tnln forminjr
an accurate apprehension of his character we make a reach at general truths
We may not have the delineation of ^ whole nation or community, but we
ti,.?*K I- f * f^ ' *"1 ^^"«^'0"« consist of classes of men, on the supposition
that the history of one individual of each could be written, we should then have.
lir"- *f- ?r'\ '^' ''. ^'^" '^'^'^ °'' ^^^ "**'«"• It « to be observed, also ^
that an individual stands in certain relations to others, and therefore the illus-
ration which we give of his life casts often a large flood of light upon the
times and country m which he lived. The rao»t accurate view of the world's
.T7-' therefore, would be best accom|«ished by a series of biographies of '
select individuals of all nations, from thfedfost ancient times down To our own
day. Bible history, it may be observed, ^written on this principle. Little
else 18 presented to our view, in the history\mprehending the period that
elapsed from the flood Until near the times of c%tianity, than sketches of the
^vesofjadividuals; and yet every student oflffifetf HistoTV knows wTiSr
a great light it casts upon the state of contemporarybommunities and nations.
iZl ''^flections are perhaps of too general a kindVpreface the presem
sketch. Our only apology is, that Mr. PoUok belongs to'a coWry which/though
not large, has done much for education, wnJ-that he is the re^sentative ofa ^
l-IL'f f r'"°?« •" " who have undergone gr^ self-denial in trimming the
lamp of knowledge athome, and in scattering its^lorious influence over other
r- ■
6 LIFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. M. i
pArts of the earth. After we Have told the facti of his life, We shall refer
more particularly to the class he belongs to — meanwhile we shajl proceed with
our narrative.
I •■:■,, I.,
RobertPollok, the Author of the Course of iTime, was bopn in Renfrew-
shire, ^tland, on the 19th of October, 1798. ttis father foll<t)wed the occu-
pation of a farmer, as did also liis grandfather. Mrs. Pollok was the mother
of eight children, of whom four were sons and{ four daughtcirs. The poet
Robert was the youngest cxcopt one. It appears that in early years he was
a fine stout child, for when ho was only one year old he could both walk and
speak. His bro:hor, who ha^ published what may be called th|e more private
writings of tlio Foot,' in' a voUii^o entitled, his ILife, inf^rnpS lis that in his
ciiildhood lie was full of wit and luimour. Were wc'to venture an Addition to,
the testimony of one who know him so intimately, we should sa|y that, besides
these, ho had a certain manliness of character which did not forsake him till the
day of his death. An anecdote is mentioned of* him about this period which
indicates the qualities we have just referred to in no small degree, and is
worthy perhaps of boing recorded hero as marking the developments of early
genius. Tho jioasantry of Scotland, it should be noticed, continue for some
considerable time to drrss thoir children, whcti)er male or female.after precisely ^
the sa.-.io fasiiion, so that il is no uncommon thinj^ to see well ij^rown up boys
running about in girls' chtlics. Robert socms to have been in this predicament
until ho felt it to be an annoyance no longer to lie endured. He accordingly
wi.5hed to dotrtho petticoat, and to wear some other dgpss tisat bore a stronger
resemblance to the mascuUne costume. His mother was much opposed to the
change. Being athriftv person, f^hedid not think it befitting to yield the point
to her l>oy, incongruous though _ it might be to see him dressed up after the
manner of a jtiil- But wishing t5 humour him as far as possible, she agreed
that after his pr«*ent garment was "done," slip would consent sto the change.
The discering little urchin took his mother at her word, and without saying
Mjnro, he retired into an adjoininir room for a, few minutes, duri'pg which time
lie must have made a good use of his pon knife;, for when he camieouthis petti-
coat was draggling like a lone train behind hinfiv - His good mother was thus
outwitted — the petticoat was fairly "done" now. ^he gave up the point, and
it is perhaps needless to add, tiiat from this time ho began to wear the breeches. '
His first teacher wa^i Ids mother. Siic taught hinv^o read tlie Bible, and
afterwards to commit the shorter catechism to memory. "And as some of his
ancestors had suffered much during the persecutions of the Presbyterians in
Scotland, between the years 1660 and 1688, she totld him anecdotes illustra-
tive ofiiio character of those times — a circumstance which appears to have
inspired him with an ardent zeal for civil and religious liberty. Napoleon
Bonajvarte, notwithstanding all his despotism and ambition, appears at times^to
have imbibed a better. spirit. Ho showed this in the abhorrence. in which he
li^ld suoU ohftraetei-s as Robespier re an d iJarere. We see it alsq^ia acei^in
groping after improvements on a great scale in Europe — but never perhaps
<]o we find it more manifest than in something like an aspiratioo-aftef a national
system of education, and a regret, which on one occasion- ho is said to have
expressed, that there veere not mothers to carry it inta effect. We have no wish
to eulogise the professional teachers of Scotland for the great exertions they
have madeni speeding forward the cause of education, because there has been
shall refer
roceed with
n Renfrew-
)d the occu-
the mother
The poet
p.ars he was
ih walk and
tiore private
that in I)is
I Addition tu
lliat, bnsides
! him till the
cried which
^ree, and is
jnts of early
lu'o for some
tcr precisely
\vn up boys
predicament
accordingly
e a stronger
iposed to the
eld the point
up after tlir
, she agreed
the change,
bout saying
f which time
out his petti-
ler was thus
e point, and
he breeches. '
E Bible, and
some of his
byterians in
otes illustra-
ears to have
Napoleon
rs at times to
I in which ho
juiftaoettain
ever perkaps
tef a national
said to have
have no wish
xertions they
ier0 has been
fctFB OF mOBBKt PtMLLOK, a/ ■; ^ f
pcrhj^s too much of this, more Specially when we look to a higher .standard
of excellence, than what this or the other country furnlahos, in the nre^t
stat0 of the world. The truth is, there is no cla.« o^^nelr in any nation
whatever that has much t# boast of in the matter of education, for where so
much remams yet to be done, it is unwi.<e to doat upon the past. It weji a
nobler policy to anticipate the future, to forget the things which are behind, ^M
to press on to the things which are before. There is, however, one class of
agent.-!, who, il they have been unpatronised, have beten highly efficient in car-
rying on, as fur as concerned them, the work of edacation in Scotland, and odu-
cation of that kind which is generally longest remembered— we refer here to the
christian women of that country. Inheriting that best of all legacies, the bless-
ing and example of a pious parentage, they liave been careful not 'to loose
. hat good thmg which was committed to them, we meart the knowledge of ditine
truth, but to transmit it to their children ; and^ tracing effects to their causes,
we would, say, that if the great reading public in Europe and in America liave
been m any measure edified by that noble poem in wktch Pollok afterward*
' 'T Ki . ^^^ sympathies of his lofry genius, tfiev owe it in no incon-
^derable degree to the early training of Margaret Dickie, his own mother.
Robert s next instructor was Mr. Andrew Jackson, the teacher of the parish.
He continued at his school from his eighth to his fifteenth year. \s L wa.
otten, however, required to assist his father in agricultural dp(,rations. hi^
'Education appears to have been carried on with but little efficiency, if we may
judge from the few branches- he soeins to have studied. These w'l. re Reading
writing, and Arithmetic, with little or no Grammar ; and, perhaps, considerin"r
the occupation for which Robert at ih\k time was intended, namelv. that oT
cultivating a small farm, as his father and grandfather had done before him,
the education ho bad received was no/ . unsuitable, and more especially when
>t IS remembered that at this time his ifriends jxist imagined thev were dealing
with an ordinary boy, and never scc|»i to have tliouabt that bo nnssc^sfd Om^.t
me powers o^ fancy, which aftcrwai-ds enabled him/to occunv sucii a dis-
""Suished place among the masters/of sacred song.
^^ny individuals have had oci:aaion to lament the untoward Bccid4l«
that betal them m early life. The subject of this memoir, a^ we shall
mmcditltely see, was of thh.mdyPr. While attcndini,^ a puldic school, he
hecamo an innocent sufferer tfcShsequence of the violent disposition of one of
h.s companions. It may be obseryed that. Mke other hoys of like years, vo.ine
PollQk was extremely fond of sp/rts and ptky. In these be en-arre-i with liM.
greatest eagerness, and he is sair/ to have e.^lled all bis com ne'e r'^ in feats of
- strength and agility. At this tii/ic it is very Vmmnn to find bovs sriven to all
Kinds ot mischief-so'n^ycb I's /liis the caso iAsome sebools wlmre t'lP chil-
dren are not impressed with a s/enso of religiouX oftli-ation, that if i^. really
one of the most grieVous t:vils. / The children of^Ve careless aixlof the .li'i^en't
^ IT ^A\-l"r ^T^'^'^'-^T ''•'' '' '^••"' i" f'>^ "N times, when Ishniiierdi.-
cnaigod his shafts of maliciou^ ridicule affaiHstlsaAc, so it is still— the xvenk '
oo_ often suffers by the strong,4nd the timid by the reckless. The poet Cowper
7.^1-^ rr-"--v» f^ ^ 0-jfevously -annovefl bv the tyrannical ^nd uut^f
certain of his school-mates, thkl bis life was rendered absolutely miserable : and •
wnen he became a man, he U'rote a satirical poem against pi^blic Seminaries,
wnicii, It it proves anything at all, would certainly prove that th^y are i
national pvil ». r / ' ' •
i
"Would you/yplir son should, be a sot or dunce.
LaaciviouM, /l>cadstrong, or all these at once ;
8 . UFE Of lOPBltr POLLOK, A. M. "^ " "
That in godd time the stripling's finish 'd U;8to
For loose expense and fashionable waste,
Shouldi^pA)ve your ruin or your own at last, ' ." , ''
Train him in public with a mob of boys; '
" • ' Childish in mischief only and in noise.
• • ■ • ♦ * , * • ■ ♦ , >>
The weak and bashful boy will soon be taught
'TobeaM.b^ld and forward as he ought,
The rude will scuffle. through with ea^ enough,
Great schools suit best the sturdy and the roui^h.
♦ ♦ ♦-* *, ♦ *
And you. arf staunch indeed in learning's cause
If you can crown a discipline that draws
f u ; Such mischief after it with much,«ppIau8e.V - j.
And certainly few people acquainted with public Seminaries will refiuse to
sidmitthat many boys are to be found thereof such depraved feelings tMt they
often injure or corrupt their fellows. We would willingly hope, however,
that there ii some improvement. At all events tho abuses which may arise
out of Seminaries, supposing they aire good otherwise, is no reason why they
should be set aside. Mere private teaching does not introduce a young
man to a krtowledge»bf the world, and thi^ is a branch of knowledge of such
importance that it cannot well be dispensed with-. Since, however, the evils'
arising from bad companions are so generally acknowledged, something of
a practical kind might be done in order to remove them. Our systems of edu-
catioji are all too intellectual. Why should there not be the moral training
as well as the intellectual ? Why might not a special hour be set apart in
the week for a Minister or Elder visiting the school, and giving some special
counsel of a moral and religious kind suitable to the relations in which the
pupils stand. It is well known that the supporters of the Normar^ystem of
training claim no small credit to it from this single considerationXhat they,
far exceUence, train the moral faculties of the child according to the sijripture
rule ; but if moral training be a good thing, as it confessedly is, why not ha^
it in every system ? why not have an hour once or twice a-week for picturing
out the moral lessons whjcha parable or other interesting part of Scripture
may contain. Moral truth is the natural and appointed safeguard against
' immoral doings of whatever kind they may be, and most assuredly the system
which is without that branch has in it a defect that nothing can supply. The
incident we are about, to record, perhaps, maybe held as warranting this
digres^sion. Though at the period of life to which we now refer, the young
poet, as we have hinted above, was full of fun and^ frolic, he was incapable
of doing an injury to any of his school -fellows — this did not save him from
sufFering by the hand of another who was less gentle in\ his disposition. He
liad been associated with a robust boy sbnae three yeara,oldcr than himself in
a^aine which depended on fleetness in running. His' S^itagonist gaVe chase
witli such eagerness as to show he meant to run him down. Young Pollok, on
t'is pa rt too, not t o V outdone, ' fled with all his mi ght . The ru n was a close
one ; a iTvuTet rhfervened in their patTi ; iRobert, all breathless as lie was, could
scarce clear it |wilh a lea(|^, and when he looked round to see if he was still
pursued, he perceived that his fierce competitor had sunk down on the farther
bank, thereby cjsnfessing his defeat.' tt may perhaps be thought by some
individuals that an incident of this kind is too trivial to be noticed, but in the
lives of men it is oflen found that great results arise out of small things. So
f
h
it w
his
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that
The
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The
to hf
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sh^ll
have
Poll(
7
f
LIFE %Of Rf>WiWrrQfLhOKi A. M.
9|
It was in tliC present instange. From this .hour Robert odntrtcted » pain i^.
his Tfide and breast which, though often alleViated, never left him, unti),.in com.
bmation withy other ca4i«e8, it brought hipti, in the noon of hiji hopes, to an
early grave ! It ns perhaps also worthy of record, wjiat ia noticpd by hlft
brother, that " after this running he lost his white and ruddy complexion, for
Whioh^he was before remiarkable, and became pale." There are few things
'Pk^w*'^*^® '''*"^'"®*'" ''f o*'»'<l*><»d more quickly than iHe death of relatives.
fbefctTectionsofa boy in his sixteenth t)r seventeenth yearare as lively as when .
he becomes a man. "And siipposing he forms few serjous thoughts of death,
one thing he knows of it, thai he has lost forever in this world a dear ftiend. .
The death of Robert's sister, Mrs. Young, wKen he was about t1iis.age„appearg
to have deeply inipressed him. >Ble author still .tememb^red«,it when per-
"ui?^i, V"™"!^' ^^*""' '*"■ "® '"fterwove with it this affecting episode.^ We
shAir here copy'^ihe passage, becauseT, apart from it« poetical merits, it may
have a peculiar interest in ^e estirhation of th*e reader, as embalming Mr.
Pollok s thoughts and feelings on a very trying occasion in early life :-r-
. " Our sighs were numerous and profuse our tears,
For she we lost was lovely, and we loved
Her much. Fres|i ip our memory, as fresh
As- yesterday, is yet the day she died.
h was an April day ; and blithely all
The youth of nature leaped beneath the sun.
And promised glorious rifanhood : and our hearts
Were glad, and-round them danced the lightsoipe blood,
In healthy merriment: when tidings came
A child was born, and tidings Same again
j_^ That she who gave it birth was sick to death.
Soswift trod sorrpw on thte heels i)fjov ! '"■'
We gatjiered rourid her bed and bent o^r kntees '
^ In fervent supplication to the throne
Of mercy ; *and berfumed our prayers wtth sighs
Sincerfe, and peiVitential tears and looks
Of self-abasement : but we sought to stay '
An angel on th^ eai^lhj^-ft^pirit ripe
For Heaven ; and mercy, in her love, -refused,
Most merciful, as oft, when seeming least !
Most gracious when she seemed the most to frown !
The room I well remember, atnd the bed ^
On which she lay, and all the faces too-'
That crowded darlt and moui'nfully around.^
■ Her father there and mother, bending, stoodT
And down their aged cheeks.fell many drops
• Q{ bitterness : her husband too was there,
^ And brothers, and |they wept : her sisters tqp -
.Did weep and sorrow comfortless : and I
Too wept, though not to weeping gwSn |lraralt t
^
7
Within the hoirse Was dolorous and sad.
This I remember well : but better still
l.do remember, and will ne'er ftf^et.
The dying eye ! That eye alone was bright,
And brighter grew, as nearer death approached.*
1® LfPB or ttOBERT X>t.t.dK, A. itf.
As I have seen the geritle little flower
I^ook fairest in the silver beam which fell '
«^ Reflected from the thunder cloud, that soon
Came down, and Ver the desert flattered far
And widte its loveliness. She made a sign
To bring her babe : 'twas brou^t and by her placed ;
She looked upoh its face that neither smiled
Nor wejit, nor knew who gd^ed thereon, and laid '
Her hand tjpon its little breast, and sought
For it, With look that seemed to penetrate
^ The Heavens, unutterable Wessiogs, such
^ As God to dying parents only granted,
* For infants left behind them in the world.
' God keep my child !' we heard her say, and heard -
No more: the Angel of the Covenant
Was come ; and faithfuf to his promise stood,
Prenared to walk with her through death's dark vale.
And now her eyes grew bright, and brighter still, ' .►
Too bright for ours to look upon, suffused '
With many tears— ^and'closed without^' cloud:
They set as sets the morning star, which gpcs
Not down behind the darkened West, not- hides
Obscured among the temjiftels of the sky,
And. melts away into the light of Heaven.
Taking into account that these verses truly describe the scene as it appeared
to young Pollok, and to the lady's other relatives, we see in the fulness with
which ho expatiates over it, what a deep impression the sad incident had made
upon the heart and mind of the poet. But here it is proper we should direct
the attention of the reader to another phasis of things. There can bo no
doubt that external nature also has m*ich to do with the development of
genius, and we should be greatly wanting in giving anything like an
adequate view of the influences which operated on the active and observing
mind of Mr. Pollok, if we did not take into account the early sbenes
among which he roamed when a boy. It is common with ignorant people
to conceive of genius as consisting merely in a capacity for composing
with a certain degree of ease and elegance. Reflecting perhaps on the
many books which they have heard poets have written, they take the
mere materiel AH tlie basis on which tiiey fi)rm their opinion, and they judge
of thi» poet's powers of intellect and of fancy^accordingly. It thus happens
that were you to question such persons as to^what they thought of Genius,
you would find that they conceive it to be a thing of art, a certain aptness for
thro^Ping one's thoughts into metre, or what is just as likely, a sort of itch
foj; writing which can never be gratified enbugh. But every one who hits
apffreciated the true nature of. poetry knows well that suoh views as these are
extreniely ntean and inadqc^uate. Let us list en to the views wh idh the gr eat
Bard «f 'Avon h?t€"Oh lhT¥ suTi^ct. ' The verses,' we are aware, have been
often q,uoted, but they are still fresh and beautiful: — , '
. " Tlie poet's eye in ^t.fipe frenjsy rolling
Doth glance frpB^ heaven to earth, fj;dm earth to 'heaven*
Ao/d as imtyjinatipn bodies fo/th
The forms of ththgs unknown, the poet's pen
LIFE OF ROBERT POU.OK, A. M.
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothipg
A locfil habitaffon and a name."
11
Let me ask those persons, then; to whom we have just alluded, what it is Jt
these verses that strikes them as most noticeable. The Bard we have quoted -
does hot put the power of versifying foremost, as they probably would have
done, had they written on tho genius of a poet. He speabis only of the poet's
eye, meaning by this the spiritual eye as well as the material organ. We
say, therefore, that sensibility is a remarkable trait in the character of a true
A 'j" ?« Z°\'^^'r^''' ""'^"^ '^ '^^^"y awakened by external nature.
Accordingly, we find a female poet expressing this idea with great propriety of
" Cold and inert tha mental powers would be
Without this qUickenfng spark of Deity,'
To give immortal mind its finest tone—
Oh, sensibility is alljhiiie Own !"
^A ^feing, therefore, we have uncSWien to make the reader acquainted
with the highly interesting life of the Author of the Course of Time, he must
not think that we are going far out of our way if we direct his attention to tfae
scenes amid which the youthful poet first saw the light of day, and on
which his eye never-opened but he experienced afeelingof pleasure or of iov.
We have ourselves witnessed these scenes which are now classic ground in
Scotland, but we saw them only in part ar^d at a distance, when sailing down
the frith of Clyde towards the Western ocean, and the fVee shores of Columbii.
We must therefore have recourse to another for our description, and in this
case we are happy in having a Topographer in all respects capable of graUfv-
jng our curiosity.^ Mr. Pollok's brother speaks to the following effect a« tothe
locality. "Mid Moorhouse, which is said to have been built before the battle
of Bannockburn, is situated about a quarter of a mile to the south-east of
North Moorhouse, and was adorned in Robert's time with eight hid trees, fottr
of ^Vhich, three ash and one of elm,' were ' tall' as well as old.* It standi
on an open, elevated, hilly country, diversified with moor anddale, and sur-
rounded m the distance with lofty mountains. The view from the house and
different parts of the farm, which, notwithstanding its name, contains no moors,
but is all either arable or meadow ground, is extensive, varied, and magnifi-
cent. It is terminated on the east ahd South bv various hilld and moorland
heights, from a mile to thrfe miles distant ; and from the west round to the
north east, along an outline of bold mountains, it varies in r%e from forty
to eighty or nmctv miles ; and within that range the whdl» fkceof the country
IS undulating and picturesque. But the prospect fVom some of its neighbour-
ing heights which Robert, from his childhood, oflen >visited, is much more
extensive, and is still more varied and magnificent.. The principal of these'
heia.hts, and one which comprehends the view from allthe rest, is Balagioh,
the highest hill m the u pper jj art df Rciinfre wshire. It lies nearly a mile and
-srhatf to the swutfrof Moorhouse,- anrm(rs ft fhd^^^
the sea. The prospect frorh it varies in range from forty to ninety, or a hun-
dred miles ; and th^ ciTcumfbreuce of it, which oitnnot be less than three or
four hundred, conslstis of lof^y mobntaihs. To the *a»t, over extensive tracts
of moora, ripesTitito and beyorid it appear, in tftd dlitanoe, Walston Mount,
Culter Fell, and Cardon.O^ the sbdth eait »nd •duth, krait ora^r, memor.
■P The Clm, it Htpean, Ji^WuMbMii Uowrn dow«, M U»f Hu»» A*w,fw .Ull tttiidtog.
12
LIFE OF RbBERT POLt^OK, A. M.
able for the meetings and hallowed by the praves of martyrs, stretches out to
Wardlaw and Cairntable, Black Craig, Windy Standard, Caimsmore, and
^larsphairn, and the Buchan hills in GaJQoway. South west and west the view
expands over the green hills of Carrick, the grassy hills of Kyle and Cunning-
ham, and the spreading waters of the Frith of Clyde to Ailsa Craig, Arran,
and the Peaks of Jura, which look out upon the Atlantic Ocean. On the
north west, and round to the nqrth east, the rich pastoral and arable lands oi
Renfrew and Lanarkshire slope; gently down to the fertile vale of the Clyde,
opening below the eye like a vast basin, in which are seen Paisley and Glas-
gow, with their numerous suburbs, and from which the face of the country
rises irregularly — sometimes gradually, and sometimes abruptly — to Ben
Cruachan, Ben Lomond, Ben Ledi, Ben-voirlich, Uam-Var, and the beauti-
ful range of the Ochil hills." It would require, however, the pencil of the
Artist to convey anything like an adequate idea of this goodly panorama : and
here we- may just remark, in passing, that if the reader has ever been
enchanted by that noble ease with which our poet expatiates on scenes of
Paradisaical beauty in the Course of Time, he should keep in mind that the
whole is not an airy picture too bright for reality, but that the poet's imagina-
tion had been sustained in its loftiest efforts by these natural scenes to which
reference is made in the passage quoted above. But to proceed with out;
narrative.
It appears that Robert was first led to cherish higher thoughts than what
belonged to an agriculturist, by meeting accidentally with an odd number of
the Spectator. He had been accustomed to hear this book much commended
as containing specimens of good writing ; and no sooner had he got it into his
hands than we are told he retired into the fields, sat doivn, and perused a paper
with great care and attention. After this he closed the book, saying he thought
he could write like that. No, sooner said than done. He commenced opera-
tions, and made the notable discovery,' for the first time, that the gift of
writing was not restricted to the wits who figured during the reign of Queen
Anne. Such is the incident noticed by his brother. We may, however, with-
out any breach of charity, suppose, that the imperfect scrawl which a boy
sitting in the fields could make, would not bear any strong resemblance to the
least of the papers composed by such masters as Steel or Addison. The very
thought, however, of acquiring distinction by his pen at some future period,
(for we presume this was all he meant to say) on the part of a boy who had
spent much of his time in mere bodily toil, was honourable to his decision of
character. I^ndicated this quality, we think, in a high degree. It displayed
a certain consciombess of power which needed only manifestation. From this
incident, it may be noticed, dates Mr. Pollok's intention of becoming an
Author. At this time he seems to have been in his sixteenth year.
There are few ooantries in the world in which a greater craving for be-
coming Ministers exists than among the sons of the middle classes in Scotland.
To " wag hitt head in a Pulpit" is an exercise which has peculiar attractiojis
in th <lf esteem. W e remember a friend once telling ua a oaw? w hH>h fell
under his observation. A certain grown up man who had a wife to provide
for, was suddenly seized with an uncommon desire for preaching the Gospel.
Nothing short of this would satisfy him. It vf as in vain that it was suggested
to him that there were plenty of Ministers already, and that' very probably he
oould not hope to throw more light, upon the S<;ripturei than w«s done-ky them.
He made little answer to alt this, but proceeded to calumniate his present
oallitig: and wh«t dOMr^bai' gMitkr rtMHler ththk it itts t It Wt«<ft«'MghIy
,mvmm¥ ro^rt^oli^i^a^^.
13
useful and honourable one of a Ploughman ! Sandy, however, in his neW
born zeal, saw it in a different light ; for, as he told his friends, while he held
the stilts of the plough, he was no more glorjfyipg God than the horses whiok
drew It ! This was enough— therefore he must preach ! Now who can doubt
that vanity, in such a case, was the ruling motive of the man— if it was not
the reason given for justifying a change, was of the most insignificant kind —in
IS positively false in principle. God is glorified by the Hower growing in the
lonely desert, and surely in a higher degree by the very humblest christian
remaining faithful in his calling. We would not, however, wish to say 'that
m every case a man is under the influence of vanity in leaving his profession
to join the ranks of Preachers ; but knowing, as we do, the decmtfulness of
the human heart, we certainly say that the reasons should be carefully examined
test as in the case of the ploughman just noticed, they may be of such a kind
as to warrant the apprehension that they are founded in sheer vanity And
here, speakings of this subject, we may notice ah incident which occurred
while we were ourselves attending the classes in St. Andrew's College. There
were at this time two eccentric persons enrolled among the Alumni; they had
been both of them ploughmen ; one of them, too, was a j)oet in his own way—
but both were so uncouth in their manners as to draw upon themselves the
jeers of not a few of their compeers of the Fifan and Angusian nations, who
had known thetn m former times. One of these mischief-loving urchins by
way of making known to all and sundry something concerning the history of
the individuas referred to, (who, in respect of seniority, might have been
their fathers,) pencilled, in the stair-case which led to Dr. Hunter's Class-
Room, the following couplet : —
" Poet Cobb and William Moodie
Left the plough and came to study." ^
When a senior student, wlio had read the notificatiou, immediately wrote
under it the following commentary : —
" William Moodie and Poet Cobb
Never tried a ivaur job!"
We have been (old that when Dr. Hunter, who was always fond of a good
joke, repeated the whole sUnza at a meeting of the Senatus, it excitwl a
hearty laugh. Notwithstanding all this, however, it is not to be denied that
there are many most meritorious students who have lefl common occupations
and attached themselves to a life of study for the sacred pr^ssion whose
labours and whose lives are worthy of being held in high esteenfand everlast
ing remembrance, for the benefits they have conferred both on learninff and
religion. C f this class is Robert Pollok. In the autumn of. 1815, when he
was seventeen years of age, he resolved to begin his studies as a candidate
for holy orders. For this end he required to commence tbft atodr of the La in
language ; and such was the proficiency which he made, tflat kithe course of
sevent een montha^ho seems^^o^Jbftvc been able to translate the poems ^ i fVirgif--
by the help of a Dictionary, with considerable ease. His brother, whos^
nimd had undergone a like change with his own, and had become a student
along with hnn, informs us that he now, for the first Ume, read Pope's Essay '
on Man, and Milton's Paradise Lost,— the latter of which he seems to ha?«
made, like many other young penMns .who are fond of the marvellous, quite
hi. favourite auUior. « He reOSp-e or leee of him," (Miltoo) we are told
" »'"<*» •'▼•H' «y ; •»<• uMd dflift to repeat aload, in bed, immediately be '
14
LIFK Or^ k^OlkERT POtLok, A. M.
fore rising in the morning, what was his favourite passage in Paradise Lost—
the Apostrophe to light in the beginning of the book." The reader, we doubt
<lbt, remembers the passag^, as it has found its way into almost all the " Gems
«f Poetry:"
"Hail, holy l)ght! ofispringof Heaven first*born,
Or of the Eternal co-eternal beam '
May I express thee unblamied ? Since God is light,
And never but in unapproaohed light ,
Dwelt from eternity, dwelt then in thee-
Bright ef&uenoe of bright essence uncreat." dec.
Mr. Pollok now, pt the first time, began to write verses ; and as is usual
with the tuneful brethren, his lyre sang only of love. The following is a
specimen. They ari* addressed " To Liza," a rustic beauty, who, it appears
by her father's adviqie, had cast off a lover because of his '< adverse fortune."
His Biographer is c&reful to inform us that the personages are purely imagin- /
ary. We cannot help thinking, however, ttiat they receive »ome additional
interest from the cbnsideration that the poet who had betaken himself to a pro-/
fewsion that did not promise, for at least seven long years to come, to be th(i
most productive, may have identified himself with the person who now spea
/-this opinion, which is c<.ltogether according to the usual course of these me
/ten, will be found lu be confirmed by an allusion to " Liza," in a descriptn-e
Essay, written while attending Professor Jardine's class. We shall notice
this in the sequel. The name " Liza" is most likely an assumed name for
the feir one ; but had the blank been filled up which occurs in the sixth line
of these verses, we do not doubt we should have had her true name. But the
poet spared her ! The verses are stiff and carelessly written ; but a candid
critic will acknowledge that while they, have a certain naivete, tliore is in
them much of the manner and feeling of a true poet. We take for granted,
therefore, that it is the Author himself who speaks :- —
" O sweetest, fairest of the fairest sex !
Virtue untainted dwells within ihy breast.
Too fair, too virtuous, if such things can be.
Thou art ; tor thou hast wounded me, who heretofore
Was wounded cever, with such darts of love.
, why wast thou formed
S^air? if so, why from my eyes not hid ?
Ur rather why do I not thee possess ?
Sinc'j wanting thee unhappy — with thee bleat.
Alas ! by fate, thou'rt to another doomed,
To one who, by some inward pravity.
Is without hapjiiness, and thou with him ;
, And I, for want of thee, unhappier.
Had I of life thy partner been ordained,
We to such happiness had reached below
That thoughts had bt^en by us of future blisa
Neglected — our giaiid business in this world.
Hence may we learn that diBuppointments here,
And every cross, are blessings ; blessings such.
As from tliis grovelling waste, to Heaven our thoughts
Uplift, where happiness unmingled dwells.
I.IFE OF ROBERT POI^^O^ A^ Jf.
^ ''®*ven conformed be then out maadane ^rack,
Tfilit at a future day-r,4ransporting thought I—
Our Judge may be our Advocate i. LP so,
For evermore, in realms of peaceful' love
We our abode shall have, where we'll enjoy
Pleasures abundant as is their great source,
Endless as he who lives eternally."
In the begi»nin«r of November, 1817, Mr. Pollok, being now in his nine>
teenth year, entered the University of Glasgow as a student. He attended"
the Greek and Latin classes — the formed, at that time, taught by Dr. Young,
one of the most accomplished Greek scholars of his time, and the Author of
an elaborate Critique on Gray's Elegy '; and the latter class taught by Pro-
fessor Walker, Author of a didactic poem, entitled " A I>elence of Order,"
directed against the principles of Revolutionary France. 'We cpin- hardly
think, therefore, considering that Mr, Pollok \yasono who cultivated the Muses,
that he could have been placed under teachers better fitted to give him counsel '
as to the best mode of initiatinjT himself into their graces. The writer of this,,
when a boy. remembers seeing Dr. Young in/the Theatre of Glasgow, when
the famous Kean was acting one of the characters of Shakspeare, and such:
were his susceptibilities for being impressed,/that when the actor oa/ne to any
impressive passage, the venerable Professo/ was immediately bathed in tears.
We have hoard his students also say of hmi that it was ^uoh a treat to heir
him read- the Iliad for the same reason. That the Poet had improved under
the prelections of his distinguished teachers will appear by comparing thi
following verses which he wrote for Professor Walker*^ class with those atovi
given. They are addressed' to the Sun:--- '
" Hail, thou irnm^rial source of light ! ,
At thy approach/the gloomy night
Ashamed shrinks from thy ray ;.- -t • >
The moon, submissive, disappears, *
And all the planets in their spheres.
Are lost in whiter ray. /
The lion quits the brightening plain,
And all the nightly prowling train
Kow fear tlio blood they've spilt :. % '
llebellion, riot, wild misrule.
Night's progeny of mischief full.
Fly consoious of their, guilt!
Hark how the grateiiil sons of day
Extol the penetrating ray
That banishes their dread : •
\
In tuneful not(>s the f^ather'd throng
Melodious pour the early song,
And'every leaf is glad.
The bleating fboks, the lowing kine,,
III rougher notes the concert join,
^- gaily lyide they graze ; ,
■■•,-^,
16 £ir£ OF kbttERT' POLIOK, A. M.
; ■■ Th6 fields all waving richly gay,
^ The' flowers unfolding to thy ray,
Though sil^t, smile' thy praise.
Now from his couch upstarts the swain, ,
And sprightly hurries o'er the plain, *
To see what night has done ; .
With heartfelt joy his flocks among,
He joins the universal song, j
< ' Hail, ever bounteous Sun .'I "
An incident here occurred which, as it indicates the spirit of the Poet, we
nhouid pot \Yish to pass over unnoticed, tt so happened that Robert had given
in three Poetical Exercises, (for it is usual to , receive these, as well as prose
0068,) to the Professor j and although the common practice is that the Professor
either reads such exercises to the class' himself, or gives them to the Author to
readf^or some reason or other, in this instance he did neither, but merely marked
on the back, of one of the exercises, "Some of these verses are'spiritedJ'
" Why then," said Robert, the moment he read the words, " Why then not
read them to the class ?" The Poet felt the oversight rather keenly, but be
inaproyqd it to some advantage, for he now for the first time began to think of
looking for distinction from a wider society than what a class-room contains.
■'He begat! to anticipate nobler and more lasting honours from the world
without.
• ,., We believe there are no students in the world who work harder than
those pf a certain class in Scotland — conscious that in their earlier years they
have lost much precious time through a misdirection of their views, they study
day and night, in 'order to make it up, and to sustain their reputation among
students farther advanced. All this is done at a great sacrifice of comfort.
and frequently of health — so that the case of KirkeWhite, so feelingly alluded
to by Lord Byron, in his Poem of English Bards and Scotch Reviewers, is a
matter of very common occurrence ia that country. As the young men have
a long spell at their studies, the approach of the first of May is hailed with
rejoicing, because then they are set free from their privations and labors, and
allowed to retire to their homes in the country for the ne^tsix months to come.
It may be observed, however, that to many of them even the summer brings
no release ; for while prosecuting their studies and performing all the pre-
scribed exercises allotted for the recess, they must in many cases support
themselves.
The return of November brought the subject of this Memoir up to Glas-
gow to his second session. Ho attended the Greek class and an Elocution
class taught by J. S. Knowles, Esquire, under whom he is said to have made
con.siderable improvement. Dijring the following summer, while residing at
Moorhouse, Mr. PoUok, appears to have contemplated with some degree of io-
teirest his attendance at the Logic class, for be seems to have bestowed more
tiiae than usual on English reading. The Logic olass in these days to which
W iMw Kf6r,^ra9 tau|^ ^y 4*rofe«*or"J«fdiB8. Watasieffmt appearance at~
first sight-'— for he was very stout — would have sparoely impressed one with
the idea that he was a great philosopher. He was, however, perhaps one of
most successful Lecturers in his own department, and certainly the mosi
popular Teacher that was then to be found in Great Britain. He drew bi>
students from both England and Ireland, and they usually amounted, wn be
Have, to some three or tourhundred. He was well ndTanoed in years at ij,,-.
LIFE OP ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
tim?, but it was really a treat to s-re the fine old Pfofessor leaning over
desk, and in the most familiar manner informing the students, by means
Lectures, which seemed altogether extemporaneous, of the powers!, of
human mind, and of the technicalities of logic. When he had the' happin
to visit the Logic class, it was perfectly crowded ; and though the audit
were at that period of life when it is no' easy task for a teacher to prcsc;
among them a due respect for authority, yet such was^he veneration in wl
Mr. Jardine was held, that one frown upon some idler, who, was perhaps dr
ing a caricature of one of hi<! fellow-students.and thereby exciting a sensatif^n
about him, was enough ; the ofFt^nder was fain to dissemble the task abo
which he had been busy, and would make an appearance of uncommon zeal
taking notes of thp lecture in his note-book. The tie which bound the students
to their leofchor was love and respect. This was manifest from the manner
in which numbers of tliem, in their scarlet gowns, clustered about the desk.
There they sat, for the time being, ivith a gravity which contrasted strangely
with their usual love for noise ana merriment ; some with their heads bent
down while they wero writing out what they had just heard, and others in
listening mood, with their eyes fixed on the speaker, and with mouth slightlv
open, presenting a picture both of zeal for knowledge and of high gratification,
as well as of surprize at the novelty of the views and illustratftns which wen-
submitted to thoir attention. With such an arena before him for excellinir,
and more interesting as each student had tlie fullest fifeedom'Xor displaying hi >;
talents in composition, whatever they might be, we cannot wonder that Mr.
Pollok should bo sedulous in making preparation during the months of summor
by a course of English reading. ' At'this time, too, he seems to have been
wholly freed from. the task of ViJlVMri'^oW the farm, aid he sought to kmuso
himself during ^e irHervals of study by excursions to the ncighl)Ouring heiorhts,
from whence he could behold, beneath and around him, a landscape in which
nature and art combined their powers to produce one glorious expression dt
'magnificence and j)eanty. To use his own words on this matter : — \,
" It was indeed a wondrous sort of bliss j
The lonoly bard enjoyed, when forth he. walked, /
Unpurposed." /
It appears thatJIr. Pollok, on joining the Logic class in November, 1819,]
was peculiarly industrious. He wroje all tlie Essays which tho Professor!
prescribed to tlie young men, and which were usually three in the w^pk ;-
these Essays werei on subjects on which tho Professor had proviouslv bfleni
lecturing, and weie admirably fitted for impressing more deeply upon the
minds of the yount men the expositions to which they had- been listening, a.<|
J well as of accustOjtning them to express themselves with case and correctness
in their own langjiago, while along with these advantages, they enabled tliej
Professor to jydgei of the students' progress at all times. It must, |iow<r\-cr,J
have been no light matter to peruse such a multitude of these produotjons, audi
/ n.s M
r.Jafdine submitted to the drudgery, no other motive c(?uld have sustainr^dj
=4iim t)™n wh'Sh, ifegard for hi?* studems^^pswell perhaps as zpsI ^f iho iJis;
semia^tioi>jO,f,kiJ5|jv/edgo and of educatioi>iPver i^jq ea;:th. It >*q», tli<^:<;jfsfoinl
of Mr, Jfif4ii?P» aitcr tfie studc/its had bneij iraincd iaR9i;ije inopsur*)^ jo "com-i
jiositi^Tip, , by .^ji^itlng all ^hc preyjoua exerc,is9.<5, tqw,»jn[i^ jife ic^^ f>f the 'f?Rss{on,j
- tP/,W''v(J'%«\M<^9n^^ ^.wrU? a^ J^^^^y ajigr<?iat*r,'lengt^.i %© siifeject of^
' tnis'was not like the othefs. given oiit by the rrofmsor,c,l^|at tjic'st^deilbv^'eit*
18
EIFE or IBOBERT POLLOK, A. M.
ments " in thinking and composition," and belonged ratlier to the department
of Rhetoric than of Logic— for Mr. Jardine taught both, Mr. Pollok wrote
this Essay along with many of his fellow-sf udents. The subject of it is a real
or imaginary Tour to his native place, on leaving Collfege at the end of the
Session. The young tourist represents himself as having wandered among
the moors, and been obliged to spend the night in the open air in a dark liight
wliich is graced in his narrative with a thunder storm, and some ludicrous
adventures with ghosts or fairies.' The following is the description of the
mornmg after it had began to dawn around him :— " The harbingers of the
morning now began lo scatter the night. In my earlier years it ^as my chief
delight to observe the risii^ sun in a summer morning, I found myself still
captivated with the purple tinges of the east. My eyes followed these beauti-
ful visitants of the morning, while they travelled over to the west. My soul
was pleased. Is it, said I, to call forth man eauly to his duty and to delight him
at the same time that the Omnipotent thus beautifies the morning ? How Wise
and how good to man is the Almighty ! who would not love and obey so good a
Lord?" « * • » " I looked round about me and saw that I was at the
very border of a cultivated country blooming in all the vigour of commencing
.summer. But a little whij|e ago all this was covered with darkness. I turned
my eyes towards the sun, and although I am no poet, as you know, my thoughts,
I do not know how, fell into the form of verse in the following manner."— And
herehe introduces the Address to the Sim given above, which he had written
for Professor Walker's class. " Myjhoughts," he continues, " were now all
bent on home, and I turned my steps back into the uncultivated country,
fo owing the course of a winding river. After I hart proceeded about two
miles in this direction my course was stopped. Here the stream rushed from
a rock, forming a beautiful arch. A few jitrds beloW this water-fall Vas a
little grove, situated in a kind of peninsula, described by the windings of the
r.ver. The hills rose quickly on every side ;— here I was hid from every eye. v
How favourable is this place, said I, for tender lovers! Here the youthful
pair might breathe out the fervent tale unseen, save by approving Heaven.
I surveyed the place attentively. It was the very same which I had heard so
often renowned as the spot in which Melvan and Liza spent their happy hours,
before tlie tyrant father of Liza separated her forever from Melvan's adverse
fortune. Here Melvan had often talked love with his fair consenting Liza ;
and hither he often resorted after she was made the wife of another, I reclined
myself a few minutes in the little grove. This, said I, was perhaps the
favourite seat of the lovers. In a little opening, in the trunk of a weeping
birch, close by my side, I discerned a slip of paper. It was probably left by
Melvan in some of bis solitary visits to the grove. It contained a few lines
addressed to Liza. The language is somewhat harsh, and a few of the terms.
bear marks of the schools ; but Melvan was not unlearned. As these lines
show the happy effect of piety or disappointed love, they may perhaps not be
unpleasing to you." (See page 14.) The Author proceeds :— " After spend-
ing a few minutes in this sequestered spot, I climbed to the top of an eminence,
_wheao c I diaeer ned, a » a l ittle diatanoe, a road whieh led to my na rtve pltce.^
rhither I directed my steps ; and about six o'clock I arrived at my father's
house. The family were all up ; for here people have not yet learned the '
unnatural fashion of living in the night, and slumbering away the day. I was
received as I knew I would be : every countenaooe, every hand, every toncue.
weloomed my arrival." » / "6 .
It is needless 1mm to observe, that all this was written while Robert w««
lepurtment
>Ilok wrote
it is a real
end of the
red among
dark night,
! ludicrous
ion of the
[ers of the
is my chief
tiyself still
ese beauti-
My soul
lelight him
How wise
y so good a
was at the
immencing
I turned
y thoughts,
er."— And
lad written
re now all
i country,
about two
jshed from
TallVas a
ings of the
every eye, '
e youthful
ET Heaven,
d heard sq
ippy hours,
I's adverse
ting Liza ;
I reclined
erhaps thei
a weeping
ibly leu by
I iew lines
f the terms,
these line»
baps not be
fler spend-
I eminence,
ttive place.
Kiy father's
earned the '
ay. I wa«
ery tongue,
Robert wm
\
LIFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. ■.
pent up in one of those humble losings in tho neighbourhood of the College, j
in which students, whose pockets are not over plenished with money, are ;
usually found residing. Many a reference has been made to the harcl^hips'
which the sons of Scottish peasants have undergone in their zeal to aosquire
the learning necessary to fit them for beooming Preachers of the Gospel.
Indeed it may truly be said, that the wired-up bird, which has been accustomed,
in the months of summer, to flutter about among the flowery fields, and to
perch upon every tree, warbling out its little heart in joy iiil. melody, does not
long more ardently for being freed from its prison-house, that it may again
join itself amongst the other feathered songsters of its kind, than the toil-worn
. £>tudent longs to return to his father's house, an4<(b the scenes of his infancy.
It is true that the sense of duty — the consciousness that his parents expect him
to be diligent, and to spend aright that season for mental improvement which
it costs them not a few privations to procure for him, not to mention the
anticipations of future distinction, — form motives powerful enough to keep him
at his books and studies ; but in the midst of all these, other thoughts will
intrude, and, perhaps, while grinding in his narrow chamber at Homer or
Demosthenes, or wasting the midnight oil over a mathematical theorem, his
thoughts in a moment will be far away among the haunts of his boyhood. Qe
loaths the smoke and dia, and the thousand annoyances of the great commercial
city in>which his lot is cast, and he longs for the woodlands and solitudes of
nature. That such was the frame of mind of Pollok at this period will be
manifest to the reader, from the passages wc have copied from the Essay noticed
above. A poem also which he wrote while attending the classes in GlasMw
ie an illustration of the same kind ; it is entitled " ODE TO MOORHOUSB,"
and we shall here copy it, not so much for the sake of its poetical merits, but
because it supplies us with an illustration of his feelings while a student "in,
Glasgow : — ' " - . '
" Far from the giddy, cheerless crowd
That press the streets, thoughtless and loud,
In ancient majesty arrayed.
Time-worn Moorhouse, thou stand'st displayed
s Thy walls irregular could tell , „ ^
At Bannockburn what numbers fell ; . j,
How Bruce, with strong resistless hand.
From proud oppression saved his land.
When Popes and Kings in hellish rage
By persecution thinned the age,
Thy walls a faithful shelter proved,
To those that God and virtue loved.
Oft in the silent midnight hour.
When listening Heaven's almighty powei^
With ear inclined, delighted, hears
The good man's prayers, and wipe* hiy^tean.
W ithin th y walls assembled saints
Praised him who wearies not nor ftfnl»H|r
Praised him who sheathed the bloody twor^
And, undisturbed, his name adioredi
And angf-b joined the aseeading toig^
Wafting itto th« amiial
»»"2t
20
LIFE OF ROBERT Fdl.LOK, A, M.
The lofty trees that by thee grow,
A supplicating look bestow
On me, a stripling easy laid,
Within their hospitable t>liade ;
And sighing say, • The kindly hand
That gave us birth in this blest land,
Centuries ago lies in the dust, |
O do not thou betray thy trust ?
Us gently prune with feeling hand,
Nor to destroy us give command
Tliy falliers now above the sky,
Watched o'er ua with patetnal eye ;
O to our age- some reverence yield !
Nor enVy us this little field.
Around untainted zephyrs blow.
And purling rills unfailing flow.
And Earn's pure stream with gentle waves
Unceasingly tljy border laves.
The smiling herds that graze thy plain
Of drink or pasture ne'er complain ;
Their wintry food thy meadows yield.
Secured ere Boreas beats the field ;
The joyful, waving, yellow plains
Ne'er baulk the labour of the swains.
O happy dome ! placed far remote
From city toils and treason's plot ;•
The city smoke ne'er reached the plain
Which suffocates the motley train ;
F^r from the crimes that rage unnamed,
From which the day retires ashamed ;
Far from fho breezes fraught with death,
,Far from contagion's mortal breath,
Happy the swains who in thee live.
Who road their Bibles and believe ;
Who worship God with heart aM, mind,
And to his will are aye resigned v\
ha conclusion of the session Mr. follok^by tlic sufij-a.-rs of hi« f^vVo^Y.
nf the Logic class, was awardnd one^of the prizes. On rrUrinc to
At the
students of „ ^.v. V....O.,, >»„, a^nruim one oi the prizes, un rrurina to
hrs fa hor's house (May, 1820) we find him, in a letter to his brother, Stcd
13th June of the same year, complaining of depression and want of Hpcn
doubtless the friuts of over exertion in the campaign of the previous .cs.4)n
My situation " he^y*, '''is indeed not agreeable. To he aiming at litern
lure without adequate assi.tamie is a hard- task ; but to be without adequate
J«si4^r!ne ATi^ stunuktifls£*'healih is4iar4^^^^
upprotoctod fate anjitlhiifkvihftt feirenanhi, season of the year mv health is
yhthor retrograde the prospfed i^ k^ed gloon^ \ J have'!ncft spoken of thn
.t.i.c of my health to an.nt»«fsO«7here M ' 0,^1^^^^^ Spirits is no
(louLi visible, ^y constitution i(lyet.><»^gimndiSrrfrqiri.Wg sickly. Dr.
...■i!/fi''V^'""i'D''r"" **""""" '° «he ^crtF made nt ihis time. o/Hm- nan o/ . ranr
|C««lrd the Rodical Relormers, to overturu the Governuient. t«- i»n v • party
rhis frlTow-
rrViring to
thcr, dated
It of /»if>cp,
us ffossfen. ,
ig at litern-
it adequate
y Jiealth is
ikcn of tlip
lirits is no
ckly. Dr.
irt 4^ « fwtj
LIFE OP ROBERT POXAOK, A. M. ^ 21
Reid the last time I saw him/8ai;i1h^re'w'iy^no'langer wli^tever • and recom
S^MSlP * "'"^'^ '' 'r ?" ^"*''' (^ '°'»^"^''^ Island i^\heF;th^'
Oiyde) and taking occasiona sa Is. The raretv of the air in iVmt „f » a*
would probably have a^ood efi^ct pa the nlind f a'ndto s^* batli^ V^^
^hl !flL '"'°*V' ''*^^ ^" ttifl-Ofe*^ some kiod^ on the bodr^u* to L
there aodb6 comfortable require.rKey; and you know Z^ is not To le
^Zf' ^^Tn' ^''V" ^'' '' '*«'•«' ^ knoVso well their inab lity ,o assL me
t^o vL a "fat ?h"' " ^"'' ""' ^r^ ^'^"^"^^ '° communicate my own feelirn
■ 11„;, *"^^^*'^ °C going to Arran,; Mr. PoUok, along with another vounir
gentleman went over to Ireland, an^ visited Dublia.^-It doi not aS?^
Ws brmh« "f"'" ^'' ^""'^ """""^ '"^ '^^ G--^^" I«J« to excite hi" fancT as
.except a single poetical stanza, " written in Phoenix Park •" ^
H All Nature here to please conspires, T
And Art combinei-^er varied powers^
Here doubljJ-btt«n the loVer's fires,
For love itself hath forrh^d these Ijowers."
. m,. n?1- " r ""^T V? ^^oo'^iouse ^''e ^nd the poet resumikhis pen to celebrate
one of h.s emale friends in the neighbourhood. Wriung tC^orres^E^^
and^before launching forth in her 'praise, he prefaced hV^^^e XS
. . 1 ■-.. V ' ^ .^ X "
'*«MooRHOusE, August 18, 1820: '^
"Dear friend,, one moment quit\he classic page,
The moderfll theorist and the anciX^jt sflge, ' ^
With all the depth of philosophic lo>e
Through which your eye has long been taught to );ore.
A brighter theme, the Muse devoid of fear.
Presses upon your unaccustomed ear.
The theme's Maria-ywho wllJ not ^tend ^
■ When all the Muses, unimpl^ed, descend ?
For when the virtuous fair our theme compose,
} The Muses listen though we speak in prose." ' ;
"pJ!" 7'"'*'''**'?°'?"^.'^ hive afforded spacq. to copy the whole of this
Prose document, for it is really a curiosity in its way ; we fear?howeIer
our fair readers would not much fancy it, as we w,ll know thev do noT wTsh
to become objepts of admiration to mere Platonic fihilosonherranS theppW
.we.are the more reconciled to an epitome. Marf^then°' £ beenVsu^^^^^^^^^
ful scholar m the various branches of female education ; her formTs handsome
and might measure something about middle size. H^r Lir Ts black'?^^^^
Wtj, ,n lux\irUnt ringlets on a forehead and neck of a poHsh "nd whLe j ^
wiuch.afr^the.ey<>ofthemostcarele«b eholdBr. Hfef 6^^ ^^ ^
are met with ^ase and pleasure always full of the^chilss K Sea^^
^ana'scolour is not high, nor is she fashionably pale, ^hlair of her cTun*
•enance.is attracUve and easy. Goodness will gaU on her wJth freSom Md
dehght; wickedness will withdraw.its eye ashfmed and rented ShT n^
«esses the sensibility and gentleneW^f the coutitry maid, without he; awkwSJ'
ness or .gooranto J ai^d iL refinement and activVof he 0"°?^^ wUMt
IHr whunswalness or 4*cppUon, Unal^le to call myself by tL tSr S
n
urs or ioBEKT pollok, a. h.
otim busni, I am dnly an acquaintance. A more intimate connexioji liH^ft :|
Mmoo'nv sota» &ulU ; but no connexion could reasonably discover faults which
wouUd m be lost almost sooner than see", in that blaze of goodness which
pervtuW «» ef f part of her character. A f 'he spots which are said to exist
in the sun are tast in the bright effulgence of his beams, so Maria s faults, if
she have any, are comptBtely hidden in the despreadrng luxuriance of her
TOodness i and as the spots in the sun are no obstruction to his cheering, vivi-
fying, and day-making influences on the earth, so Maria's faults oan be no
hindrance to her pleasing,- animating, a^d soul-brightening influences on those^
around her. How delightful is it to see, youth, and beauty, and goodness, com-
bined in the same female! What an irresistible jrower over mankind have
justice and religion when enforced by so winning an admonisher ! Were there
sufiicient Marias in the world, what respect were due to the female character !
How much would the eternal interests of mankind be promoted ! How more
rational and satisfactory were the pleasures pursued in the world ! Then
were Lemuel's description of a good wife applicable ; then were domesUc
jarring at an end ; then might it be universally said, • He that find^th a wife,
flndeth a good thing.' "
In connexion with the above, we may here insert a passage from a com-
mon-place book which he kept about this time. The author wishes to find out
all the probable.causes whiah lead " Men to become bachelors." He says :
"This catastrophe comes about from these various causes: 1. Some from
thoughtlessness and carelessness. 2. Som^lro'" ^*^'y disappointments. 3.
Some from the hurry of business.. 4. Sfl«|S#from picturing too much to them-
selves all the evils that may attend marriage. 5. Some from a narrow worldly
spirit, which cannotthink to share the bounties of Providence with another.
During this summer, also, he wrote an Essay prescribed by Professor Jardjne,
" On the External Senses, and the means of improving them." This exercise
must have occupied a considerable portion of the season, as we are informed
by his brother that it extends to 104 quarto pages.; and it must have been
gratifying to the feelings of its Author that it was esteemed by the Professor
worthy of carrying off" the prize. . • ,
MJJoVember, 1820, Mr. Pollok resumed his studfes at Glasgow^. He
now eJ^Ued himself a student at the Moral Philogophy. This ela^ was
taught by Professor Milne, a gentleman, who, though his ^^^^^M^^^i^r"*'',
ments were not generally approved of, held a high reputationi( |j||Jj||t^ nd
mptaphysioian and able lecturer.* Althojl^h moral philosophy ^^MHliKLCt
Apartment which belonged to Mr. Milne, yet it might rather i^^
lectured on pienial philosophy. Like Dr.. Reid, he confined hifflSSim » freat
measure to ^hat was called an analysis of the powers and faculties of the hu-
man miidr-tbe great object of the teach,er being to discover and unfold its
nrst pni
years gti
are in a ^
that the m
subject as
become fa
iished the v^
him that fol
The taste of the public for discussionsoftliis kind, has of late
' id— a?«rtly, it is believed, from a deep conviction that they
^ * fitablf— and partly from a growing conviction
"^y Ififlysrs, does iiot apply"whefe wnrf^ is the
rumeriUJ^To alLthis it may be added, that men had
feeing on^pfeimmaker aAef another, who had demo-
.n. V. .„oi predecessors, being doomed in turn to be demolished by
nun ui«i luiiuwed ; ^*that the conclusion was in a manner forced upon them,
thatm^taphyaicd were founded in fancy— that the iaquirer either did not Jcnow
wUh Buffioient cleam«As what wai the en*be wa« aiming at, or if h« did, that
' had, wandered fyom the prt>per path. We would wiA to apeak with all
r
UFE OrHOBEBT POLLOK, A. M.
2y
iofi nHffhH 7^
Its which
8S which
i to exist
faults, if
je of her
ing, vivi- ,
an be no
I on thosei^
less, com- .
ind have ■
'^ere there
[laractdr !
low more ,
1 ! Then
domestic
;h a wife,
m a com-
to find out
He says:
»me from
lents. 3.
Ii to them-
V worldly
another."
r Jardine,
5 exercise
informed
lave been
Professor
Toy/^^ He
ela^ was
cal senti-
,nd
ct
lie
of the hu-
unfold its
las of late
that they
BODviotion
lisihiff the^'
>. men had
lad demo-
)lished by
pon them,
not know
1^ did, that
I with all
/-
charity oftlje iraperlectionsof men of talent and genius, but we are opnstrfiined,
after looking into the treatises on mentd philosophy, by such dtstinguiabed in-
llividuals as Reid, Stewart, and Brown, to ask^he question, what have they
proved ? where have been the discoveries which were to grace all ouf toils
and labors? and Echo answers— wherfr?
Professor Milne, besides lecturing on mental philosophy, lectured also
occasioiyiny on political econ<^my ; and in this latter branch his prelections
^^'^ ^J^PSi of the Semindry which had originated that distinguished work,
^P*](|^of, [Rations. " H|s manner was unambitious; and apparently
r^^ifj^^ of ^o'l'^g comorehended by his students, he delivered his views
|toversa*ional style. Wha:ever objections might be urged against tho •
lie of his teaching— for the Professor was not understood to be the raoM-
^•w.„j0jt-^,\vhatever he did teachras far as we can now remember — for we
have frequently heard him lecture— he %oughl to present in a luminous man-
ner tefore the minds of his students. It was then, in this Professor's class, r
- asf w6 have said above, that Mr. Pollok was enrolled a student ; the following
IS his own testimony to the in^provemen/ lie made. '« Till I heard Mr. Milne
lecture, I never thought of calling in question the opinion of an author. If it
differed from mine, ~I thoufrht it, must be right, and my own wrong. Bat in
Mr. Milne's class I was set fi'e^ for ever from the trammels of book-authority ;
I lost all deference to authors-and opinions and names ; and learned not°ooly
. to think, for myself, but to test severely my own opinions." JThe most that we
would say of this is, that according to his own confession, Mr. Pollok merely
passed from one. extreme to another. Before, he never thought of calling jn
quekion the opinion of an author; but after hearing Mr. Milne, lie had lost
all deference for authors together ; for our own part, on the supposition that
unsound authors are kept out of the way, we should have said that the former
state of mind was to be preferred, and that the old was better than the new.
It appears that Mr. Pollock took large notes, while attending this class. Hia '
brother informs us that he had them preserved in " four octavo volumes,
amounting to two hundred and thirty pages ;" besides ajl this, he wrote twenty
three Essays, averaging about eight quarto pages each. Thtse labours 'suffi-
ciently indicate the great diligence of xMr. Pollok ; and we cannot wonder
therefore th^>t they should have called forth the approbation of his fellow stu-
dents, in the shape of a prize conferred by their suffrages.
In the summer of 1821, after having spent four sessions ait College, we
find Mr. Pollok residing with his father at Moorhouse. As was usual with
Iwati^e made excursions at times into the country round about, in companv
with a friend— qotes of these he occasiorfally inserted in his journah We shall
here favor the reader with an extract: "Thursday, July 5.— This morniftg I
again opened my eyes onall the beauties of the banks of Ayr. After break-
fast r set out with my friend towards a farm-house about two miles from the
Ayr. In the meantime we walked over-arched with oak, and birch, and plane,
and serenaded by all the music of the banks of Ayr, till we acrived at Bar-
skimming, the seat of Lord Glenlee, (an eminent Judge of the Court ofSes-
-«ion.) ;, AH the^ffdperty t»f-thi»gemleman^afsljfrong marks of taste ;^*^
the nearer yqu approach his^nansion the morie conspicuous are these marks.
Nature has provided him with a situation fur a house of the most noble kindt
and the grandeur and taste of the house add dignity to the place.' I think
Lord Glenlee VLibrary the most beautlftjl I have seen, if we take into consid.
oration the combination of nature and art. The library contains about twelve
, thoi^MOii yolumea, 'l('he c^pet c^st one hundre^ ^EveryjMit of thci."''
', s •
24
. LIFE or ROBERT POtlOK, A. M.
I
inable
interior is finished in the most elegant manner ii..„^.,.„„,, , „.,„ u.,,.„ „, ^^e
windows appear to overhang the water of Ayr, wliich is here ornamented as
niucli as large trees, lofty banks, and singing birds cun do."
In a letter written about much tlie same time as the above, we find Mr
1 ollok, m giving counsel to his friend, as to the best mode for a Scottish stu-
dent freeing himself of ScoW/c/sm, strongly urging upon him the importance
of Ihinktng in English. Mr. Pollok sets himself to controvert the opinion of
some, that because a Scotsman cannot express himself clearly and correctly
111 the English language, that therefore he-is a dark and confused thinker: and
the argument which he urges is, that the English is really a forei<rn lari^uaee
to the Scotsman— that he has been accustomed io think in theScottfshlanSua^e
—and therefore, however clear his thoughts may be, it need not be won'dered
**' il!r 'V ,7"g"*g^ ^^^^ i"^ ^o^'^'g" to them, they should appear confused. Now
as Mr. Follok happens to have been a Scotsman himself, and a sturdy one too
tliere may possibly be some little confusion of ideas in the paragraphs he has
penned on this matter— such was our impression at least— but we stop not to
notice this for the present. As Mr. Pollok usually describes external nature
111 his gourse of Time, with great beauty, we shall here allow him to speak
for himself on the matter of descriptive writing, for here he is mofe at 'home
than on philosophy. " On a beautiful landscape," he says "every one re
fleets with ease and delight. Every imagination readily represents the mass
ot objects of which the landscape is composed, and many are content with
this confused review of it. The ideas which the landscape has produced in
the mind are not properly formed into words— at least the, language is 6f a
mixed and barbarous kind. Rcflaction of this sort is easy» and this is all that
indolence permits. But this is not thinking in English. To think in En.r.
li.<jh, the landscape must be made to pass before the mind, not only as°a
whole, but every object must be viewed in connection with surrounding
Objects. U e -wiust view the streamlet leaping down from the ru^f^ed moun"^
lam, here lost under the embracing luxuriance of the hawthornt°the hazel,
or the broom; then hurrying down the silvery rapid, bursting forth in a
beautiful cascade. After you have conducted the waters to the adjoininfr
plain, you must not leave them to wander alone. Nay, the beauty of the
fields should be so fascinating as to induce the river to make" a thousand
meanders, as if unwilling to quit the scene. You must review its daisied
sloping banks, riclily clad with flocks and herds grazing in easy joy, or ru-
minating m safe repose. Look to the peaceful shepherd spreadintr his 'listless
length benbH^i the blooming hawthorn, chanting in liio artless °eed, or, lost
in love, gazing on the limpid stream, while his dog slumbers at his feet, or
snaps at the encroaching fly. And a little down the stream you may ven-
ture half to reflect on the reclining form of the youthful shepherdess. A'gentle
birch might stretch forth its tremulous hands, turning aside the too violent
Sunbeams from the love-looking face of the guileless maid. Her bosom mi.Mit
heave with kind desires, and her eye long with hopeful modesty for the ar-
""""^ u[}]?J.. ^^r*''.-'^.''^. ^^'^•^' ^^^ violet and cowslip, should smile redun-
beauty, the kindest isephyr^ regale her^wrth their mosTdelicsHlB pgp; —
fumes, the lark warble over her head, and the blackbird serenade her from
the luxuriant elm. Now you must look ai the rfVer constrained between two
rocks, boiling and roaring to get free, and then winding peacefully along the
level plains and flowery meadows— HJuUivated nature waving richlv with the
hopes of the husbandman." Mr. Pollok proceeds^o give certain' rules for
•"—ping the art of desoriptitre writing ; we may be excused, howexrei", for
tlFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
23>e
luage
lost
mmttuig them m this place. The truth is, Mr. Pollok is a much befter poet
han philosopher, and could not but knoiv that the grand secret of cvcelling in
this species of composition is to be found in the lively fancy of the writer •
and If the images or types of external nature have awakened in the soul the
sense oi beauty, of the picturesque or sublime, every man who has received
any «,rt of education at all, will seldom find language to fail him. The
poet Burns afcrds us a fine illustration of what we now ^ay ; he was all alive
to thabeauties and harmonies of nature; and though a native of Scotia, an(f
with but small pretensions to learning, he poured forth his feelings in the most
appropriate language. The truth is, the theory of meditatincr on picturesoue
scenes, until a good English word occurred to represent every^dea^s Sre
conceit— a species of pedantry whicli would wither up the freshness of our
poetry, and send us back the dactyls and S|>ondees of a bygone age
And here it is needfulwe should remark, that Mr. Pollok was not one of
those literary characters who can find pleasure in nothing else but in scenes
I Sunw^f his fancy-he was not a mere dreamer, whose sympathies have
no fellowship with mankmd in those matters which concern both their temporal
fn ?b «'wf 'T ^^'»-'^^'"? On the contrary, Mr. PoUok's thoughts ran most
m hw latter channel. Being a Meniber of a Church which has been Ion- .
distinguished for its zeal irt behalf of scriptural truth,, Mr. Pollok at an early
age imbibed the same spirit from the sermons of her Ministers; and beside*
all this, made it a duty to read daily portions of the Sacred Volume. Acconi.
injly, so far back as the year 1813, when he was in his fifteenth year, be
gave indications that he had seen the importance of religion, and that he desired
to regulate his conduct by its principles. His brothor David, who was his
ccrnipanion from hfe^nfancy, informs us that he put the question to him as to
Uie cause of this change, and-Robert made answer, "that while perusing the
Gospels for himself, he was struck with the meekness or calm dignity of the
baviour under provocation, and that he had resolved thenceforward to command
his temper-and that since that time, tliough he might feel and express anger,
nothing ever put him into a passion." Accordingly it appears that it was this
love for the cause ofthe religion of the Bible, according to his understanding
of It, which led him to give up the plough and to study for the Church of hi*
lathers ; and m this matter, notwithstanding all the untoward influences to
which he was exposed in a largo city, and among troops of thoughtless com-
panions, he seems never to have fallen from his first love. His zeal for reli-
gion did not, as with too many students, commence when he was abgut to
.nn?r "" M ^''p ,T'. """ ''^''' i'^ '''^' •^stablidied in a good fat living : on the
contrary, Mr. Pollok was zealous in behalf of n-eiigious doctrine and practice
from the very commencement of his studies. We have one proof of this in
the fact, that in connection with his brother, while residing in a lodaing-house
in Glasgow, he was careful to assemble all the inmates in his apartment every
evening for worship, at which he officiated, using, it would eeem, that simple
t7J^ beautifully describea in the Cotter's Saturday Night, and to which he
J'^l^g^ggMtamalm hi s f a t he r^ h o uae . -.Mr.^'aLk ibenmems^^io^
^aught the Miasionary spirit which blazed far and wide over Scotland at this-
Ume. rhe large to^vns. it is true, were the great centres in which it blazed
^S. kTk { ' "^"^ ^''r^ "'''** °^ Christianity, it was not confined to the.
^n^\^u 'P'fK** '^.'"C^^'.'^" ("'«y •«« not rather say its warming influ-
r^titP !.'^'"°"j?jhe neighboring villages and country » Accordingly, in the
retired viHageofJinelesham, we find an Association e.4ting at this tiSe, JUe
object was to assist ia the diajemination of divine truth ot home aod abrgod, jj
26
LIFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
Mr. Pollok, sympathizing as he did with his whole heart in the views of the
Association, delivered at one of their meetings, an address, which, to say the
least, is remarkable for a fine tone of religious feeling, as well as fervid elo-
quence. We shall here furnish the reader with one brief extract Ttie speaker
I thus proceeds : — " I know that you and the other members of this society
have no greater joy than to hear that by the blessing of God on the exertion»
of British christians, thousands have been liberated from the imbruting fetters
of ignorance and superstition — lifted ud from vile prostratioh to deaf and
dumb idols, and taught the honourable worship of the living God. You
need not to be informed, nor I trust any member in your society, how
rapid of late has been the flight, and how wide the conquests, of that Angel
which flies in the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach
unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people ; and how widely he is proclaiming with a loud voice, —
• EearVjrod, and give glory to Him ; for the hour of his judgment is come ;
and woiship Him who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains
of waterV To what I have said I know you are prepared to give full credit.
And to the uninformed and unbelieving, let existing facts bear witness. Let
them listen through the medium of the most authentic communications, some
[of which have been sealed with blood, to praises of Messiah, which are now
heard here and there, from the rising to the seUi^g^of the sun. Let them be-
hold, and it is a pleasing sight, the shivering Greenlander, whose mind for
many past ages, like his wintry seas, has been frozen and benumbed by the
' cold breath of ignorance, and shrouded in darkness, now illuminated, melted,
invigorated, ana purified by the all enlivening beams of ' the sun of righteous-
i ness.' Let them behold many a thirsty African, In the midst of his burning
deserts, drinking of the immortal waters of the river of life, and eating of the
I fruit of that tree * whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.' Let them
I turn their minds to the Indus and Ganges, and-hear the bowlings of the beasts
of prey, affd the battle-shouts of warring savages, broken here and there by
the sweet warblings of Immanuel's praise. Let them see the simple Hindoos
casting their deaf and dumb idols to the moles and to the batd, And flying like
I doves to the windows of salvation. Let them hear with gratitude and delight
[the hallelujahs of Eiixine's shores respond to the hosannas of the Caspian ;
[while the immortal standard of the cross waves the ensigns of peace on Cau-
jcusus' lofty brow. Let them behold the Persian, instead oT travelling to'Mecca,
opening up to the Creator and Redeemer the incense of a broken spirit and of
a pure heart. Nor ha/e America's isles of slavery been altogether barren of
the fruits of righteousness. Although there, hand has joined in hand te;darken
the glooms of ignorance, strengthen the shackles of slavery, and widen the
I wcuste places bf death, yet, even there, may be seen immortal souls eluding the
I grasp of oppression ; esciping the thick clou^ of meditated ignorance ; and,
i in the chariot of salvation, triumphing awayro the city of eternal refuge. No
one needs to be told, that, only a few years ago, throughout all these nations
and p eople, not one beom of celestial day broke into the horrid gloom of their
Bpirituat nigfitT noToiie of their so'gs of praise saluted the eaF6fZi6n*B Kfii^
By the blessing of God on the exertions of Bible and Missionary Societies, the
wildernemand the solitary place are glad ; the desert rejoices and bloaqoms as
the rose. * * * * But were I to aay that the present coint^mpla-
tion of the victorious march of truth in the lands of ignorance, was all the re*
ward which awaits the christian's exertions, I would be speaking apatl froila
ords of inspiration. When this world with all its enjoyments, ha« passed
A*
■,^*
LIFE OF ROBERT FOLLOK, A. M.
away — ^wfaen ^old cannot purchase one luxurious dish to the voluptuary, nor a
fnoment's repose to the careless, nor one grim smile to the earth-grasping
miter, then shall the exertions of the christian receive their full reward. When
that christian who has been the means of spiritually enlightening the mind of
a fellow creature, has put on immortality — when he is reposing himself on the '
ever-verdant banks of the river of life, then from him shall be heard a louder
note of praise swelling the eternal hosannas of heaven. How much will it add
to his endless bliss, to shake hands in the regions of immortality, with some
•ontje inhabitant of the desert, whom he hag been permitted by his benefactions
to be the means of elevating from the wastes of darkness, suffering, and death,
and of .placing amid the brightness of immortal day, and the felicities of
eternal life."
The following are the contents of a Letter dated July, 1821. It refers
to the approaching death of an uncle, and is addressed to his brother: — ",Iam
just arrived at Moorhouse. I left our uncle David about three hours ago, and
received what I fear shall be the last injunction which I shall ever receive from,
him. Yesterday he was unable to sit out of bed, and this day he is still
weaker. He is wearing away with resigned dignity. Although his faith, as
I heard him say, is perhaps not that of full assurance, yet with humble resig-
nation and hopeful confidence he can say, that thou;rh his God slay him he will
trust in him, that he shall be more than a conqueror through him that loved
him. How solemn, how affectionate were his admonitions to me ! and you
know with "what feelings I left him. Never did Young's interrogative assertion , I
strike so deeply into my mind.
" What is time worth ? Ask death-beds — they can teH. I cannot detail,
for I am wearied to-night. I have written a few things, which you will see
when you come to Moorhouse."
The usual carriculum of study for young men, before entering the
Divinity Hall in Scotland, is four years ; but as Mr. PoUok's education had'
been beguli somewhat late in life, he protracted his philosophical studies a year
longer. It might be also that the attractions of a College life formed one strong
inducement why Mr. Pollok continued longer than tlie usual period at his
philosophical studies. Certainly to ingenious youth no employment can aflbrd
higher delight thart the exercises of a College. Besides Lectures comprising
lucid and compendious views of the various branches of science, the easiest i
method of acquiring knowledge, the student has access to an extensive Library,
designated m ancient times, by an ancient Prince, as the office of the medicines]
of the soul, a privilege he<5an scarcely prize too highly ; add to all this daily
conversation with his fellow^ prosecuting the same studies, whose enthusiasm
he imbibes, and whose suggestions he turns to account, and we may find |
reasons enough why a man of genius should have lingered so long among the]
bowers of the Academy. Learning and religion have been closely conneore4|
in Scotland from the instlTution of the Presbyterian Church in that country ; j
and some are of opinion that this connexion is such a necessary one that it r
fermr her chief glory, and must continue tilt thr end of timei — U
admitted, however, without any disparagement to learning, that a still higher I
degree of advancement is in reserve for the Church, when the blessing ofl
Heaven is given in a larger degree, and the pastoral office shall cease because]
of the superior enlightenment of the people, and it shall not be needed to'
E reach the knowledge of the Lord or the Gospel of salvation, for all shall
Dow< it from^he least to the greatest. An era Qf this kind seems to be hinted]
at in the Bible ; and in the present adranoed state of the human mind it is nc
28
LIFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A, M.
i
without reason that piou^ christians of some denominators have ihouaht that
a deficiency in learning Would be no defect, if supplemented by a greater mea-
sure of chanty. The education Mr. Pollok received was admirably fitfedfor
.preparing him to excel in the walks of litorfiture ; it was perhaps less so for
preparing h.m to minister to a christian congregation. ^ PasLg over howeveT
'K' M'"p?f '^ '^''^''H^' "« P'°^^"«^ ^"h o"^ narrative.^ iNovSr'
"821, Mr Pollok was enro led. for his hfih session, a student of philoSy^n
^ iZwn'^"- .V ''"• fi^^r ^''^^'' ^•'^"''hes of the MathematicsTnde;
thi^ln k"''^"^-^*'!!.'"^^ Philosophy under Professor Meikleham. During
this^ion he carried off no prize. It appears, however, that he had be
us'llt Tiir"r"°" ""T ^^t '"^'"^" °^ ^'^^ «•— «- brother rnform
us that, for the former class, he wrote eleven Essays, averaging more than
teso'r fhrr'^;;' i^""'" 'f^''^ '^^P'""^ "°^-^'-- theiciTeTof ,Je
Tiphrthin'nntn ' \ ''" ^^'T' ''^""'"^'^ '"^ ^™'« "° ^ssays, there still remain
£bra Tnl?'r'"%"'- '^ ''"''' ""^'^•' '^' various heads of Geography,
Algebra, Logarithms, frigonometry, and Conic Sections. A stranger wSuld
Zlnu7ur°''T7r'''' °^!''' '^''"^ of improvement enjoyed by Scoitish
to attend T,.'?? '^•'^ ^»°"»'°"/o the classes which they were required
ihh^ .?h k 'TK ''' f' ^'- "'■•"^^^ ^f^^^'^' 'be Colleges of Scotland,
! S^hey are far ro.n being perfect, are yet conducted on fair and libeS
principles. \\e ascribe this, however, rather to the Presbyterian regime of
tlTiV '^"" '' ^ '^'^"^^ '^ ^°"«Sr^- '^hat we may no{ be suppo ed 'o
Dhlt Td cZ!:^^^^ "" '°"' ('-^ That the distinctiorbetween
JJissemer and Churchman is not knowrt among the students. So it was, at
Irfnmfnf n, T'"T''' ^' ''''"'■■ ''^^«« '"^y b^. are awarded on the single
groumj of merit and proficioncy, the students themselves being the JudgL
InH thl P f ' ""■' """"'"^ '" ^*^'"^ '"'^'^''^^ ^°^ their mutual improvement,
Bnd the Piofe.ssors exercise no inquisitorial .serutiny whatever in respect to
he r proceedings. Their only security, that the students, in conductTng^uch
-feociet.es will act wi,h propriety and decorum, rests in the sound principles
b an tie'cnur"'' "V^^^'^'j^' «•• •" their Several Churches. Ac^rdinglJ!
^ nWv.l . • n"' ''V^'°'^^r.^' ''!' Sreal majority of the students are membei
n PhiloI^^rR 'T' ■""'"'^- ^"' '^'' fP^"'^ P"^P"^« °f improving themselves
L tn .t. "7- '^'^f ."'•"^' ''' '" ^0'"e department of science ; and wfthout advert-
S.na -in Jm' •■''' '''""'' T ^bcre formed, th.^ improvement received, by
companng their mows one with another on the topics discussed by the Profes-
.or or in hstoiung to ori^nnal and often elaborate Essays delivered by one of
, hemselves, we do not hesitate to say, is little inferior to what they gain in the
bublic classes. During this session Mr. Pollok was a member of a socfety of
:£iv. Tl '', ''"'^ '°' '";'.''" ^"-^ ""^^"? ^''^ P«P«" « ^^--y eloquent Essay
fhi fnl V nf^ ''■ ""' f "^ '"^^t'"g«- The o'bject of the Essayist is to shoi
Ivorld', hf, ^^PP^^'^S-tl'at because our lot is cast in a remote period of the
CIh ^^' '^' ^'?' f '""""''^'•^ ''^^^ ^'""'^ «« l''°dJen, and the mines of
knowledge so ransacked, that we cannat expedt to find a gem or flower either
Ir«n3f W !wi ' ' * r- • *. ^^ ^ that nothing-remaTng for m thaw just to -fold our"^
hands in .sloth and inactivity, and to lament over our unhappy fate in having
|bome too late into the world. Mr. Pollok combats this idea throughbut wUh
lullTf'i. '^••6":"?''t. and g^eat felicity of style and illustration. Some
•Zi .. ;* "''^~ ^*1" y"""' "'''^ ^^'^^ •''« '°t has destined his temporal e.v.
.stcnce to the mneteenlh century, and granted him at the sanle time iTpatiem
\m v'fiorous philosophical spirit, will soon discover that he has nothing to fear
^ > 16 lateness of his arrival, or the hbours and rendwn of his AnoMtor«j
LIFE OP ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
29
He may yet benefit society, and encircle his temples with unfading laurels.
If he )s captivated with the philosophy of mind, the object of his de^jre'remains
still in comparative darkness. Aristotle said much about the soul, but he said
little that was intelligible. Many centuries were quibbled away in endeavour,
ing to explain what had perhaps never any meaning. Heaven, in mercy to
mankind, sent Bacon, and since his time the powers and operations of the
numan mind have been considerably unveiled. * * * * * '
If there be yet a plentiful harvest inviting the philosopher, the historiani andl
ine moralist, and promising them a rich reward, are there not also subjects of I
song and immortal wreaths tempting the poet to take hold of the harp, andflinfff
his tender hand across the strings of harmony? The early poets, it in saidj
have taken possession of the most striking objects of nature, and their works!
are herefore more vigorous and sublime than those of later bards. Whetherl
this long-received opinion may no: be rather imaginary than real, there isroomf
Tor doubt, i'octs were posting themselves in the strong placrs of nature durinffl
thousands of years anterior to Milton; and yet without copying the images orl
thoughts of his predecessors, he confounds us with a va§tness and sublimity off
Idea and comparison, before which almost every former poet must veil his head
as the stars at the approach of the sun. Homer's heroes fling from their hands
stones which two men in the late ages of degeneracy could not lift, Milton'
heroes take the mountain by its piny tops and toss it against the enemy. At|
the name of Shakspeare the bards of other years fall down in deep prostration,
and abjure the name of poet. In strength of expression these two archan^rel/
in poetry staad alof^i likethestar neighbouring TencrifTe among the little islalida
tha float on the Atlantic surge. If the va-se of Milton be less melodious than
hat of Horner and Virgil, it is because the language in which he wrote waa
unsusceptible of equal harmony. In like manner, were we to compare th«
lyric poets of modern Europe with those she produced in ancient davs. the
comparison would not be so unfavourable to our own limes as has beeli often
imagined. But were we to confine the comparison to the poets of our naUon's
were we to compare the early English poets with those of our own time, ithai
fjeen often said we would lose f)y the comparison. The early poet lays hold ol
the most magnificent objects of his own country, and leaves to those who cgmJ
after him m the same nation, the more feeble images of beauty and eWanw.'!
i he Author then goes on to allege that the early English poets are chargeabU
m many places with irregularity, e.xtravagance, and nonsense, of whfch h«
Ro^ms to say that the poets of our own times are more free. He proceeds :-
punting this unholy conrjparing of poets who have done all according to th«
gift received, it will be sufficient to know that they have left behind tfeerr
suiyects of noblest song, and laurels of immortal verdure, to erpwn him wh(
may be so happy as to gain the favour of the cov sisters. And I think the v^r
rature of poetry excludes the. possibility of its subjects ever being exhausted
10 please, to excite interest in existence, is the aim of poetry in ccneral. Bi
-Z'J'^t?V°~ '^ 7« ascertain thg poe t's merit, or the life oflif^ whi.h jj, tj
^Z'a- ^'^ 77" *^e JiR^l'ohs, delight the imagination, iuid ^^liellS
fctahrting; and if the general tendency of his work be poral, it matters nt
Whence he choosn his subject, or by what mwrns be attain his pmm<,e. dihej
•w^iteis axe confined by the boundaries of truth, but the po<?t jt-i lU bQimSes
rog ons of fimcy before him. Nearly three thousand years a^o, IlomSS^ie
forth his careloa. i.tnd„ «odip»Ued .f rom the p<irty.poJwred fields irSSy n fai
«f Tmo :..r^ t/"»«8nwyil>*jrft.niad« wwfwop^,^ the wild lerri-or
of iraagn.ation, nnd brought forth with them abundantlfoils. But 'ior ficl
3or
.I,IFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
are rich as ever. The flowers which bloom there, though plucked to-night,
will grow up ere to-morrow. Over the lawns of fancy, Flora, with the rose
and lilj in her hand, forever walks, while Zephyrus breathes soft life on her
cheek, and drops thtf dews of vegetation from his southern locks." * * 9
"The siccaneous (Mlrren ?) critic, er the meagre scribbler, may hang down
his little head in despair, and murmur out tif&t what can be done is done
already. But he who has drunk of Castalia's font, and listened fo the mighty
voice of the Parnassian sisters ; who casts his bold eye on creation, inexhaust-
ible as its Maker, and catches inspiration while he gazes, will take the lyre in
his hand, delight with new mel6dy the ear of mortals, and write his name
among the immortal in song." It is manifest, from various parts of the Essay
' we have now quoted, that the Attthor h<td formed the scheme of some poem
which should hand down his name to-poslerity. His mfnd was big witlv. the
, theme, and he throws out not V)distinctly a hint at the close that it was himself
who, at some day not far distant, was about to "write his name among the
immortal in song." And yet it may be mentioned, in singular contrast with
these anticipations, that he was almost wholly secluded from society ; and who
can doubt that this very circumstance enabled him to cherish that elevation of
mind whereby he was enabled to look down upon the vanities and frivolities of
the world, and to anticipate a period when time should be no more ; when the
.distant future, with all the incidents in the lives of men and histories of
nations, should be found to be things long passed away. Melancthon, on one
' occasion, is reported to have entertained ^ wish to Retire into Palestine, like
Jerome in the fifth century, and to seclude himself from the busy world, that he
might \yrite with greater power oh things divine. , But it would seem that one
may be a hermit in the midst of a great city as/easily as in the solitudes ol
Bethlehem; for, during the five sessions Jhat M/. PoUok was in Glasgow, he
seems to have been so much a recluse student, ihat he did not even make him-
self acquainted with the Secession Minister whose Church he had attended
daring all that time. It may be farther meiitioned, that in the course of this
session, which closed Mr. Pollok's Philosophical studies at the College of Glas-
fow, he rccieiyed the degree of Master ofArts. And here, in conformity with
[orace's maxim of mixing up jests with graver rnatter8,,we may be permitted
to introduce a brief anecdote illustrative of the peculiar sensibility of the poet.
But hold ! we are not sure that we shaU be able to lay our finger on it again.
Yes-^we cannot find it, indeed, though we have turned over the large volume
■Jlcontaining his life from beginning to end. We read it on the first perusal, and
therefore we give it from memory. It so happened that Mr. PoMok hald^i dog
to which he was greatly attached, as much so as ever Lord Byron was to his
Newfoundland cur, or Cowper to his two hares. Well, thesonsie animal had /
gone into Glasgow, very probably, along with the driver of the churn-milk- /
cart, and, sporting with some of i(fe compeers of th^ canine race, being a /
■tranger in the < ity, it lost its way, and never retuml3. The cart returned '
honrie with the driver, but no dog attended it. Darkness came on, and Robert,
giving up all hope of seeing him again, showed strong symptoms, of uneasineiw.
Some^fhis fri^ds, who took the matter nwre lightly^ atiked the reason why_
^ woff 10 much disrturbed, When the ajfeotionate poet made aaswer, " thai ke
knew the dog would he very ill about him, and that was the reaeon why he wat «o
iU ahMd the dog/'* According to our estimate of matters, this was the laofuara.
«f Boiare. i
** We've loved him the more that we heard
' INokiendenMMflDW livmhiAtoBfp*."
LIFE or ROBERT POLLOK, A. W.
31
PART SECOND.
he
/
Sflegrarhr^ppltl l'. Tt^ '^i 'r^"'' ^-^^ «- y-s' course «
him writing to this effect to his brother -—"Mv mini 1 ?'^.' T ^"'^
IS occupied about the past, the nresent 'TnH th^ r ? ' '^'^^^^''y l^o^y's mind,
of summer (May 1, 1822) was l?S frf u "V"f ' ^^'^^"^^Y' the first
any day ever shon^ on me TwL f ^ ^'" V'^ '''*^«"'y l^enevolence a,
ters, and in the best of comnanv I'^'r ^' ^^ ^T' ^''''" ^" ^'udentiai fet.
I tried to enjoy what God hadS me^o:niot" 1';:^;."^'"^'^'^' ^"^ P'^"*'
of my friends, cau-^ht the warm ^nmJnr^f^;, \°°^«!^°n the countenances
their words s;ollen with a fMnlZTTuT^' °^ '^'Z ^'""'''^ *"d ^eard
Wishes leave their doi„„s behiid I beheM .h 1."'^ r^^^''' ^^'^ ^'^ '^'''
cast my eyes on the varfegat'd verdure and L-"-'"^''^'^^ '^' '^'^' ""^^
meadow, and the lawn fUntenZT^L ?♦ f ^ '^'■^'/ °^ ^^'^ mountain, the
stationed in the mkldle heavens or h>rntf'"' '""^ ofa thousand laverock,
grove; and wouid fal^tve ^SdrStheVoeT- ''' ""^' ^^^^"^^^ °^^^«1
. , . " % heart rejoiced in nature's joy." j
homage most reasonable and mJt I! , m /"•'''y'"'^"^ *"<^ gratitude— the
-n fid gloominer miTste tTL'Xdt n^^^^^ "anS ^° ''^ ^'^'^f '' ««»
wonted engines. What is bread h be loSu ''? Wh«'; '"^.k" I' ^'''^ '^
colour to the blind ? What is the chorus of Heavrn to ^h.A '%?' ^^'T^ ^^
I ; or what is the elonous bounivnf A. L ."^7^" to the deaf? murhiuredj
■ scholar, fitted to foow "and^o^roft fhe 3
alas! sadly unfitted to live in U?'' ' ^^^ ^^ '^"S** «^'tj but
the j;^t:s:g^:;^:^ -^.-^^ ^^^:^w- -i4
Sf though't an?L;iTo?eSu:nl'Two:hr^^^^ ^^ ^-" -^M
effect which this great Geniu^produced on the publ c min/^ STwf ""'*' ^'''r
a thoroughly scientific turn • ^pHvp ^^^r.).- a 1 ™ wasa manofi
'«ifttiii«ni.
32
LIFE OP RXyBERT POLLOK, A. M.
tfeir^
employed to demonstrate its importance ; there was no region in nature or in
science which was not laid under contributions to illustrate or subserve its
tnumphs. It is to be observed, also, that there was a class of poets at this
time who wielded a great influence over the public mind ; men who scemod to
cast behmd them all the rules of Horace and other critics, and after the man-
ner of the ancient prophets wrapt up in their mantles, courted inspiration amid
the lasfnesses of the mountains, or by the margin ot lakes and streams • and
who, after they had plenished their souls by solitary communings with n'aturo
m her loveliest or most stupendous displays, poured forth their enraptured son^r
in the ears of admiring myriads. At this time, when Scott and Byron and
bouthey, and a crowd of poets and minstrels, \<fere in the rfoon of their days,
the public mind seemed to glow with the lustre of their glory ; railways and
utilitarian philosophers, which make such snd inroads on the domains of poetry
had scarcely as yet begun to bo named. It was altogether a season of poet'ic
enthusiasm, and in the imaginations of many the millenial glory had begun to
dawn upon the earth. We need not wonder that the genial mind of Pollok im-
bibed largely the spirit of tUe times. We see tokens of it in all his writings •
whether we look to his philosophical essays or to his familiar epistles, we find
in each and all of them the buoyant and imaginative spirit of the times break-
ing forth. We have somf^times thought it less seemly in these productions
because it is felt even by hiijiself to be out of place, hence a want of ease and
stiffness in the midst of the ^lendid declamation— but in his poetry it lives and
shines in joy and in beauty > -
Let us here give a specimen of his poetry, which he has copied in the
midst of a long letter to his friend Mr. Marr, dated May, 1822. Mr. Pollok
had gone on a romantic excurs^ion to the town of Paisley. Musing as he went
along, he appears to have spent^much time on the road ; for before he reached
the town it was ten o'clock of tlie night. Ho tells us that there he was intro-
duced to a young lady. She is thus described : " Her eyes dispensed an ever-
lasting sorcery, that he who once had looked would look for ever. Her hair
in witching ringlets, hovered rouiid her snowy forehead. Her ruby lips would
have tempted the iron-hearted in|sor from his gold, and made li'is soul most
liberal. Her form was symmetry itself and life ; and over her wholly the
powers of softness, health, love, and youth, for ever wished to wander. Bo-
ware, friend, of any naughty cohclusion. And ye severe in virtue, bo not
loo hasty. Modesty sat on her bro\^, and chocked every unrighteous marauder
of my breast. Upon parting with this excellent person, Mr. Pollok's reason
appears to have been absolutely bewildered by an unbridled imao-ination, for he
resolved that he would not go to bed that night, for "the night," he says,
" was lovely, and I soon determined l|o spend it in the open air." * • * ' »
" I hasted away from the town by airoad which led to a romantic wood, about
,three miles off. It was now fit time for musing ; my soul gathered itself toge-
ther; and sometimes walking, sometijiies standing, and sometimes leaning on a
dyke or a tree, I communed thus.]'— His communing assumed the form of
blank verse, and we shall here give teonie specimens : —
etui v.'->i Y
■tbu!
••-MysomnanBfirrWftoW fitlime t<S hold"
High converse with thv^lf. The gay attire
Of nature, which so oft wins on the mind
And steals h^r from herself, is folded up ;
V >" * I The lark has dropped fromjhenven ; nnd still the choirs
, .* rf.!ij*.ll'^P^ poui»ed;th* day Bong fi-om enchMeafV groTC.
i
iSFtf or ROSBRT POLIOKi Af M.
33
The song of the Cuckoo, whiefa we nerer b«af in these irestirn parts, is
thus alluded to :^- , ^
" What sound is this that breaks upon my ear 1
From yonder wood it comes— the Cuckoo's Yoie&
'Tis curious at this pensive midnight hour 1
Sweet bird of spring, thou has^ jiroke up my thoughts
'But I will weave thee in my song, and make
Thy kind intrusion teach me to be wise.
Who formed thee as thou art with wings to fly ?"
Whence didst thou learn that ever-pleasing note f
, Who placed thee in the bosom of the spring, ^ _
And taught thee to attend her flowery path
Unerring ? Or why dost thou leave thy eggs
To be warmed into life, and fed, and guaraed .
By liltle birds thou canst not bargain with,*
Man taught thee not what man not understands
Thou didst not teach thyself, else thou art wiser
Far than I. Some being, then, I see not,
Thee made and taught : the same most sure that stretched
Forth, curtain-like, yon Heavens, and in them placed
Those fiery hosts, the glory of the night
Sweet bird ! I thank thee for thy midnight song ;
Farewell ! and as thou fliest o'er, announcing
Spring and joy to man, this informs him too
There is a God who made thyself and man."
The Author proceeds to reason about himself—where should he go, after
death, to annihilation or to life ! He infers that it shall be to the latter state,
from the excellency of the powers of the soul : —
/♦ That Grodls good, I gather from the joy
O'er nature spread. I walk the summer mom :
Ten thousand little insects sportive dance
TheystRmy beam : sublime in air, the lark,
Full of devotion, lifts the cheerful song,
Joining sweet chorus with the tuneful groves.
Before me frisks the lamb ; the flocks and herds.
High fed and happy, spread o'er hill^and plain.
A smile plt^ys on the rippling rivulet ;
The trees seem joyful in their bushy robes ;
Fair pe^e sits on the gentle lily's brow ;
And love looks blueing from the rose's jpheek.
In autumn, too, I walk the golden fields !
But who can tell the goodness then that waves
To man, t6 beast, to every living thing ?
- . Ye s, Qod is^pod to^ man : t h is very h our
How many millions rest, and rest in peace !
Each morn how many millions wake to joy f
Why Bbould I quote His reason, endless source
Of entttrt^iament sweet t or why sea d OMit
• The Guekoo is Mid to be one of thoee birdewhkh bailcbiao nest of its own, b«l lesves'j
Hs «||s to be hstcbed in tiib Msief soiM otlier l>ihL
34
OFJB. of KOBBHt PdLtOK,
A. Mr
Hisfancy, living infioite, to waft
-- " WhV?'"^" uJ"^" °' '^^ "«*'io° home I '
Whv inl V " *'"■' ,'° ^"''^'« heeivenly tones ?
Or place before his eye ihe bi>tbful spring V
i he.autumn swelling, swelling e very^heaft with iov -
Kidingaugusl the starry vault of night fr
/
7^
,. (J K
A Jd wfh .i ''"■"'' Pf ^'^'•'^ f*^-- '«"d«' arms, .
And wuh the sacred hawthorn, tree of love.
Weave amorous o'er their h^ads a canopy ; -^■■•'
rho violet and daisy, bathed in dew, ^^ ' ^j
II.rH I °f, ''^•' '^'J'^'' '•^""d them, purest flower. •
1-he hallowed zephyrs bring them incens-e sweet."
^^re'I^^r^etii::'^^^^^ ^'Jf - ^"ich Mr. Pollok sang
in tl»em,-a hi^h nhUanthrnnT. ■ . ^'I^*^- ^^^'^ ^ ""^^'''er peculiaritf
"-tter what kiS o'f S l^Took Tl f '^"'°" u"^ .^" ^'^ ^' ^^^ no^t
strict or more lax-alllereTmiued^l ^^'T'"'''^"''^"'" '^^^^ere more
creatures at home or ab oaS Some nt?" '"'^^"^ «P'"t ^^ benefit thefrfellow-
thun of enthusiasm, su'^hat it Z LCrj-^ " ^'^^^'' «bare of prudence
I n-ents in the first instance -bu oth.^ ?'n" r""^^' "'^T'""^ ^^ ''^'"^ Wrove-
^ that it was better to t'^ n,',th wl S; IS^ "'"' ^'V^ °^, ^^P'""S ^^^'^^ ^^^
distant regions of thf Jol? ^"V*^*^ &»«* news of salvation to the most
blessings uVtl^irnatfve land 's^ a covenanted GJod in Heaven to pour
and the blind, and he Xf. and .^,'^'"°>^^«<1 »« ^he sick, and the maiLd,
Some thought or the seamen and the snM^' ' r^"""". '" '^''" '^^^'^'^or!'
rising youth, and longed that" hefshoudr-'rr^T' '*'^"5!'' "8°'" «^ '»»«
approved sy3tem in sefular apSrt ? tSn J A L T."'?'"^ I" ^^'^ ""^^^
I longed and laboured io obtain^fc^ AfH^n H ^f ' • ^f^' ''"* "°^ ^"««^ "««*y
Societies started into exttencers ff tthe LucH^hf M *'•^^"^^"' ^'^"^
these again were strengthened Vv nnm2 -^ Magician's wand, and
le'ngth and breadth of thfK.il^T'*"' «^"*='««' *f"«h embraced the "
".eotings,andtheyea yme t^^^^^^^ !''«'« T'"^ 'he quarterly
t:>e peer, from the humb^le co tug?;SS^?^'^;^^^ ^'•"™ !^ P^'^^^"^ ^«
rosplendant with youth and beautv PnZ ' ^ .^^ rf«»K)w,//e rfe qualite,
able to oloquence,^andrver Sh-.^h'^" rT'^'^'.r '"''^ *° ^'^ ^''^^^^r-
iiiWe, Aii^sionary, and^o^herTn ?• 7T" bettet^Hlustrated than in the
;--> -ere dull ^J^L^ ^T^t^'^J^^ l^^-^^^-^
tho-momonl Uiev slool unon th*„l„Vr '^ * ' ?*»"«'"™^lf *t>m Weir lOTpor. "
brilliant a«mbL? wJZ.'i'tt'? ?f T "r/!''. """» "«' '"''?«""'
1IF» O^'kosziit MliLdK^ *ir«.
^5
.
had
V- uptto men of more aanguli)^ tempemwi«ni«. li* tni^h^^,1|^hifc.w•.^■iie*t
upon the excitement of tho«e tirties, in respect of rdlgioL kS^hSBiSSk
^eal. the onir explanation we «in glye o/it» or Jgin irttaillMlTi^'S
Heaven. l^«d a i.ork Uvpertbrm % c^m/itAZ^^^rU^^l
ca^e at hon^nd ah««ii and great was tfit^cd^^jyi »«a«ojS Ji^I 1^^^^^
th«« who sounded abroad his tr.etxjiful proclrimiiioi. Mf. JSlX 'A'Evo
B.bleSoc.etjrj the topic he touches tp ia the Jnjustioe^ore ii^ftSleJ
atrocious and unmitigated wrongs, which howeverVhe'soeiX^ih hk^M- h^
best remedied by the diffusion of Bible knowledge --.* Xone f IfciSfe il
Ignorant of the present great extent of the n\^ve-tfyie7^TmJ^^H
::STtrl^:!;!:if'^^ r^i-^- .laver;.*"paSiaS5*^l>'
n«»rn wed, kings and nobles have consnited, vete* ha*e bcfttt mVeh ^ Jr
uie '>'ger ana the benegal have never murmurtad to its dttl6et cod^wpA . >L '
heart o{ the fettered West Indian has never leaped at i ts anprdSh At'' XS " ^
And though all Europe has jiftej „ jj; ^J^ ngninXrery vttt^fe
?b."f •i^"'^ ""*' r''^ ? *'"' «"'« ** -""^^ ^^»«>^'" the nS£"f them
s^I wS nJonTh/'^'HT^ *° n'f '^^1"^' '""'^ "^ - a^hf^g that Vls^'ft fs
rail J- S? ^^V" "" '<»ter?iWe, devourfng, infeinal deformity Wnd
XaDttMnT,'"','"r^'"\^^° «ympatbii wish to keep Sai
Sl HnwV ^T' ^"^^ T^ " *»"« ^«'** «'»^»'« Mother on AM' \
coast How does her heart tremble within her when a Euronean sail Ss^n ^
thJhrr ?T '^"f" .^'^^ ^'^'"* «way at the voice of a JZZ PkhfZ,
thehell.faoed8lavp.deaIer, more horrible than, the lion or cSfe Zkh^t
iXht nfl"^\.t'^™''"'' her daughters cluster LnSlSfie^^^^^
call her mbther ; but her arm is weak ; the agony of her co6nCcW K^
notjeed ; the voice of her prayer is «nheard.^fhe HeH-ccT3?oned Et i
deabr, relent ess^ as Abaddon himself, tears her children frorherCm l^
fhem mto chains, and dr Ves them awav And hnw fMnW «l ' •?. ■T^' ^^
List mother^s look on their dear fS ^ \vith whrfeelS^^fhirk^^^^^^^^
oyo follow their departure ! And when she stand anleSlSv^Sii^^ ^S^n'
on he Hnfl that is dragging her children to a land of sdfe n^and St^|^
now wi I all their fond endearments rush npon her mind J hW Willty& pJS-
sstmgh^breakinnponhersoulf Yfe tUt are parens" will yoS
thi. r I have k^t^yntir attention away from the feelirtgs"f rho chUd& S*
.ndRe«! From their eVeS gush the streams of hit,.SJ;J.ll^.\]^^^^^^^^
.' '*■
^^^^
36
jixwM Qtb ttimmwf, wmaMK, i. u.
obf
i^vjpn hormf, «A tb«r wk«l ; MKliW •oounfld look of tte task
bf^MttoT AmMI» im Thoughkoovii MnoiighM own friendaM « youwj
m^iof Jiih,lia»»lt«»<^g«pia.,it^i«l «o|«^ fiim« iMd penetrated
yif^^nmm^r the Ikll. Tbia will Uppwr fromtbe following singiUar
p)*MtetM»,wbiori Mteoded ibe delWOTy of 1>w first Discourse. Oiie would
nJ«f•»«teWl5^pppw4l Msiogolwii* t|»e owe,.ibat the demoo of envy, who
oftei» fjsiriM iM poeV boif bem md^ki« l«st a&auU, to prevent hini cQimor
wto Dptif9. Afitf:^ the ^eodote nwy sorve to tender « wowL of «-nooorae^
mentto jfpqthfuMftlpni wbeD strvigglinff with tb^ adverse influences of rivSs,
T '^^ia,^^^^^^ tntosoHbing it la a somewhat ^breviated form Id thia
}Mape» ♦lihe discourse, acoording to prescribed custbm, was ■ bomlly, and
the ff)xt v^a^tbow wor*i iq BqSuma, y. 1^ • By one roan's diaobedi^oe many
*TJ!^*v"*"2^ .^^"^ ^ ™** »^« ««*»» '^ aelivewd the intniducUon
ana *be fesi tw^heade. few of the studetiU seemed to pay any attention to
fiun. Uut i^hep he oame to the aeoond paragraph in the third and lasf head,
which waf to show the efTecta of Adanr»*8 first dfsobedienoe on the rest of man- <
j£uid» IMS language began to rise a littlo above the common level of prose : and
at the tirst poeticaUxpression, several of the students of the fourth and fifth
sessions exchanged looka with one another, and smiled contemptuously. As
lie proceeded iq tl»a delivery, he mentioned, in illustration, the names of
various awmalB, and ot several inanimate i^gents and objects of nature. On
tbe mention of these names the whole of the studentsjixed their eyes on him,
and. With the exception of tbOse of the first session, and a few others who wdre
his personal friends or inUmafeacquaintanoes, broke out from diadainful smiles
into audible laughter^ so that at times he could scarcely be heardi But he
went 90,0001 and collected, wuh his WHal self-possession, keeping close to hie
nqUis, am^d repeated bursts of laughter during the delivery of five full pages,
QC abovt the^fiftb pfirt cf hif discourse. 0ere, iis he was going so witb^ohar-
aotefiaUc self.opmroand, showing nepat^vely the • efibcta of ABaro's disobedi-
ence,^ or enumerating a series of thingip which 'had Adam not disobeved—
had Mn m entered into our Werld,' would twt have taken pboe, havingcomt!
to .some things Mjictr might be applied to the present roanjfesteUooTof ihr
studeqts, ho stood boldly and determinedly for^yard to muke himself be heard,
and pronpBnoed,^wl!h awful firmness in the course of delivery, these words :
raising lua che^ over tbe pvlpit. clenching his fist, fetching a stroke with his
arm, and casting down on the students a look of great indignation, as he pro-
noiincodthemj— ♦ifcd «» not e«terje4 our'wQrJd, no idio^maOe wmU havt
gathered onOe/wt qf/ol^ tojmi mU tfeovaUenanceiSg mmnffwortk/^ » Thesu"
words, with the tone asid manner in which ihey^were spoken, wereenouch.
m »*WOT^ w^srfenoed, and ib0 atqdents, as if ashamed oMhen^elve«, fcnt
.dflwqihclr,h^d»pn|hobeocbea. Tbe speaker.j however, though atill much
rjcoited.^ ho Ml mSgkl be, seemed to ed Joy hw triumph. He kwked down
on theoflfender*>w|tf, ranch f«w/rritf, as ^f he would have said, what do. you
orni? aisc(^ur3» «raa1i9t«P<^,t(i with attenUmt bm when the Professor, as
wa^ thopyjrton) p«)qe«MtQ ask the ppinlotw of the students on tkedisasursp,
Uioy seemed |o hnye Mlio^ Md jeettme* cpiira« (bx a /lesb jwaauJt.Tonc,
^'"? f[t4» frtMfawofw of rttanner^ djenouQced Sm idiscwtr^e. saying, ^liwjr
i#.^lhing,,Ja| tEara o«wr wuawh a n^ of absw* hopi^anJ^ilon
, " ' , 1 . ... . ^ . .. . ^_ . ... . ^„ _ .^ ^,
uv»^^V!^ A5imir mcfcOK, iA;^ifc
m
^
and aignltf 6f iiliafioter^^xposed ihe wuihnM9 *nd,lu5pano» of ihdSJllSr^l
approved of the dl-oourw ; raoommeoding him, howTreVW Ss S2Kr
discourses to be more on his guaH In oalng in the ald.VlnSdntZfv
,» u 2f ^^ °^*^ ''^^ ''^^« ttenUoned we find Mr; P^ndkmtiltm^gitie
at Moorhouse ; and here, among oih^r studiea, he appears to lSv?^^3
some attention to a course of reading in poetry. He'^^pTaw mZT^
menced with Chaucer, who wrote in the fourteenth centiry, and to have^d
in chronological order from hi, days downwards. Mr. l^lKpLan to hPve
carried on tl,ese attractive studies not merelyTor the aake of grSgl ?s own
taste, t,ut w.th the vie# 6f fitting himself foJ taking his c«^ placraS t^
choir m due time. The poetry which he mftst admired, among trShob
^rms, was that of Milton. On one occasion, his broths info?ms us tha^
Robert came into his bed-room, and imagining Wm to be Sp "vklk'
slow yabout with l»ar^dise Lost in his hands, saying, in a voTcTs; as dS
tncUy to be hear^Tby him, striking the book at the afme time en his thigh ~
No, no, fere's n^ne of them like milOH--nme like Milter Indeed so much
was Mr. PoUok's mind under the Influence of these studies. flShich at this
timehe was engaged that not only did he meditate on themTrinrthe day
but he dreamed about them by night. We accordinglv find oSr AhS
describing a drfeam which he had at^'this time. He f^ Siat the timJl of
Cromwell and of the restorativn of the « Merry Monarch" were gone by and
he fancied that h s favourite Author was sUll alive. "I hadTSTveritldi" '
he says, "with Milton In a dream. We talked of his works «rSd
CnokHfT °' ''%°"" ^'^"r.^ "^ '»"'»'' s«nsib^eof th^lcsUpeS;
He spoke of them, and expressed hi^ opinion of them freely Zd dignifieSy
« T L °^ii-f °''.""**° "''^'^ *"y own, 'that I awoke. So you see » he S
" have Milton'sown authority for saying of his Comas • ItIs k Sb J^^'
At this lime, also, we find Mr. Pollok so deeply interested inST^S^hJ*.
tuneful brethren that he drew up a list of the suffering^?d mb^TXc^^
rn the days ofther pilgrimage, they had endured, ^e shaU nS S?<lyt'
as the act is admitted that poets, spea king of them generally, £cSS^E
profession did not choose one #hiJh contributed to their worWlfXatl^e
and^ doubtless, be«^e it is a profession for which thei^ isS^JdSnd'
among mankind until it is created. Men are too busy in bursuh S^ gSi^nd
<Hher material things, not to speak of ambition, to give gr°arheed n Se fi it
.nstanoe to the beautiful song ef the poet. Acior«fing|y: Z S W ,2
of euj,eng ^en«bjlity ■ m en wfa o h ajeV^ B ^\i^\ Z ^^^^ ^ ^L^
maierial system around us with a more delicate eye than^tbS&KvH^W^
"f'SwTtS' a"nd it' ''"'Z'^^ P^^
„Ll!i » u" v*' V^ ***? cpUed many a flower whloh'^se h|ul "hlSsJi'd
uMeen»» it » m\ to be wondered w'^h*! .uch' men should be tw Xa Sed
Mbej»eglW5t of the worli; In a certaia aehve Ihfey hiiS, bte^SSSS^tein
foitable, oae of two thing, mm Have happenedi-^fce woirSTlSSe SE
_thelamb. the world of bu«nes. and of common life mutt teS uSThe fidr''
39f:
LWR or HOBBST «OIXOK, A»i H.
^Tinff K!'^"'' " •?*'"*'^'~*'*^^ poet. mu«t have «ome MaoaenM, come
^f«? ki. ^ •*?* **' "^^ A^^IT' •'* *''*«•»'' »^ *° ''onouf to «nin«ter to them
thL 5liiS.i!.m ri*r^' ^"k ''^'^ ^* ""'y ^^ '""'tioned, a, an illustration that
ru,«kr!l w ?A T*' ""^ not yet commenced, that Mr. Pollok himself
ZShi. '''V'^^*^**y°"^^^"'*'"^«'«^ ^'hom we, have above alK
?JC^*^ numberof the martyred atudenta. It is true that many gentlemen!
w.U'hj oanr.^ to be known, extended towards him a patronizing hand ;bu
alas ! the rehef came too late. e "">"ut
'! ' ' ' *» '7^*f ''"i"® °^" ^®°*"'' S^^'^ ^*»® '^"al Wow, ^ (
■r . . And helped to plant the wound that laid thee low.
' » . So the struck eaele stretched upon the plain,
No more through rpUing clouds to soar again—
View d his own feathers on the fatal dart.
And wipg'd ihe shaft that quiver'd in his heart.
Keen were his pangs, but keener far to feel,
Sfi m"'*'''*^ ^''® P'"^°" ^''^^^ impelled the steel ;
- While the same plumage that had warmed his nest
Dranfc,lhe last life blood of his bleeding breast."
Though Mr. Pollok had not given the most successful illustration of
preachmg in the Divinity Hall himself, as we have already noticerhe seems
however, firmly td have believed that there were more defaulteSn hewasTn
this matter. Accordingly we find him deliVfering, before a smal s^iety of hi,
felow-studenta an Essay on Preaching. As far as we can perceTve into tbe
wT °^ the objections of Mr Pollok, Lseems to think that it^ would betette^
^vere preachers to present a larger picture of the works of God before the
imnds of the peeple ; instead of geieral language he would Syeful? and
finK'hw>r*°"V ^"""y^"? '^"°^«' ''°^^«^«^' '^^' it is much eas^r to
fnui ; r V"^"^'^^™""* °^ "l""'^ '''"" ^ ^° '' ' «^"'l P*^haps there is too
in L^ atnong young tpen ; but we cannot helfthinking that one of the
evils whn5h attend the present religious regime of the Church Is, that there is
It S^^ '". ^1'^ ^'^"^ ^''.' "^'^'*' considering her many iri^^f et 'on !
thrlt.t! T^ P°''^V° J^"i*"' *'. '*•" '""*^"^y '^^''°f « either to provoke
„, kt? it ''^''^'f.S^l^i adversaries, or the disappointment of friends. Let
W^TJ^ri'L^^u ^"""'^ " ^'^J""'*""' *° certain of our modern preachers
We muet admit that he does not speak in a spirit of bitterness :-" I belief*
a« much aa any man does, that the truths of the Gospel need no setting oflT
Jjnaments; but I differ from the preachers in questioS aC th^meaS oT
the term <>rnameal. They dehominate everything ornament, or at "fast
JSl^rr"*' '"T'^'^' ^'''L-^^* off " Wea, e^xceot i^Jhe' bares wat
I call nothihg ornament that gives force to the idea, or leaves it more d^enlv
impresaeddn the mifld. * | • Ourbarren. dry'preache's zealous fo'Sj
dignify of ih# pupt, areafVaid to single out any object i^ nature. Our
f?n°H'^''' "^^ "'• ^T^^ ^5 *''« P"'P''' ''"» '»• ^"«^ »'«> that t",e obj^ts
ofnat^^^rere^^anrwou^^^^^
^eirt» s^ngTO m8l0F«etpTes. -Behold the Fowls of the air ; for theyww
not, neither d© they reap, nor gather into bams, yet your Heavenly Father
feedeth them.'" ^fr^ollok; in attother place, pr^eeds to say. that whili he
( ^"m u'^* *t? P'"11°>'' ^? P****** »»* Gospel in plate and sirtipl^ language* he
would h»v* Him •« bring intb the service of the Gospel all the obfsotiahd
! minist^tfitsf aitfti.,. \fejJm.H hive him t(,giy. i JJ^.Z 4^.Kd tS
tetirt pmise, Wt
ii..:\
but
MFl! or ROBEKT rOLLOK, A. M. 39
'»<wld have him to bring Ibnh the beute of the fcrest, and oast them dow. u,
•ifn,.™ -A. ° "■■"■"""y ■" ""k'ng him^lf ^.rl, understood. " After
W,™?!! "■'>' """"•I""'" '"i" »< "It" I >»ean by it." Had m" Polbk U^
«h™V.T'°"'"r" ""'"*■ ■■• "•«!•' P»««T^ly have foS, wr* m«v
White Zd'an" T: """"i° "'jF P?" °rthe oritio tha^tZe
yeamS ctaTrvoTL^^^ P^t'"^^ T'^'^* daya' service as one bf the
Lroffirom « Jh • 7''''*^; ^^ a Student of Divinity, he wasolcourse
S^iaSSutTforaryK^^^^^^ ^"' he appears to haCl been wiling ^
thprrn}f i«-j • •! L "® *''^'*" brothers on whom the duty had devolved Hp
been pecXrirexX^ SL «wnrH ' * ^""^ ?°'"'°* ^°'*^'«'-' *"^ ^ »«^»
Thof ^.-o.:.. ^""icxiuuyoi literature and of the nDilitarv art is verv rlour ♦
and we Jill gXn ;:£lippiV-"m ^^^
the pen of Mr PouT'hITJ' •« «^ ''.^'■° '"*^'' *'«°' » «»*"» ^om
bvteVv of fS«;H J u *"'*' '^""®" * "°'""y at the request of the Pres.
follows .^P^*'"''''^ «'"• ^^ the back of the manuscript he had written a,
"But they who were ever the fondest to raeet, ' I
A„^°nf" i*? ""fP^ °'*'" ••'^ ^'•ean' thpy believed :
And the heart that has slumbered in frieidship's sekt
Is happy indeed if 'twas never deceived.*' "
,--ii'.
In the summer of 1823 Mr PnWnh «»»%*. . t i •
-S pe^efu. ti,., .«JC^n-J-. --H CH«^^^^^^
40
tlFE Of ROAERir POtLOlS, A. M.
to «heir eoiBciettcM, the lesson of gratitude, tu <rell as the impoHanoe of
pricing It as an ineMimable privflege and blessing. We shall here present the
reader with some extracts, offering at the same time a brief outline of the Tale
iames Thomson, in consequence of acfverse fortune, having been compelled
to enUst m the army, had gone over with his Regiment to Holland. His wile
Agnes Craig, accompanied him. Thomson, who was a pious soldier, fell in
u I ' *"/«,^n' ^^'^ *if • Thomson returned to Scotland with her two children.
Helen and Wilham. She took up her abode in Ayrshire. The following is
u!^ .. ? description of the little habitation in which she dwelt-—
deaghhead was situated at the head of one of those solitary elensiso com
mon in the wilder districts of Scotland. The walls were biilt with roueh
granite ; the roof thatched with the heath of thp mountain, and the rushes of
the brook J and the interior,. where the peat burned on the hearth, and thr
smoke rose up unconfined by any chimney till it escaped by a little bole in the
roof, was soon rendered by Mrs. Thomson's industry and native cleanliness
and by the ready assistance of an old farmer whose name was Paton,neat and
comfortable. Past the door of this humble dwelling feebly murmured a moun-
tain nil, aa rt rambled in frolicsome meanders down the slope, now kissinff the
blooming heath, now rippling among the green rushes, and again playing with
^shadow of the grey willow." ,* * • In these days, while woJshfpping
God m Scotland, the faithful had to put their lives in their hands to enioV the -
privilege. The following description of the Sunday morning on which Mrs.
Ihomson went, with her little daughter, to the place of rendezvous, we shall
here copy :--«In her hallowed imagination, the sun coming up the rosy east
unclouded, threw a purer ray over the solitary moorlands ; a clearer dew
sparkled on the red heather bell ; the matin hymn of the sky lark, the varied
mijsic of the desert fowl, the bleating of the flocks that answered from knoll
jto knoll, the minstrelsy of the brook, and the gentle sigh of the zephyr that
played among the wild mountain flowers, all assumed a chaster holier cadence,
and seemed to confess the presence of the blessed day. Here and there was
seen, over the brown moor, like vessels scattered on the ocean, the solitary
peasant, travelling towards the glen to meet the servant of God. Little HeleiK
with a profusion offair ringlets already floating on her neck and shoulders,
now plucked the wild thyme, now looked to the playful chases of the lambs
and anon listened 1o her mother while she admonished her to hear the Gospel
with reverence and attention. Thus engaged, they arrived at the place airreed
on for meeting with the faithful ambassador of Jesus. The man of Go? was
a ready there, and his little congregation mostly gathered around him. The
place chosen for this day's worship of the most High was hidden from the dis-
tant view by the sides of the glen, one of which, withdrawing five or six yards
from the streamlet, left a small green plain in the shape of a crescent. Here
rose a large grey stone, on yrhloh the Minister rested the holy Book. Before
lum, on the rising ground, trode by the sheep into paths rising one above
anotber, resembling a fligbt of stairs, sat his ruatio audience, thirsting fo| the
^^eadoflife^^On « knoll, at a small distance, watched ont of th«lr ^ieiich,
Mrmoa was soaroa ended irhen the coogregatioa were attacked by troopers of
the bloody Claverhouse, and among other incidents we have it narrated tlpl
™'»j. T'bomBon lost her life. The old, farmer, Paton* now: beoane the fMrdian
of WilltaQi and Helen. The following poetical description refers to them :—
"As they grew up WlIHkm was ^ployed in keeping his betefhofor's oows,
leleo Msistad in tht dktiirjr. DiuribK their leisure hoan they nxt^H
>
^
tiFB OF ItOBEKT POtLOK, A, M. 4^
St^e'fhl^'nk wjit^^^^^^^^^ '^t' fi^^rir^ here the wild iiryt^
wahout visiting ihetlS^W ^,e "^ve^ "T' t'^ '^'y retuhS
shepherds with% smooth gran te^rn^ on whlhT ^l !f" P^°"' °"« °^^^^
tors, the name of the inhabitant SoW A^ ^^•n**' *'"'' '" ""^o"* tet.
nursed by the passing 8treaX«nr°H' J. ^^^ *'"'''^' '^''^^^ '°°ts were
over the irave- and hv^t .t' P?*?. "* **®®^ smelling leaves half wav
of the shfreTl'hiShe^tzfsXd ^^fu "^^ "^V''' '"^^'^^ -^^l ^dj^
fnerely add, that WiuLm went toal^/''" "«>orland » A^e shall he?e
»n a counting-house. Her? in ..n^ *° * 5"'^"'' °' *»»« father's, to serVe
panions,hesJnkint>acour8'eo?bank3^^^^ ^'^h bad com
of his sister Helen, brough to a better stf ^f • T «"»>f 'J^^^'ly^ by means
«f e, of consumption, and WilHam h!o« '"'"'^' "^'^° ^'«^ « »" early
o? Glasgow, and did'much g«>d in hlslTf: f P'^'Pf""' ""^''""'^ ^^^^ «ity
a« an illustration of the facih^ Mr PnM t K™f ' ^^ ""^^ ^e here mentioned^
the Tale of Helen of tL Glen l« niarnfw "S"^ ^'^"^'•^'^ '" composition, th«
X The two other prose tales of M? Pollot ''"",''' ^" H'" °°""« ^^ »^«k-
"The Persecuted pLily » were wri/tPn h . ' "*"'u'^' " ^'P^ Gemmel" and
and February, 1824 tL fnZL" ^'"'^^ ^^^ 'n°°^« °f October, 1828,
laudable de J;e tf „p^ss Z imZTn? 7 T''' ''«""'•' *"^ ^""^ * ''^
minds of young person'^ Vhe fS of Ra?nV r ^''"' . "'^''^*''''" ''P^" '^'
«qmre, a cavalier, and bitter persecutor of^t """"' '^ * ""S*" •^""t'y
the contrary, is remarkable fn.. E!^ S . ^^^ covenanters. His lady, ,m
They have^^o chiTdren! Ra th and""^^^^^^^^^^^ ' Th' "f ^'' '°^ thepureSit^
Mrs. Gemmel, as he always listened wiH T''^ ^^'""^^ '^ ^^e favourite o^
«els and admonitions, while .SS^^^
acquiesced in his crud no ov and an/nH ;i1 • ""^^i'^ ^^""^'^^ ^ecaUse ha
rebellious covenanters ie^torv^urn- h^'fl '" ^" expeditions against the,
the elder nf the brothers Hi! Z/h ^*''l'®^^ "P-°" ^^e fortunes of Ralph,
injuncUo,^ upon her son to c^ave to the off "' frJt'^^^'' '«*'>"» ^^^^
the death of his mother Rabh «il f ! "f ^ ''^ ^- ^'""^ '«'le time afte?
but was subsequent yrLsforedbvo-^ '."I". '''' ways of hi« father,
whenaohildwithhisVother AfteJ^hl 1^51"^''''"'' '^'"f"« ^^o knew i,im -
himself to the suffering Sch He Si ^T "'«'•« decided, and attiM^hed
. condemned to death ; ^ t S resoLd h! 1"'"'^ ^''''' privations. He was
■Jamaica. He continued irSZ^i„thi'»^- T'. T^ ^° ^^'''^ as a slave ia
he was liberated by tL RevXIrin ifl«« p"*^ '^'"•"""'''y ^^° y«»'-»' ^'hen
hia father in his old age had re"entei i.iS £ Return ng to Scotland, he found
he succeeded to the pffemai es at« »nH ?T P^"''^"'' *"^ "P°n his death
and peace. In thi^ tKr T2kltZl%''''- °''"' ^'^^ ^" P'^-P*'"*^
than in the former ; and as he ex^I«t .K- ^ •'''' '? P'^'u^sque desoripUoa-
mow carefi.1 to present s^^cimeTto Se '^rdT" We "sbt^' "^. '^^^ ^
followmg, which, as far as we nn« r^J^ , ®/\ ^® *"«" merely copy th«'
-One sSbbaih. after ^iTng ho JaTu^st^^
0fth««ur.«. , Rnlphwontnuf al H.!!._" ' ^''?'" ^^" "" P'^Atablft di««n., .T,fl,|
««. the w.rLwe^r. wfth s^aTcl l.;'a ^''^ ^"'"^ ^°^"^ ^
«HM, b the enly year linted w' O^^Vll Z^^ «t«lj remtinin^. which he had
42
UFB OF ROBVRT POLLOK, A. M.
musing, and especially to remind him of the short duration and sure decay of
all earthly things." ^
" Thfl Persecuted Family" is a Tale which sKowsIhe malignant and cruel
spirit of the Government,* during the reign of Charles the Second, to the Fres-
byterians in Scotland, in a clear light. It contains the history of the sufferings'
of the family of James Bruce, pne of the ejected Ministers. It brings before
us the ftfmily of Mr. Bruce, consisting of his wife and two children, enjoying
comfort and happiness, and what is of more importance, great usefulness in
the midst of his parishioners in Ayrshire. It narrates his ejection, along with
350 other clergymen, from their livings, to take shelter among the peasantry ;
It brings before us the indefatigable zeal of Mr. Bruce to execute his high
commission amid the greatest afflictions, until the worthy family, one after
another, is cut off from the land. It is believed that the taste of the public for
tales of this sort is considerably abated, and we cannot regret it, as the ten-
dency of them, perhaps, is to destroy our confidence in the history of past
times by the imagination that the whole is fictitious,— a conclusion which would
not be of advantage either in a civil or religious point of view. The contro-
^^"kI ^^}°^ ^^^ covenanters waged is not yet settled ; indeed it may be said
to be raging nearly with as much fierceness as ever ; and all that is awanting,
on the part of a certain party, is merely the power, otherwise we might soon
seethe scenes «o common in Scotland in the middle of the seventeenth century
enacted over again in our own limes. In these circumstances it is not, per-
hajM, wise, thaA the martyr's testimony should be mixed up with the works of
notion. Their testimony has a voice of its own ; and such writings as those
of Howie, Woodrow, and others, publish it through all generations; so that
christian people, on both sides of the Atlantic, so clear has been the testimony
concerning these things, might with great propriety apply to it the language
of the prophet Jereflniah— from the moorsof Clydesdale has a voice been heard,
lamentation, weeping, and great mourning— Scotland weeping for hpr children
and refusing to be comforted because they are not ! It^may here, however, be
observed, as explanatory of the peculiar favour with which the public received
thtme productions at this time, that Sir Walter Scott, in one of his novels,
had greatly misrepresented the character of the covenanters. He had
caricatured them, not apparently through ignorance, but from the same motive*
which induced their enemies to shed their blood. He had put into the mouths
of fictitious characters the very words of some of those noblemen who sat in
judgment upon tliem, and, I had almost said, claimed credit to himself for pro-
fane wit and levity which belonged really lo them. It was not wonderful,
therefore, that the Presbyterian people of Scotland, who were conscious of
having received so much benefit from the sufferings and labours of their cove-
nantmg fathers, should have been aroused by the attacks of such a fascinating
writer as Sir Walter Scott unquestionably is^r and aocordhigly aroused they
were, and many pens were put in motion to cover the assailant with confusion,
Iho most powerful writer in defence of the covenanters, was unquestionably
Dr. McCrie, He Wrote with perfect con amore on the whole subject, as he
waa profouiHll^y versed in th« htrtoryof thos^litnes fand ^ch^wriRi Trnpres-
sion produced upon the public mind in Scotland hy this gentleman's Expose of
Bir Walter s misrepresentations, that the latter was so vexed that, we doubt
not, he would have been glad for a season to have taken refuge in a oavem,
like some of the ejected Minsters, to escape the storm that was raging with-
Tl' /V" *"^® °^*®''^*'^' *>«*'«▼«'■, that the manner in which D». McOrie
dAfeaded th* witnessing Chvroh of Scotland iw the ini(}d|o of %\^ Mfentoeptl)
^
LIFE OF ftOBBRT FOLLOK, A. M. 43
^^"^erZXl'ta:^^^^^ '--^ unquestionably thi.
tenfold force upon the assail^ ^Rf.t»S '"''*" ^""^'^'^ '^""""^y '^^^^i^h
defeat ihem wffi theroCweLns hi w'"" '"'^l''"'' ^'^'^ *''° ^"^edto
Inasmuch a» 8ir Walter anJhKf"^!!.''^'"* .'"°'' *^"'«'"« «« Mr- PoUok.
the medium of fictS so the^l« "^ » ?"".''"'-'' "^^ covenanters through
sariie way ^ l»orr2aW ltt« f?"™--? " ^■'t'^'^y ^''" '"> <iefend them in Z
with tali lUuTrat ;? of ?L L'T ^° *^''' ^' "°^ '•«^''''' ^^e press teemS
for twenty-eight years uuhddEt" °''T?'"» «<"»»»« faithf^men who,
cruel 6cenes5f dSs and Lf d' ^^'I^^* 'H ^'T?"*"^ '« 'he'feidst of the
tales were fitted, and perhaps theirt^ 7" for this qrisis that Mr. Pollok's
stances of the times Hav^nt ,T T^^^^V^ ^° ^ '^»"*' *" the circum-
been since collected ar,?publL^I„'^"'^°^ ^^'' ^"\'°'''^ '^^'««' ^^ich have
nantera," we may merely add tJarh.. ^■'''"'".^'/"'il'^d " Tales of the Cove-
the Glen, the sum of 7l6 ;nd for ^r'^'^'^^l' ''^r^^''^*'' ^
sterling. Constdferinir hZl i\^ copyright of the other two, £21
withthlpuWic XfLouT^^^^^^^ tales afterwards ob aS
It wL Whi e Mr. pSk's mfnS TJ H '^"f ^."^^^^ '^I'^^S^^ remuneration,
to have had a desire ovij.t.^r rTu^T'^'i '^"'' '''« ^-^^^ ^hat he appears
are famouTin ^re Marty lS?f nit' '""""'SL' '"« '^.' east of Scotland^hat
ambulating the Pent?and mn^ ^'[.Pf V^""'^ . ^* ^"^ ''•'» accordingly per-
peculiarlyVeeStthe We™ ofth' ^^''^^ ^"^^ of Edinburgh-^e^e«
while Mr. Pdlok with his fril!. 111 H^ P'cturesque. An incident occurred
troops and the eovernte'Sirififii km"'!'"'*" ^^"S'^' between the King§
of the peasantry in th^Ta ^ Th«v h'S '''[fT """t "^^^ °" ^« <'««"°«»
if they were near the Xp 7k 7 ^"^ """^^^^ ** * shepherd's house to a^k
it was^lose at hand, sent h^t if ^^ 7^'° o'' ^^e house informing them that
beside the Marty«';,retracb^^ '?• P°'"* '* °"* ' '^^ ^^'^^ ^dwn
the pious pilgrimZ when th-v ' £ ^ ,J"««r'Pt'°"- To the astonishment of
came out of Lr^,ra/e ^iKl^.^'^.^i''*'^ "§.'*>« hallowed spot, the mother
her head that they Ze ' fe^" ' u ^rj^ ' T'>' ' ^^^ ^''^ ^"^en it into
and perhaps oarry her ?nto pTnK f ?"* ."* '"''•'*' *^»y "^^'h her daughter,
not known, but sLZ>itai off fr^^ p' fr^^/i^" ' ^^^' ^ary (houfht is*
story is, that the T0.S0? ♦ .'°'" ^""•**" ^'^^"- The best part of the
Mr. Pollok, howeve^ld his fnlS' J ?! ^'^''"^ '^^'^^ **>«"> altogether,
to convince themXyite not ni^'i?'' into a frank confession^ and
youhg guide, and leZhZTrl /^''''^^ ^'™"" g'-"'"'*^ "P^" ^heir
have been much p eased with w'^^ff'^ and pleased. Mr. Pollok appears to
fancy were arke^Sj h„ k ""'u/^ '^^ ^^"'^'"'^ Hills-his feelings and
vivi/associatfons S p2t tfm^'^h- '^f? °f "^«. ?'"*>«?«<'». •« well a. fy the
following e:itraotfCattter?oS'K t' '^^i^ ^'"^ '^'^"^^ ''°«»»- Th«
feh. to his visit to Ed^burlh ?n n^"'*^®"' '^^^^^ '^'*' December, 1828. re-
lawyew innumerable • hTJ^VS^ ?r''"V^ '" *''« court of which are
• veieran hoary Sir.Wto^wb^Kn"'^ ' v!"°" ""'' ''"^ « °«- TheCastle,
country and sTa ftxS^T Ir^ t "'''"' '''*•'"' '»' «*"<* «*»« ^'•'^ of »owi, and :
defining. Ho^wcrf flouse L a l^L kTw'*' T'''^^ ?'"^"'^ *• "^^ ''^'^ '»««
B« wlSd w. tSuSt W m^^ TT '»"''*"'«•'• no^^'w ▼•ry remarkable.-*
hm thxl4ii.*s»K»*Tir?h^^ Kingi, o^r Stuarts, unfortunate tMng)^
»?S^« oaniMi ; I«d the dance m it* thto meSy IwIIb, Ml»ot -^rS
44
hUfE OF ROBERT POLItOK, A« M.
the luatreof fau* eyes, whose light has long since set for ever, and whose laugh
of love and kiodpess and mirthlulnesa, had passefi ere we came thither, had
cracked their crack, taken their glass, planned ftnd prospered, or had been dis-
appointed there ; and especially when we considered that all these illustrious
kings, and all these lovely dames, lay now mouldered into dust, we felt
I don»t know what we felt— you will feel it yourself." Mr. PoUok visited the
College, and heard Professors Wilson and Ritchie lectureon Moral Philosophy
and Logic ♦' Upon the whole," he siys, " we hi^ve been highly delighted, '
and therefore highly pleased with our short and wintry excursion. dmW
every week of our liie produce as many interesting ideas and feelings with as
few painful and indifferent ones, we would smile as we looked away into futu-
rity." ^ * •'
Upon leaving Edinburgh, Mr. Pollok returned to Moorhouse, from whence
he afterwards proceeded to Glasgow. Here, it appears, in consequence of
over-exertion, he was seized with a severe illness, which seems lor a time to -"
; have alarnkd his friends. He recovered, howqver, so far in the dourse of a
fortnight, that he waft able to write. The following letter, dated 20th March,
185J4, bears a reference to this, it affords a pleasing testimony to the grateful
feelings which Mr. Pollok cherished towards his friends for their attentions on
this occasion. '♦ I have had a severe sickness since I wrote to you last. I was '
taken suddenly ill. It was fever, accompanied and followed with a violent
rheumatic affection. Ten days was 1 closely confined to bed, and suffered
much froih the violence of the disease— much also from the vomiUng, blistering
and swreating ordered by the surgeons ; all of whjph, however, as they were
applied by the best medical skill, had a good effect. I was so weak, that I
could not stand without a^istance, reduced almost to a skeleton j but *ras never
m what you would call a very dangerous state, which was my reason for not
ordering a leter to you. • '
" a is now eight days since I rose : and bless the Lord my soul ! and '
all that IS within me be stirred to bless and to magnify his holy name." I am
recovering my strength with wonderful rapidity. The fever has burned up the
old constitution ; and a new one is fast forming, I trust in many respects bet-
ter. I am now able to walk out an hour and a half before dinner, and eat
moet excellently. Indeed my health is. much better than it was before the
attack. 1 am doing nothing yet but nursing myself.
I* You owe, heaVen gratitude on my account And surely it must be a
pleasing sacrifice to the Creator and Preserver of men, to see a brother pouring
fourth his soul in gratitude for a brother, so assisted and cared for as 1 have
been by Almighty goodness.
"During my illness I was most piously attended. Margaret came, in the
fulness of unwearied attention, ministering to my comfort. Miss Campbell
came, fleeting like the light of heaven, glowing with infinie regard. My
father ! O how did his countenance comfort me ! John, Mrs. Pollok, Miss
Janet Pollok, Miss Jean, Robert, all circled me round. And even M., like the
storof the morning, lovely, sweet, and glorious, drew near, and threw the
gia(me88^>l^ifin3tienc6 into my bsarti- fMy-^ilsB^- in-Gl Mg omy . fcre 'gwwHy »t* —
tenUye. Mr. Marr warthe 8t»y,wheel God Almighty plaee^ «! my rkht hand.
Kejoice with me my brother, and ♦ bless the JUrd O fny wmJ.* " .. #
After Mr. Pollok had recovered his u»ual state of bealtli^nd strength, it
appears, that in ^tompany with two other friwda, he made • abort lour to Gibv
van, Ballantrne, and Stranraer., pIaoe« in tfae^amith of Scotland. , fmttidthm
r«gi«o«jt cooiprelMinded Within vl»M i» oalWf'Af **hm4 ^ Biirtii^'* ww*: '
V
z'
LIFE OP JtOBERl' POLLOK, A.4,
45
roll throayh beautiful ..les, over whow .h. 1 , ' "" Stiochar, and the Ayr,
> . —■ ' -"•"• '"cjr loeioaious and
i» bnet account of this tour breservaH hi, «.,! r m n-:,-T'"'""6'J'' ^'^ "no. >n
name, that they were muchTeStS^ wfh t^^^^^
atfeams. They stood upon tLHrlK^ u^ *'*®'^ ^'^^ ^« *•»» fi«t of theae .
. peated that beiitiful lyT^Se J^^^^^^^ ^««" ♦ '«d as they^
bonny Doon,'' they doubt?e^?e3JriJ ^^'If^ " T* »«°^" »"d «>«« o»
themselves destined to urSc^TZ^ ^"^ '''^ '^°''^ «*' Nature, though
Solomon expresses U, ^nTJne^o^'.'J^ T' ^"^^f ^*'»° "«" 5 o^, S
<^ometh, but the earth abideth TrTvrr^'^^Si'oT^' "!? ''"'^•''^•' ««»«™»'o»
worthy of notice in this tour, is a drrnm^t. <>« yjncident which we deeih
H 11. within fo^ir miles of C&rvan and wmIk •' ""^^^ °f^"«** «»» ArdmilJan
Time. Some of Mr. Pollok's frSnd^ ro^JJ w " '^'^f^, *° '« '^^ ^oui^e of
top of the hill which slopes into lse:i1iTvi;.t ^'^' '^''"^^ ^""^ ^''^
It might be, to brin? to the test JZ^^^^T!^^ ^'^^ ^'^ wantonness-or
PppAfamouslinesVetlTislThrolitnTl'*"'^^^
"The hug« round stone, resulting with a bound
^'•""^r^P^tuou.Klown. and smokes alo^",J; ground."
4"us\X^^^^^ had .Had with pro-
bottom, over the precipL. aCall Sain wit^ '"V° *^^f f' ^^^^ ^^""d at^he
sea—and into this the stox^ Z ILtT' ^i^ "* beautiful bay formed by the
ject of th?s Memoirh,^nrs<^nt «!" Ti? '? * '*^'^** P'^^ ThJsT
claimed-" O M . wEiTtwo t ° r ^-h"'*""! l^ "^^ ?'''*=* ^l^*^" ^e e.x-
partingWe,andhadfallerby7hy S ^^'^^ ?** 1^ °"« ^^^ o^
have mad, a deep impression upoLhis mind ^1 ^'"'. '"^"'*''* ^PP^**™ *«>
man, he recalled it to his remembrance ^ndJ° fJl P.- '''"^ ^'"^ '^^ ««»*1«-
such a pastime again. WiZut S^Jf' r.."^."®' «* '»"» n«ver to engSge in
•ngs of L poet ;Cd wi;"Jrgterllt o/ml'*'^''^ ''f'l^'' '^ »^« '"-"
sense and prudence, we are disE t?tJ TluP'^^'^ of the like good
occurrence in the world. ^ ^ ^^"^^ *^«''« «^«"J<J «>« fewer tra|ical
tton te;^l;^Sg^.!^r^^^^^^^^ claims our atten-
saymg had been the dafling of h^Zl f^ J "* • ^^'^'V" *« find JUm
^-ver.'^ he says, " hear the iS^\.rJ^r u * .. "» *""«• " ' «>uM not. how-
thing out of 4; halds befo^ I haJ^ 3^ '"'^V^'* °'''^''» f«'««» to let^'
jime and pain7' Ss mtd thoulipr'S ''''"^ "« P^'*'^'* " ' *°"W^y
long wavered in the choi e of a fu£t1.n^w''f °'"°*' thoughts »«d imager
the lines of Urd Byron on .^0^^^^!; S^ilj^rtl^fr^^^ ^'^^^
^L^''^'^^ ^ ^hfeh WW a ct all a dr«»»^
l^^^^t7!;ZV^r,^^^^^ i« ..de io a letter
Him that three weeks before rN^'^Y^L/jfh^Jii^' ^^ '^'''"^ '»•' ''''•"'•'"''
ful theme, which had greatly elevated jSlitl? *^«" ^'W'Pied on a delight,
h** WW Writing In Wank ve sV„ lie J^t JSZ^t ^T^^^"""/?"^ and That
wo«Moutllf.l»imittthhi wori*. «S^^Jt^^'!i♦^^^ •'••t »»« anticipated it ,
46
LIPE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. J|.
D^EriS^"^ A^^rL ^^^"" ^y^^"* about the lOth. of
uecembety mu. As the reader may bi? curious to have as full infnrml :
" In cuetomed glory bright, that mom tho sun .,
Kose. '
As he went on, ho began at intervals to'^elcct and arran-re materials -anHin
d,rough h Hke ™ avenue „W, ,„» «™ r^2„lVo' 1 • JlHrtTle' 'h!
book ,hf, hough,, belonged whenever ihcj occurred ohm fe
We find himself, in a letter dated 7tli Fehniarv isv» ,)„,. ,»«,* • .
the poen, :--;' The subject of the poen, in whic^ra^^^^
InHT;?^ '"""'"' Y^""'^'''' and if .hat Divine Rnrrit whrdve^all iho^^^^^^
and ail utterance be not offondefl with my pravers it shall nmi^Li ^ '
rinjh completed the nr.t1,^kof nll^X'/S;^: sr."''t'"'"r
or date thp 14fh «<• Ma« ^r .u '"^"riy « inQttsa,«a versesi. ' ln,ai»Qiher 'tier
<i»hlH
%
MFR or ROBBttT FOIXOH
'■1 '4»'. If4
^
iahed I inteM to rest a littio l i^h.
fi«d, whens«er the weather «eIwLrX?""^ '^' 7^ """""«'• '"°°""'. *« I
ishes." It ,^»y. here be „og«ed thaTw? PoFlT^ ^"^ u'""^ ^''^''^°« i"i«-
occupied wiitheae studies. I„ ^ tier J^nf' '"°'^'" ''^^^ ^''"^''^ ^'^
that christiattWQthers were enikl«T»n k- "^ ^T' "^^a^ive we have swd,
attention they>estowed orfhoXt.«i;? «°"«dfation in Scotland for The
Wing tcmimoSil of MrPollok to thk ^n'T" °^ '^1' *^"'^'-«"- The fol-
place. Referring to his noem aft!r -f ^ ''!?' '"""''y «^ insertion io this
mother's ^ivinityf the ffivUth Vf" n^^''^'^' ^' ^«y' '-" It hiS ny
have ampUfied l^ from ilh^ J lea hpH .V^^"" ^^•'" ' ^^« * boy. I may
always f5«n^ that her'sT^iiiuel^^^^^ but in writing the poem 'j
out. I always drew on herTfirlf St''"' '^ ^'"^ ''^°'» "'hiclPl set
what kind of a divine sEe wa '' Thefirl?' ^P'T. *!.* ^''''' '^his shows
were written were the seventh, eiS an 1 nT tr'^^^?"'^ °^Time whioh
dated 24th January, 1826. a fL S „' J ^^' }" " ^*'"^'" '° his brother,
arising from external caus sfl: firfet'hf "'''""'' °''.r^*^ depression
ofthis, that I would send a book "r two. n " "^'"gJ"" Now, be assured
you would receive them ; but Ihave iTh.Uh" .'''''' ^" ""''^ ^^^^^^''^ ^ha?
. ';\«!^"'« " imprudently to'sendiil-,„7a"°^^ ^^.P^' ""^ it would be
of Its miscarrying, and tl^consequeSripatlLloTr ^''f ««« ^'^« P°««iWlity
1 do reckon it valuable and i' -^ r A P^ 'oss,— I mean to myself fJr
just now ; neither my h^' io m'^tt 'wTr"'''^ ^'^' ^ ?" tranJcrib; i
much, that you may acQuU)31t"LT? a ^7""'^^ "'^- ^ ^^^^ said this
anyof the poem atL.re?TrepeYt U Sfn 1 ''"' '" "°* ''"'"^^ ^^^
the strongest motives which imnpl« I / ^ ' "^*^ >°" ^^y «ee it is one ol
which I fave your gratiflS tf™ ral'l' ''^ '''''' '''. P*^'^ °^'t li
but you see plainly That, at presen? T 1 ! ^ '''"'y '"°'"«"t ^ ""^ «^ritin« ;
we shall soou meel. I cal^o fiS^h ZT ''"^ ,*"^ °/ '*' ^^ "'^ »'« «P*^
are written. Excuse me for talk ,m ^^ ^V '"'" *''"" '^'g'^' booksJlfive
|tudy." It is one of ^L "vH "^of^ s Xi"*^ ^r^'^ ""^ '*>' ""'^j^^* °f «^
Cental labour is superadded, fat there is ho r7 ''^ "'°'"" «^«°iaHy wh^
nected with it ; accordingly we fi„d Sr PoHot^ ?',''"!\' ""'^ «"«'«""g ««"-
I>oem.8ince the date of last letter conLip';;^ l^"" ''^'^ ?^^" b"«>«^ *'tlv hi,
l^atJ ; - Qf myself I have li l?'to^Iv »'^^ r""^^" complaints :-3rd March,
• 1-ve finished. Leo I beg:„ £ wi, e"^^* hree SL "" f" "°' ^^^^'P'^^^"*- I
present my health very much in need of ren!?r i^' u "'^ ^""^""^ ^"^ ^ ^t
have just had on a blister, and I hone i ITa ^ ^'^^^'^ ♦'■°""«» "»«• I
wrue a..y more for son.e tinJe Vnd shlirn '"'"" ^'''"^- ^ ^° "'>' i"tend to
Mr. POUok. notwitlistandinThSs ^eak heL^h^ ^""P *V'"^^'^" '^ '"y '^^^''h."
a«.*iduity at hi., favourite task and w!tb ^.h' °°"''""r^ »° labour with great
.nomhs sooner.than he antic" atcd. We find Z" ""' ''" ^"^^*'«^ '» ^^^^r-^'
evenr m.Lis life in a letter addressed to hi, .1 T ""e2^'"g thi. important
,, "it is with muc . pleasure^' he lay » thlt'I' ^"^^'^ ^'y' '828 :.-
Ibat I have finished my poem SlLTP\ ^ ^ """ ""''^ able to teU vou
three ihouaaud dye i.undS verf^s w ilht '" ^°',' '"f, ^ ''^^^ *"««" '^^
dr.d every >^ uc .? . .8 i ve.d..^t^w*^T»^°^'^'^ ^" r e t he n a^hual
t. be continued so longTS I neXr cln S'Trt'"''"'''?'""'"^ *^P^^«'«°
but an extraordinary manifestation of n?." . ''' '" ^^"""'^^ '' to anything
I H a^ on the borders of feieri rjLe' ' ^"'^'''''' .^^^^'°"g'» «'»« V^
•48
tint OF KOttRT VOLIAK, A. '«.
STi T„ 1^ «n«Hnrt,«»n, I felt the body beginning to give way. Bat now
Um^ I^ave finished. tho»gh with the great heat, and thellmost GninterruJS
/ S JfL"*'*' ^ t™ i*y ?? •"~°« languishing and feeble. Since tte firS of
/inS I SH^ts/*" *''•* ^7 i '^T" *'«'^' ^^^ ''»^« had a Grecian atmiphTre ;
/ A.i I .m nnl'""'"" '^ ^I^.* '*'*^*'"' of inoaluablo beitfefit for mental pSSt
w T °o"^'nced that summer is the best season for great menul «t
nrwJr»?^!r' *^^ ^^''^ P"»™°'«' ^''^ circulation of the blood, the stagnatS.
whlh iVf "" g™»t «fV«« ^^^'^i'-ery to cogitative men. The serenitylf S
which I have posseseed is astonishing. Exalted on my native moofttains wd
Z sS iftLT.i''' -"P "^^'f/f'yl'ighest of them, I proceeded fC day to
<lay, as if I had been m a world in which there was neither sin, nor sickness
nor poverty. In the four books last written, I have succeeded "n alm^t ev^'
nstence up to my wfehesfand in many places I have exceeded anXS
I had conceived. This is not boasting, remember. I only say I have eSi
the degree of excellence which I had formerly thought of. ^ ♦ ' . »
lUve be all well my poem may be ready for the press soon after the New
Year, whfch is the best Ume for publication Ttius has it gone '^h me J^
K^srhlZ.'^ f'il^^'r '''''*^'' "" Butthesame fea^rr whTeh S^!
tl^ hoi- of . ; K '•*> advantage to me, has in a great measure destroyed
b'rSw^Ttl'rnlTnt.'"'""-^^^ "^^^ '°°' "'' '^"^ ''' pasture ground. L
We shall reserve our remarks on " The Course of Time" t» the close of
our Narrative, and only add » few particulars as to the time «d manner of
t» composition The period within which Mr. Pollok was engird rwiStfne
ihJ^n" ^^"'^'^ '^^ ^^'^ of December. 1824, and the llJ^f JulyTS
-4hat 18, one year and seven months, less three days. It may be allowed a!^
tll?"^ ""' '"^^' ^/- ^"""^ ^*^ '^P"''^ t" i'^^'^^ inteVniptions aris ;^
from his preparations for the Divinity Halfc so that the period seems to hivf
been considerably lets. His whole soul, however, was engaged in the work
r„lTK* "^'y '* *PP"' '*'** he economised his time to ^ttermwt^ven
rm^JhSlV.T.''"'"'^^*/-^"?'^*^ with thb favourite theme j and du^L the
r/p . K ^'u*'°"P'^'^'"S'''"^'^ ^"^'••°'" Church, brtween Moorhouse
and Eaglesham, he was engaged in mental composition. And here we ma^
just remark, that in the present improved state of society, when we have the art
of wriUng earned to such perfection, and pen and ink in such consJant r^adl
ness, men/a/ composition sounds as' strange and unaccountable; and vet it is
most certam that the ancient bards of Scotland, whose songs hav'e TnTdln
the case that Ossian sang, as certainly as his father the great Pingal SEht
self IS said to have got up his poems of the Iliad 'and Odyssey in the same way •
and If our memory does not fail us, the learned bijrian Mitford i™ oHhi;
opinion. It would appear, therefore, that the memories of men would bewor
derfully strengthened if they put more trust in them. Tho^ who were ulac-"
liiamted with wr ting were obliged to do so ; and we see, as in the caTof
5Sr ont*L'''"'*:S^'V' ^'^"'''' ^"^^ '"^y "'^'^ not'disa;L„t:d""The
gutter of the CoursexrfTime,-iri»tTOe,Wfnoro»§moidoS^
whatamounts to the same thing, he was under auohfatrong moU^ to iTe*
too, and his memory like that of the Minstrel, of old, was lo\mdeomSt
SlJ^jr? ""P^"*' "P°" "• Accdrdingly. •fter oompoaing por^io^^^^W^
way, heaftonvard. wroto tb«m down ihi^Xh»ym^h.^^^^^ji^h^
\
Bat BOW
nterruptc^
the first of
Biosphere ;
il pursuit,
mental ex.
stagnation
ty of mind
ttains, and
>m day to
r sickness,
Mwt every
'thing that
) exceeded
• *
the New
h me and;
whiioh has
destroyed
>unds are
e close of
nanner of
in writing
uly, 182ft
»wed also,,
s arising
» to have
he work ;
lost ; even
uring the
loorhouse
I we may
ve the an
mt readi.
i yet it in
>me down
id iMf. is
il nUght.
mer him-
me way ;
is of this
d bewon-
»re unac-
I case of
»d. The_^
btitthenr
t to have
mentally
ompetent
A in ihift*
Mi bar*
LI?* Of BQ9^RT f 01,I,0«, |rS^.
™S V ""I ""'J "*?' "'•■ <^'8'- "f ScTboroughT •• that RowT;. ilv
thejr social mirth and family conversation." ' we.evemngs jom u,^
Having said this much to gratify the reasonable ciiriosilv of »hx. .^.A
spectirtg tho tim-j and manner of the sKtinc uo th« n^^ 7» reader re-
some matters which, in the course Kur\aV,ijiv^r we L'lrZ,*.'"'' ^"
Mr. Pol ok attended the Divinity Hall of the uS 4^«„! o^P^u'l °''.^'"-
the sessk,ns occurring between th" years lei^anSilQflTo.T'^ ."''•'' ''""J'S
IS, during five successive sessions. ^The Ex!rcUii^!!'n^^^^^^
besides hearing the Professor's lectures, were the ^S of ,h/soif "*^'"'*
and 182^ fl tK- ^h^rcf" of Scotland, during the sessions of 18*>4-5
just mentioned-Matthew. V. 8 "Blessed arl the „. rn !""h V^r'^ T ^^'"
spfi ri™l " Tk^ .•„ c 1.. ^^" are the pure m heart, for thev shall
training such a pS arSr fclS^ IrfJ -- ^ ^"' '^''^l^^"* "»
J«« pupil^wid o^^mporwiw, that of iho oilier AVaFw^^
49-* H
50
LIFE OF nanttLT POhhOK, A. M.
{ everyrtimg like part.zansh.p m dealihg with the memories and with the nervia^
j of disunguished men ; and we cannot help feeling that there is TJh^dt^I^T
consmcMOUs m the manner in which the services ?f Dr Maoiriir In S tK ?"
I gicaftraining of Mr Pollok, are glossed over in 'L pulThef M Jo^ "" A^d*
I Here, in speaking of Dr. Macgill. we may be allowed to intr^uce a few vetpl
"^"fJ there with countenance benign, \
Where piety and learning shine, ^ .
Would sit the good Macgill ; *^
God's holy counsel skilled to teach,
And eke to lead as well as preach
The way to Zion's hill-.
Friend of my youth ! with counsel sage
Ult didst thou guide my ripening age
In God's most holy way ;
Still peaceful be thy honoured lot,
^''','>o'h the Teacher and tho taught
Meet in the realms of day.
„ Friend of my youth ! full rrliny a song .
wril greet thee when thy course is run.
. ' In yonder holv land !
Some have already reached it's shore,
Some tarry here, some go before,
As (Jod may give command.
For thou hast trained full many a youth
To preach the way, the life, the truth,
In Kedar's wilds afar !
Their trophies there are also thine,
And thou Shalt therefore henceforth shine
Unght a? the morning star."
mmmmm
' , - ■'r-'-~7 ~ f—j "° «»M»i iieeus nave nad a fair
Tr^ /S?"^?^ he writes *«in this wearisome process (of bopyineVw I ]IZ
o?h i^"" Mr"'" ^*"'),^ho^hAs undertake/the wri ing oS o7f^r\wS
of U, and will soon have th^m firtished. It is astonishinifwfth wh«^ aS
she reads my old crabbed manuscript." The S sher whom Mr ^S
„ „ variety
these are handled
ofcVi * ft 1 J""K^ "• "'o manner- m W
and As I hope the poeiA will exj^Iain itwlC t deetttft
which
uav
■^^
LIFE WT ROBERT POtLOK, A. M,
:(
creed of our countrv. Ih he1aniua57 iM"""^- ^ faring from the approved t
pous and swelling phraesologv and ha^e afrS TT y ''^'^^P^^ ?
sp.cuity. If the wSrk take at all it 1,1 T^f T^^- *\ "'"^"S**^ ""^ P«'-
are alike interested in the sub/ec of it ?hl fiL'''*'f 'T'?'' »» »" '"an^nd
may be a little difficult to read tiie four .««./'* ^?'' '" '"^*^'^" han<i. „
young hand, are rather crowd^ in th/v^i ' '"]"''? ^"'^ *~P'«d >>/ a f
curacies; but the person who h able to ^h'' ""'i ^here are some inap> J
will also be able to correct for h mself anvrhfn ""i V^^ ."?""* °^ ^^« "'Ork* '
wood, upon receiving the manusc ^01 lent ^ r ° °^ *^" ''^"^- "r. Black.
and Mr. Moir of MuLlburTruX;'?!!'/""^ P""«^l vto Professor Wilsob
and these gentlemen havin5 eZt^' ttJZ"'' underNhe signature Delta.,'
formance, he signified to M? PoC hi/;!, "'• -'^ 1.' '^ ^^^ ""e"** of the per j]
the New Year.^ It was agreed at the "'2 r ""^ r"'"^ '^ *° ?»•«•« ''l^Ut. '
should be pabfished, and Mr PoUok Jhn.fM T ''""V^^^ « s'nall edition only'
cordingly,';„ a lette'r to his fathe Ited JanuaTv%d',«o.'°'"^« T^""' ^^^
writing thus: " I have been waitinranx,n.^«l?7 ' ^®27,-we find the Author
something decided to say about "mf J^m " aU'^n 'T k"'*' ' ""'«''' ^*^^
that It is in the press. Mr. Blackw^^hl nni IZ J •"" ''"PP^ ^^ tell yoti^
I would have giVen it, has agreed trJubth^'/ ff ''''''" '" ®'^°»''^nd t°*hon»
^ my own haSl, and of coufset:: JetSll ^ 7^:!!^^^^
».,wu a magazine — one of the most now«rf.,] d • '• i;"'""""^'' xa i'
I^etter than this, his opinion of ,pv Trk T«Jtl^''''.^\'" ^"'«'''- »«» 3
own; and you know Shat is hi2^„Zj "jTJTT^^ ^'^^-^^ %»» «« my M
day, and he has no doubt that whatev«fm« J Jf .* ''^''^^"''ti"" witi him to- -I
first, it will ultimately take a hfghTd a [a,^n^' ^'P^'^" °^ '^' ^^'^ .« \i
poetry. He was pleased indeed to comDlimeltt/ P'*°.^- 1?""^ ^''^ English fl
great happiness that I come f.7m RenfrewThTrl w^^^^^^^ ''1.^'''^' f"*^ •'^.'••«^»«d .J
But what is of more advantage to me than V^i- ^^ '>-' - "^ "'"'^ *''°- ^'
"19 with all his miffht in rfv.-,?n?!nJ^ ^' .''® *"*^ ''"•^''^ off^^d to-assist
through the press l^wmSf r„J«°'';^«f"g ^he sheets as they co^e
pointe'd out tSe character ofTod^ Bvtn a, "'' '" '"" ^'^^ ^'^'^ »'^- ^i^n
writing;' he will remember th«heXu"hrit?hrZ ^-^V™?^''*"/ piece ol
may be thoutfht that Mr R^iiniTk j ^"^"o"* 'f the best of the irhole.^"* It
harrassed Wra-but it would seemX thel «m1J ^*"^.'*'^^*^''*^ '^heTti
well as ^dverse-^r thoug^the Aithor oTth "n ^ "pon things prtwperous as
to have now reached the^oal of histi Jes and t^ lS'"T ^ ^'T "^F^ »»id
arouodl earned brows,4he embLm oriSrta,r ^uT"!^ ^AisMm "
pears to harebeen in such a state of nel^lt?' "'"'"°,'''s grasp~he ap-
his evo« fr^r nif*hfi torrrthir T .""^^^^^ excrtement. that a>»^p fl^ fmf
"Toung-—
«ie«Rj>^» ffi^wi; -ig-s:^
" Nature's ,weel restorer, balmy .leep."
LIFE OF ROBERT POttOK, A.
H.
f<l::itTJd"yetLTsta?ou^^^^^^^ ^"f -^ '"-»' «^--«>'t as the want
Is us he " lay rerr„irt bt^H * *l°"''"'°" « »•»« ^i^^ referred to, for he
ionofthej^^^TS^^^^^^^ Thepubli!
tetr^re^art^S ^J^ ^^™^^^^^^^^^
\> press. Burw^hTwrll, f^rltZ^^^ ° ^''! l*!^^!^ «« ^^^^ ^"'"e fro'"
-vy usk was laid upon h^tst i he h«^ v •*"1 »'?'«*««. that another
-this was his prepWtirsC the Prifdr ^^^^'^^ °^ '''^ P^«^io«
sach the Gospel. BeX, comnnl: ^^^^^^^ license to
ed^bove,P8Sm7n7 "HjT^ ^u"n^"f''''' '^'^^"""^ «" the Text,
conti«ied as b^aL h; sun and"'m:n'ln 1"''^/°'' T' = "'« "*"« «ha!
Ill caflHim blesfed"-!^ textClv "hil ^ • '*''''*^ '""''" ^ *» "»»'<>"«
ly appropriate to be p^n o thrha^s nf h ! \1 P'T"u^' ''"'* ^«« P^*'"!^-
d which the Presbyfery orobaWv tSnf ^ ^. u"^'?"'' °^*^« bourse of Time,
P same time wrote CL'^^gesJsL'ti^t^ Mr. Pollok aboul
fidei judex ? Whether Kchurlh If Q ^'* ^*L*''^'''' ^«' Scriptura in
^h?" It is true thrthesr^cerctrL u'k'P*"-^ '^^ j"*^g« '" "•«««" of
•^ Pollok had heCrhru:rsr«;eofh"U"T^
Jihe figure Of a noble Author ,kL I "" ' ^^^ ^e was not so. To
V nl.de the wate^of btt" rness ^^rJ'"""l ""'' ^''"^"^y *"""' ""^ this last
•. Pollok, received hL Erto 'r2rh'''^7'o ,^"' "^ »'"« afterwards.-
►re; and though not he had Irn^pH °"r'''' ^*^.°'" '^"^ °^*''« y«" ""ted
strange to say, on the vertnTxt 1 w% u^- " ^'""^ """"'^ »''*» «f » P"lpit,
^,•alIS upon'lo"p;each [a Csfr et ChToel foT^ " Edinbur^h)V'
•»ly' a man Tnay well sav^ Savl.!! r ^ ^.^'^^ congregation.—
'ached entirely from memo^; H. Lh k- "" "^ ^'^"^"•" ^'^ P«"ok
«e mentioned in the S^iS'lCiSs 8 9? «"T"Jf''tr-'^ ^«« °"« "^
Ited it as he thought. It so hamS,:/'!. ' nlh^had thoroughly com- ■
u«e he falteredJthis ^eZ'XTei'^ri'd^^^
r, by a strong exercise of mind he recOveMKllH «f «gony ; how.
b;^ sensation, he acquited himself with g3^^ ^dea. and wuhout exciting
'>n. says a relative of his own was " pJ? ' delivery of the ser-
^fi^,nd impressive, accom^l^^ feeling mild
^"oILtjl^^^^^^^^ great still:
witbinthreemiles o1-thrS^rf.ETh?.'T' Slateford, a villV which
gerp he was on a vrsiU^nlS ? ^''' *' the foot of the Pentland
Eik'urch WritJhi 1 Y^ ?®""^S®' *" esteemed Minister of the
others, 'were licepsTd to preach ttTi'l^*"!"^ *"*^ ^' "'""« ^''h "«>'■
Station that I pa^ from amo^^ ,hl fai^v an^^^ *" not without much
•w perfectly saUsfied with tlinfe'D I LvILI Jr ^''^'"^'^ ''"'«^' ^"1 I am
p afternoon, and I ;*« fo7tunTeZ?h^i^"'l?''r*'? ''''' '° P'^**^' '"
fat I was compelled to proS tots VlT^^^ *"" fr endship so much,
Ire on Sabbath both par s oHhe day l^-^^' '''••^"' *"'"• ' ^'''"*^*"'^
I tation. both because it was so dfsinlLst J «n?r T"'!!^ ^ *"'^"P'^'* his i„-
UFE OF ROBfinr POLLOK, A. M.
*?■■
_, , The last ser„„/L'to| r ZTl't,"'' ™/la„dal„ry,f. ■*" '^.
rton, .1.3 ! . very shf« MhSv'^^fr '"J'i "'^ ». h.d! .Qn^
^x Ks '%i '■~^"ihrrj;''^rt 'Z';,'"? '"^'''' ^-
•h. .uw«. of r; ^s,"" z'"r d T^"'* «»>sSi^ .0 ™/;.-i,°£!:
o . beuer world, ., „e fondly E'.hirlJo"" ""' "?' '^"''^ he w«O.S
"he poetry and music of An.»ek S r.t '" ™«^ '" <he services .rrf 7r.3
wZ a. hl^'" '"■=[■ "'"' J"" A"olll into L J'S °'?:'>' ™™ »•". I
i. lenBthened eSi,u?,;.f in'ZTnc rs^ST' '"""''«•'" 'h«. Srf
•IJjfny affairs." * ♦ ♦ A«?n ?^' 1 ''!' "P^" ^^e whole pijn!r^f.
yju of the numerous MU^niV^^Tl^^ ^'''''^' •-" I ^'^y^ iX7^\
What ha« gratified me mor, the veJv^ received from literal ^
-ved from the ve.ra.; M^L^ W*^;"..^^^^^^^
54
LIFE OP: ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
"Man of Feeling." I felt his attenuon to be as if some literary patriarch had
Sfrfr '"4'l*^'*''^^°uH'^*"f*^°'"«*'°°°"'•• * * * I have received
«^U troro Blackwood which has relieved my mind from present anxiety "
m . i*/^""' ^0"°*'s health seemed rather to decline during his residence at
Slateford, aod as it was thought by his friends and medical advisers that he
mi^ht yet rally, if he was moved to a southern clime, it seems to have been
decided that he should go to Italy, and there spend the ensuing winter It
WM thought advwable, however,that he should take a short sail northwards to
Alxirdeen, in order to try whether he would have the requisite strenirth for
endurmg a voyage up theMediterranean. This arrangement seemed in many
respects advisable, as we find Mr. PoHok writing, two days before setting out
,p>m Slatetord, that he was improving in health and vigour. " I thank God "
he says, writing to his father, « that I am able to inform you that mv health
advances steadily, and with much more rapidity than I could possibly have
expected. It is only about three weeks since I began to discover that my con
«titution, under the blessing of a kind and infinitely merciful Providence had
tegun to master the disease. My appetite is now excellent. I eat more in
one day than I did in a week when I came to Slateford. I have been in Edin
burgh almost every day for the last weelj." A critic having accused the
!t''liA-I^"T'°^' he replies :-" This is absolute nonsense. I am conscious
timt 1 did not borrow a thought from any poet, dead or alive, in the whole of
A L "**^® °*^ •^""®' Likenesses here and there occur among all poets •
nd when it so happens, the critic always charges the author with imitation'
ihis 18 one of the evils of authorship, which we know before we publish and
|We submit to it with cheerfulness." Mr. Pollok, it may be mentioned, received
taotner visit trom Mr. Mackenzie, an honour which he seems to have rightly
ippreciated ; and yet it was nothing more than might have been expected of
Ihe Man of Feeling' to sympathize with a brother poet in his afflictions
»n the 18th of July Mr. Pollok left Newhaven lor Aberdeen, by the steamer'
nd reached the latter city oo the same evening. Here, though our Author'
eceived much kindness and many attentions, from friends and admirers he
Iocs not seem to have received benefit otherwise. He holds out encouraging
lOpes, indeed, m one letter to his father, but it would seem that these were
holly delusive, as indeed the nature of the hand-writing appeared to indicate
ccordingly, afler a slay of two weeks, he returned to Edinburgh, from
^henoe he proceeded to Moorhouse, where he arrived on Friday the 10th day
f August. His friends there, who had not seen him for ten months within
■biohUme he had become a preacher of the Gospel, and had attained to high
lonour as a poet, were eagerly and fondly expecting his arrival. We here
ranscribe the following passage :—" About mid-day some one, more watchful
:han the rest, said, ' there is a chaise, that will be Robert now,' and almost
s soon as the words were uttered, the chaise came up with him to the door-
ill in the house, old and young, running out and gathering about it, eager to
ee him. Scarcely had we felt the first bound of joy at his arrival, when his
[ook went to our- heart with a pang. Arter asking for us in his usual way. he
^al ked into the room, an d sat^own bes ide the old table at whichJie used Jo
ntfrranrfohf irowatfecifng waslOo see the man wTio had, in his ordinary ~"
lealth, only thirteen months before, finished there • The Course of Time '
etura ao weak in little more than five months after its publication." In a letter
vhich Mr. Pollok Wrote to a female friend while at Moorhouse, the following
assage oooiirs :— " As I am extremely well," (alas ! says his brother he was
Itreinely ill, as the hand- writing and dictipn of this very letter tesUfy througlj.
=Ber:
UFU OF ROBKET PO|.LOX,
At'M.
changeable climate might have onTJnt of -the bad effects which its extremelv
very near Mr. Gila^ouX S^hTyl^L^T'T''- ^' PWIadelpbiH oUv
hours. I dialike the lean S tha^VouToulXi^'r'^ ^ twemy.ffi
regions, which, I can iwsitivelv sav i^r^ m r^f ^ '° ^o"' «>ul in these
which came down fromTaven TL'm r .lyPP""^^ "^''^ '^^ bread onlS
tostay behind your earthirrelations "mt^''^*'^** ^^^ °««d °ot feaj
I^ ?I!f r-'; 'T''^ charge here made aSain^?plr.^ T^' ^^ '^^ child of
lean food for the soul, we conceive toT Sf<^ Philadelphia, as holding forth
attention. Before making such cSaLs Uil^ll?' ™i'' "*^"^« tomerit^muS
^ 80, we much fear the Author 3dL^lf 7^ ^f^ ^ look at home; and
For our own part, judging iJy hrrellis Zr T"" ^l!""''*^ ^°' ^oa^ing
from the press of PhiladeloS wa TJf u P"''''c«»t'"n8 that we have reS
tone of riligious feeling iZhe7thanr„ ^"^ ^''"'''"''^ ^° believe that tSe
Mr PollokattMld ofly fiTdays w"th h L fr.'nT ''T '" ^'^^ ^'tal-
gratulating him o^n the greirsuccet "f ht nT '""". ^'' ^^Jlo^^-students" ^^n
sympathy for him in hif affl ctE I„ PHfnh 'T*^ '*P^^^^^
amer, the Rev. Dr. Brown he" at for ?.^"'^«''g''.' «» the request of his entet"
IS now in the possession of"'hat genttman Tlht''^ °"?'"^' ">«""»-« !
Belfrage, he experienced a repetlion o???' V ^J"^ ''°"*« "^ bis friend, Dr i
enced on hjs i^ori^er visit, and^TSch w tve il,^^^^^^^^^ -hich he expert
Sir John Smclair, a gentleman in uXl \ * "^^ady had occasion to sneak
seemed always to giorind who wIpv'^'V''" Pure flame of pSsm
contribute to the advant'ageof his na^^riand'"^^ ^undertake whatever mX
on Mr. Poiiok special ma?ks of kindnes! Sir I T ''P'"?' "'^""«'' ^^^t^'vTd
evaporate in a few emptv comSfnt' ["^ '^^"* g°°dness of heart did not
which really conf ributeZthinTwhaTe " ' Jh '"''• \' ^''^ Pronounced and
penned Sir John gave palpaL imons, -t^'"* 'fJ''^^^^ «'" '^f'^'" they 'we"e
shape of what was .^ally'i^ee^dtf toTl^ poJ Tn °.?'' ^'^""'' ^^^ ^««'» i" 'he
And we deem it the more imnortRnM ^ '^ V" ^^® ^'"'^°" o^ his afflictions
because his Biographer seemrtolat^''"' '^^ *"""»*''» ^^ 'he reade" to fWs
than the bestowing of I gT and conr'' ''^ ' "P«" ^^^^ reading of an add -eS
impression, that the forl^r nite JK"'"!L^' ''^ '^'^"^^X ^he highly ?njurC
one Our opinion is the refe ^^ ■ \IL '"'^"•^; ^'^"'^ '^' '^««r is the vuZr
of Sir John, on this occas on Js an tlLT' "T'^''^' ^« ^^^ 'he conS
^JVe shall, therefore, brTefly state fhTi'?^^^ f ''""«'i°"-
on thjs occasion.^ First of ^l7ci?en Wh.n^r^ '"^'''* Honourable Baron«t
friends that he sliould go to I airSir John J"V''" ""^ *™«»g Mr. PoE
order to raise a fund to d.fr»' t^^ c^pcn^ ""S^' "!^ ^ '^^ "ijLcircuk^
-^IfflrMoh he came to hear oTthTSnT of T ""*?"**""' •^«t«i'« «he miT
by th« Reviews that had appeared •««!.- / '^'"' ''y the .gpirton rtTit formad
56
K
' LI#B 0P> itbfi«R»r POLLOft, A' M.
' ii^i'^^L^"'- °^J,*' *'«»«<'^I>M«iptloft of England and Seotland,botfk 5-
,^**.?'Jr«"»'gf y**!" »n P««d»e, b^^ These passages he copies in an
abridged «?'-n>. Itd^not appear what amount this clfcufar was the means
of raising la behalf ,«^he dym^ ^xjet, h would appear, however, to have
been oonaidetable, or St all events sjufficiem for the object contemplated. But
besides all thi*^Sir John manifested certain dclieate attentions, whieh none but
a man of a noble soul ever thinks of. For example, before leaving Edinbureh,
we hnd the Honourable Baronet writing the following catd •
. »' Sir John Sinclair thinks it right to send Mr. Pollok materials for writine,
the ^vant of which is often felt by travellers ; also cards for writini? his narnl
when he settles at Leghorn or aViy other place."
! " 133 George Street, Edinburgh, f '•
' 20th August, 1827. ( ' ,
I » The Honourable Baronet knew that a young man who had spent his^avs
m com^arauve retirement, and led a studious life, could not be supposed to
, have much experience. He remembered, too, his weak slate, (thouRh, alas I
he thought not he was so near the grave,) and wrote out the fbllowin|,Memor.
«ndum lor the supposed Traveller ; b • ,
Memorandum for Mr. Robert Polhk.
• 1. Sir John Siacldir has written to his son, George Sinclair, Esquire to
endeavour to got letters in favour of Mr. Pollok, to the^ritish ConsTat Leg-
J?<5;«^T?h P*' ^"*^ K^P^"'' ^'°'" ^°'^" Bankhous^, Esq., Under-Secretafv
, of State at the Foreign Department. It wouW be most material to get them.'
Z. But the great object is, f> get the assistance of the Literary fund for
t!.T?- '• °^ /f ' J^M 'y' *1.''/°'" ?*' ^"•■P^^^ " »« °^ the utmost ihiportance
that Mr. Pirie» (Lord Mayor of London,)ltould see. in person, Mr. Georce
Sinclairand S>r Bemamin Hohhouse, wilh as Dttle delay as possibl. ^
orrec- *^°"°^^'^''"*^ ^^'^e* <^opy or two of his work wiih him— one for
4..Remember the. "Muffler" in cold and damp, weather, particularly at
- J S
133 George Street, Edinburgh, I
20th August, 1827. >
Mr. Pollok received much attention from a ci-eat many friends whom
respect for his genius had drawn around him, beforf leaving Edinbur^ . w7
give here an extract from a letter of Introduction written by his B^kseller',
Mr Blackwood to a lady in Florence, Mrs. Bell :-« The reason," he says
R«L7poTu "^'^•^.T^ y«" "; that a very dear friend of mine, the R^.'
Robert Polbk, ,s on_ he pomt of setting ofTfor Italy, for the recovery of his
health ; and as he will probably take up his residence somewhere Wur '
neiahbourhood, I feel very anxious he should have the pleasure of knowing you,
M I am sure you will feel an interest in him, both for his own sake, anf L a
«ck countryman, to whom any little attenUon in a, foreign land will be so
grateful. Mr. Poljokjs the Aujhot of a very remarkable ^-^Thc (Cr^—
or 1 Irae, w hich, I regret now, I did not send you wUh the other books in Mr
ftWUne's parcel. Uent a copy of it to Mr. M., and you will see a Review of
It in the ^une number of my Magazine. The Critic, it is generally thought
hte done the Author suflicieni justice ; but the e.xtr«ct« spe^ for tlimselves
My venerable friend. Mr. Hanry Mackenzie, and a num£,r of our S LheJ:
ary meah«re, bave taken the greatest interest in Mr. Pollok, oa atsoount ©f
=of1
LIFE OF BOBEWr POtLOK, A. M.' 57
pa Wednesday, the aSqd August at «»!?.!♦ of ?^*"*'^"°^? '»''" toyou."
Leith, the porTof li^inburgh?;;' 'the ^te^^^.^^ °'*''«^'l' *• "'•'Mr. Pollolc left
, passage he reached LondoS on Friday TlAvi^i. "^ """•u'"!/ wugh
Oi Imour, who accompanied him tS' ^rLf^^'r^"*' "« '^'^'^ M«:
Fnday (the 24th) we passed hrolh r ^^ *° 5f ^"^^^^ «« '"o^O"''* :~"Gn
remained^ since io^ John pS'3^^^^^^^ ^ Camberwell, where we have
remind me-of ancient Tyre, 'whose' m«r«h, ^"'' ""^T *"*"'« ""^ equipage
notbeendissuadedfromgoTngrpItalvrA '' ""^'^ ^'^ RoblrtlSa
8hi^ Amy. which is to saU tSfseveSor 1 "' ^'""^^ '^""^^'^ *" "»« trading
name is Bloomfield, an honest respec^table^r?^ "'"'''l"^' '^^e (iaptainff
best accommodation in the vessel TM- ?''"*°ter ; and we are to have the
myintemion when I I ft S^rton ^^'^ ^^^^^^ from
applauded bv others; and paSar'lv r J *k ^^^P "^ged by some, and
Robert's health, which requfres sote 4„d tol' ''^ '1!^"°^ ^^ '^' ''^'^ °f
not go for the world to the land of craven ill ^ V^' **""' otherwise I would
wefcnojvnot, and whose Cne s^are s„ H.T'' °* P«>P»« ^»«»e language
thing that encouraged me most was wLrDr^If?' ^'■°'",r'' °^"- ^ut tSe
we were not to go to Italv hntfZ^l I J' f^'^age lold me, namely, that
thai could saveS^ierHnd ofluL 1."''' °^ ^"°^""'*' »' ^^« only^mea^T ,
scarcely ev«r displeased S me excem whin 't TT\ '' ''^ ''' ^^^'^ «
which henceforth I intend not Todo •' Tr^h^ ^ 't'"" 'l'^^^''^ '° «« ^oltaly,
'' VVe arrived in London on Friday at Jj^^A ^^^ ^"^^'^ ""^^^ '' "^te ril
ness of the passaa- which wa^tKou*^'.^"*^ notwithstanding therouffhJ
sustained it well.°' Ce see! mn.K ?°r''^V'^* *^*P^*'" '"'^^« this season?!^
non, for Italy, and 5£d sdf ^ttor^" hav'^Vr '"« "^^-^-^i-
Mr. O; W^^ l^n. We J^, ^£ ^ ^^g ^ ^
David PoUok, to procure a 8^^intZ^he?? foM^' 'tk ' ' "".T ''* ^''^ '"-'^^ "f"
provision, that the servant " SW/ ^/r /?i ,.; J'^^^'^ed had thi9 singular
thing, were-now ready for the voJ^i f ^^"*'""f '^''^'^^ '' Although all
«n.inent physician in London DrGoS' .^,\«"'>««1'«ntly advised, by an
as he was wholly unfit for undergo^?'?h^ f^f/ ''^ should relinquish the idea"
advice the suffeier seems wiUinl fo° h«! ^"^' ''".^ discomfort. In this
arranged he should go to S^u hamLn T *T'?°*'''- ^' ^^"^ afterwards
be Droce«rl«^ .„ „ L.°.''^"'^*'"Pton- Acoordmgly, on the 31st of Au.rust.
lied bv Mrji. rj;ir»« •._. ?™'
The followrng 8en;encT;;^^rKish the reir' «>^SoutKampto„. at Mr/riyK
lok at this time. The day after Us lrriv?^ /«'"!? ''rJ*""* •"*'« T »*••• Pol-
J^alko ut on Shirley common tLL"SiS^*>l heingfine^> he took>
^^fJ»Svet*,*"a„d he warTe^'tiv ddth^A^^T^
and with th^ mildness an^d^a Jbri^fo !« it'^'w' '''^ ^^''^ P'*^
hini on his walk. fiRrr«,n„ - i . ".^ °* tr.a'r- Mrs. Gilmour accompanied
758
^iJjiPE PP EQSSST POLLOK, A. M.
rSf- ^! ''k''"'^*!^- .*;'»-<^"'«>ur. -peaking of thia garden, say.— "If
jnythiDg on thi« earth might pow i,e comp!ired to paradise, it wJthU^ place
and ilobert seemed to enjoy it very muoh, walking and sittinrin it E'
namely y while the air was so raild and placid that you could hlr the iiddLs
felhng from the trees oneaftej another/ Mr. Follok wasnowrtheKtale
^ his msidious di^ase for the reider may now be informed thatitwls^f
sumptwn; and after having been four or'fivedays in Southampton, he wj;
^fnf ^"T^^ '°>f *'■* ^'^ fr^*" ^^ «»ter, from mediJal'advisTrs
and other^e received every possible attention. The Rector of the Parish
hearmghl^vMtheAut^^r of the Course of Time, brought him irlpes and
other fruit. Mr. Lloyd, of Merion Square, Dubl n, from his chrS con
Mr"poIk'° m'"*"^ f '^•""''^ 9C"i"dne8s, was 'peoulial^. accSir"'
Mr. Follok. Mrs. Hyde, also, appears to have showrhim the most mMked
and tender regard. In a letter Lied 11th September, 1827, Mk Sour
thus writes :~"Oathe morning of the 31st of last month, instead ^fsaS
for Italy, we set off for Southampton, about seventy-six miles fVoV London
which journey we accomplished in a day and a half. But Robert was so
much fatigued jmh the jolting of the carriage that he has beerfevered ever
«nce, and has been confined to bed for five or si* days past. A surceon from
™« h^TPfT.?"!*"'"^."^ ''T ^"^y '^"""« that time; ^and yesterday TeoS
me he had httle hope of my brother's getting better. Still, however there s
hope for thefever is abated in some metsure^ Yesterday and toly hes^ms
to have more ease. He now sp^ks ohen bf death, and rather rejjrets th^ he
WM sent so far from his friends. V^But he is resign;d to the will of Providence
l^L7t ^Tr^'^f '?!^""t?' ^'"!g'"««' *"^ ^ ^'»d landlady, who has hid a
great deal of trouble herself, so that she sympathizes with Robert very rtuch
She IS also well acquainted with cooking any nice dish that he can fancy He
has a great desire to see our brother David here ; and if you could «et\«,t"e
to him soon he could come by the mail straight through London and from
haffh" * '^ '^"■'^ ^' Southampton. RoberT sleeps aVeardeal to day s^
S « ir l"''"'" '° ^"^"- ^ ^^^ «'«'"g ^' ^^' ^^ foot, in a neat c ean Lm
InH r ' rS^'' """ ™''l ~'" Southampton. Our landlord is an oW mT
S fonH of .^ni? ^ P' ''-^ T'- ^ '"^"*'°° ^^'^ ^«»"«« Robert has been
80 fond of milk since coming here, and he has got it every day he wished
He seems better to-day, and feels some ' rest to his bones,' as he expre^es k
Lr-Kr^rr^'^.n^'^^' ^"dfe^l^'ore comfortable now since R^berseems
sensible of his frail state, and is so resigned, and I hope is so • wdl DreDareT
for whatever may be the consequence. I have not needed to sit a whTnLht
.with him yet„but.have to rise three or four times in the night. My bed is in
the same room." Mr. Follok adds the following on the fame sheet aid i^
appears to have been the last few lines that he wrote :_" My delr Father -i
r„?nP*"r ^^n^J'^'^'h'^- '° ^""^ "'f i'nmediately. Whatever my gracfous
and merc.fu God and Saviour has in design with me at this time dSs
^JJC^ttSahr"^'- .,,I^^«"g,^^laj^ WS' coming _
hi«r^. - "' • I'^^^y^^^y *»» at once set him at liberty, in a case of this
\ k^nd. M^ sister IS often much distressed ; but we pray forgone another, and
T^LTt' ;" ' M S'^r ? r.?'"'' ^^^ ^- ^ hoVe l am prepared for the
^«ue of this trouble, whether life or death. Fray for me "
^ Mr. Follok had read many volumes in his day, but now there was onlv
tbe Bible, anfl spoke to her of no other book."
■/
/ /
■ / /
UFE OF EOBBRT F0L40K,^ „. 5a
^'i^og^Tm^'t^VvriZt'^f^^^ *^te for one week aftl
Jhe Thursday foUawi^^f was buri^irr^A^^^l^^^ ^'^ '^fl^Pm
^^. inched i da.e:^;i^rsr:ii^s:5 ss^Sc^^aP^
The Grave of /
ftOBERT POLLOK, A. M.,
Author of the Course of Time.
J His Immortal Poem
Is his /
MONUMENT.
Th .^ •■ ^'^^'^'^''y Admirers of his Genius. ^-
ft IS impossible to omit in our acS of h m ^^'^^''^ ^'- ^0"°^ tp/a flose
,^J^;j ^« '^\ He ^as born inibL j^e^L'^^ °^P^°Pj« ^ amoTj
. feenth year he had assisted his father in Ml ' ^"™* ' ''''^ mtiihia nine-
is an important consideratinn «n7 ■ • management of the faim Th^
direction'^Mr.PoSgTn^^^^ NowtnXngte'
ble to him, it favored a sound menS J Jf?^' ^'' *^-''*^^''°° i" life fas favora!
modern society perhaps i^TatTS^ '^^^^^oP'nent. One of the ffrlTev^l of
The minds of ^^^^^^^^^
to.lay up a treasury of Ae^Jo^rTL?'^^'''^^^ '^^' '^'V ^aJe no Ssur6
thmg like those v4els wKwe ferrX^^' '"^^*^» «^^
so porous that they seem ratherfitt!? r? • • ^'^^'" ^^^ "'ater of the Nil^
retaining them. 4 PollorXSlSe l!!:;;;^ ^i '^'^' counts than t
by the humble rank in which uTJZrT'T.T '^"^"'^es of Modern society
this kmd Qf life seems suited to ihl noed. t«'m ' ^'"^ "" ^^iculturist, and
certaIl^8trengthofmind, by the variety (rfc^S""'"'- I' '« favorable ,0 a
A man who has only one 6r two onp^rntr^ f "°"'.'" *'»^«'» ''^ must en^ee
The agriculturist, on the otHfer hand .T?L h! , ^T®*^ apeculatist and talker
hmgs to attend to, that he ^ds hfslnS whX^"'^"''"T ™'^'^' ^^ '« many
^JJ^^y thing else except these ^"^p^J^^^^ in reference
But there IS an advantage in this siT^flTif^ hia mental fkcul ties are slow
of the mild and ennobli^ i-^fluenclrof ItLT'^ '' '^' ^""P^^^d recipiem
the material tilings and human hlTn J? ?*' "^'"''«' meaning by this boS,
expressed himself to the fSZin^^^^^^^ *«*^' ''^^ «''*'«'• of this narrafive
m the sou, of a good manTh: fo?,|^ ^ 7^^^^^^^^^^ thinkTat
a noble development of the nowpm Tr • ."^8 (of an agriculturist) therein
bed and looks fSrth from hi cotTag^-dt ToTT' , /*' 't' '««« f'-om his •
^n, but hi. employmem directed' J' J^T*''"" '^' ^^"^ *»« ^o"!!
/ / V / ^ ? '^^°!!?^««;.^a8k^aiidcon.
60
^IFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A. M.
into contact with the mairnific«nt th.n-1 Tr „ .^ T the agriculture come
8tate-therefSh?ngdew^Vhedte™a.Ln«';:f '^^ its incipient to its matur!
■truly said in the wo,5S of ^epoS- "'°""^ '"' ^^^""'"5' '» "«y »*«
* ; The young sprine >
Looks ever bright with leaves anf blos^mine.
And winter always wends his sullen horn ;
And the wild autumn, with a look forlorn,
IJies in his stormy manhood ; and the skies
^ Weep and flowers sicken, when Uif summer flies.'
u-hr/nA ^. • ®~'* P®"P'® ^'^o have merely heard of artificial life h..t
' KaTd^o be in thnt Ja^ P'°P''' '^T^^ ^'^^^ **« ^'°« »™»"^ and born may
AfuJil • , ^ '"®'^'"'" *^**« '•''^t «t«nds between the airricultural 3
^^; uraMiTe hirJr" ^'-^C >^ho though they had the simple Xri^w^^^^^^
^ £me nht"^ r'^ '^'™.l" '^' ;'««'• ^"'^ intelligence of thi manE .
^Lt^Uo"^ rP'^r" '"?"'* ^y °^ ^»«h a state, tHat it is the worst of any
^t?tl^L^„lT''^'"'*''?°'i'''°^'*'«'^^^y n^*- 'he simplicity of rusUcUf^
Srai,t*^.h"KJ!.'T\°'^''''°"' *'''>°"' »he innocence o^heother-^
,
—men i
were m<
of the cc
great coi
scenes,
christian
because i
remain u
-Jollok, V
In the fir
strength,
when he
his prose
on Lord 1
Veh
the poet, ii
ing himsel
The foi
i< }
L(
Su
Ar
Aj
Ai
An
Po
Of
=0f
We hav
lensive obser
the knowledg
»ed. Were sufl
M it were a j
and oon^isten
light lall the
Jlturist come
ngs that are
lie refreshing
to its mature
ne, the cycle
nges ikoth 6^
1 it may be
^heseal does
lose feelings
ity — a man
Elis employ-
aner suffici-
•the showers
/ the ripen-
. None of
ons of the
I* Suppose
gin to do it
rvest would
exercise of
e elements
) said 'to be
e influence :
ral regions
ntaminated
ial life, but
i) they may
ice of the
born may
Itural and
of agricul-
anulactur-
)rst of any
Stic life—
ther— and
that which
practical
say of it,
ranee and
isvpations
!>pl«,who,
iated men
UFE OF ROBERT POLLOK, A.
—me h ' '^^^M-vitf A. M. g|
^^^''n^nM^ytheim^^^ without its abuses-men wh«u> iA
his prose writing and poeriS n?J^ ^ ^°"^'"* '" '^^''^'c phrase, we find ^t
onLoHByront-,htbrap;,sir:j!:37i"^"" in';his"::sp::t' isi!;?:;
And story-tellinrXnTi/? ''^'''''T'* ''^''«^
And maids, and dew 3!' '^""''' ""^ '"wks,
With graXr fiiS 3' PTL""*^ ^'»'''' '^^^^
^^ « """^ ""®°' and melody and love." *
*' VVnfa'a #1~
And thou ce Ka "V:;,; "'«'''' """^ • -- -
And hills, and vats 7LJ ?.'"^'^''
And hour's of hof^^^u^toV '"wal" f'"".!"^ ''''«•
And smiling to rememS.r * ^ ""^^^ *^»«h •'
For thou canst S^mJl? ' ''°'"*'' ""'' ^""ft
Of heavenly hariS,- T i.""^'""^"^ ^«'' «on«f
T-Wh«,r*,ly auditor, exalted hig\^^ ^^
e havA nntn A.^i
even I
-r
^
tensive obJ^rS ofo/ln'' *° •''^'"**' »'"»» <he Course of T; .
the knowledRe ,h«" ?!?''^ ^o'ety. and that his m"n7,JL^"?f "^"^ " "-
ted. were suffioS f £, Jf '^""^ '" ''o«k«. The mite^Jf/f " "°PP««» with
.??-
■'fll
■ %^>!