The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-05 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

MOORE'S POETICAL WORKS.—VoL. V.
Longman, London, 1841.
In this volume there are two showy illustra-
tions, engraved by Heath from original designs
furnished by Maclise. The subject of one is a
group of young Greek girls dancing by moon-
light in the gorge of a lofty mountain, with the
sea at a distance; the other represents a party
of Thracian huntresses resting at sunset after the
toils of the chase. The last, which has a truly
picturesque back-ground, is the best, for there is
a want of proportion in some of the dancing
figures in the first plate. The Preface gives a
brief sketch of the celebrated gala which took
place at Boyle Farm in •the year 1527, when all
the fashionable world of London was present;
and also—which is far more interesting—some
reminiscences of a visit which Moore paid to
Scott at Abbotsford,. from which we quote the
following pa-sages:—
I must say, that, pleased as my illustrious friend appeared
really to be, when I first a. ng for him at Abbotsford, it was
not till an evening or two after, at his own hospitable supper-
table, that I saw him in his true sphere of musical enjoyment.
No sooner had the quaigh taken its round, after our repast,
than his friend, Sir Adam, was called upon, with the general
acclaim of the whole table, for the song of " Hey tuttie
tattie," and gave it out to us with all the true national relish.
But it was during the chorus that Scott's delight at this festive
scene chiefly showed itself. At the end of every verse, the
whole company rose from their seats, and stood round the
table with arms crossed, so as to grasp the hand of the neigh-
boor on each side. Thus interlinked, we continued to keep
measure to the strain, by moving our arms up and down, all
chanting forth vociferously, " Hey tuttie tattie, hey tuttie
tattie." Sir Walter's enjoyment Of this old Jacobite chorus—
a little increased, doubtless, by seeing hoW t entered into the
spirit of it,--gave to the whole scene, I. confess, a zest and
charm in my eyes such as the finest musical performance could
not have bestowed on it.
Having been thus led to allude to this visit, I am ten9ted
to mention a few other circumstances connected with it. From
Abbotsford I proceeded to Edinburgh, whither Sir Walter, in
a few days after, followed ; and during my short stay in that
city an incident occurred, which, though already mentioned by
Scott in his Diary, and owing its chief interest to the con-
nection of his name with it. ought not to be omitted among
these memoranda. As I had expressed a desire to visit the
Edinburgh theatre, which opened but the evening before my
departure, it was proposed to Sir .Walter and myself, by our
fr;eed Jeffrey, that we shnuLt dine with him at an early hour,
for that purpo-e, and both were good-natured enough to ac-
company me to the theatre. Having found, in a volume sent
to me by some anonymous correspondent, a more circum-
stantial account of the smile of that evening than Sir Walter,
has given in his Diary, I shall here avail myself of its gra.phirs
and ( with one exception) accurate details. After adverting
to the sensation produced by the appearance of the late
Duchess of St. Alban's in one of the boxes, the writer thus
proceeds :—" There was a general buzz and stare, for a few
seconds: the audience then turned their backs to the lady,
and their attention to the stage, to wait till the first piece
should be over ere they intended staring again. Just as it
terminsted, another party quietly glided into a box near that
fill, dby the Duchess. One pleasing female was with the three
male comers. In a minute the cry ran round Eh, yon's
Sir Walter, wi' Lockhait an' his wife, and wha's the wee bit
bodie wi' the pawkie een ? Wovi, but it's Tam Moore, just—
Sl'e)3, Scott! Moore, Moore!'—with shouts, cheers, bravos,
and applause. But bcott would not rise to appropriate tbpv.
tributes. One could see that he ur.ed Moore 4,- -1 .
1.
yielded, and so ;
anddbosved
n
tsiton.LasThe cry for Scott was
hhea,ndthoouthw modestly reluctant,.
then redoubled, He gathered himself up, and, with a be-
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