The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-24
sir walhr Scott 1sat Play

sir walx = Scott ssat Play"
Though not poetry, what great deal.
these iingling lines tell us OF poet;,
how thew let us into the character and
feeling Of the man! How much there
is that he would not. and perhaps could
not, have unveiled in prose! 1t IS
through such illusions that we learn
of him as an author. about
which he was so reticent. After finish
ing sPaul's Letters to his Kinsfolk, on
whose name he plays somewhat care
lessly, we see the s'Antiquary in MS
minds eye:
sDear James-I'm done, thank God, with
OF the most prosy Of Apostles Paul;
And now advance sweet heather OF Monk
barns,
Step out, old quiz, as fast as can scrawi.''
In simple prose he never would have
betra we'd this confidence and fondness
for any creatures Of his Imagination.
He thus rejoiees over the completion Of
''Rob Roy:
'tWith great joy
| send you Roy;
Twas tough Job,
But we're done with Rob-"
the though job, referring to the agon-
les of camp and the lassitude Of opium
under which the novel was written. He
was the most patient of men under in
terruption; only in verse does he in
dulge in a murmur; his temper really
worn to hair 's-breadth -
"Oh, James, oh, James, two Irish danes
Cypress me very sore;
groaning send one sheet penned,
For, hang them, there's no more
In momentary encouragement, when
Quentin Durward'' did not 60 off at
the rate anticipated, she did not sink
under the short-lived frown.' but con-
soled himself with a couplet =
'sThe mouse who only trusts to one poor
hole
Can never be mouse Of any SOUL"
When overwhelmed with books. prep
! aratory to his lite of Bonaparte, he thus
condenses his experience, and blesses
himself in prospect Of his gigantic task:
"When with poetry dealing,
Room enough in shielding,
Neither cabin or howell
Too small for novel;
Though my back should rub
On Diogenes' tub,
How my fancy could prance
In dance Of Romance;
But my house must swap
With some Brobdingnag chap,
Ere grapple, God bless me, with Emperor
Nap
When adversely came the slip shod
music was his confidant, the depository
Of his resolutions, cheering him onward
in the untried stony path Of authorship
under compulsion, the memorable de-
mand of duty. After soliloquies which
would have done credit, both in matter
and manner, to Shakespcare's fallen
kings, we find him writing:
Il have finished my task this morn
ing at half past eleven, easily. carly,
, and think not amiss. | hope }. =.
will make some notes of admiration I!
otherwise l shall be disappointed. II
> this work answers-ifit but answers it
: must set us on our legs; | am sure
| worse trumpery Of mine has had great
run. ] remember with what great diff
$ Guilty l was brought to think myself
! anything better than common, and now
e | will not in mere faintncss Of heart give
e mp hope. So hey for Swiftianism:
~ loll in my chair,
!. ana around me SC8Ic,
G With critical air,
q Like calf in q fair;
And say l, Mrs. Duty.
Good morrow to your beauty.
: kiss your sweet shoe-tie,
o And hope can suit ye."
e Fair words butter no parsnips, says
Duty; don't keep talking, then, but 60
t. to ysur work again; there's day
q task before you--the siege Of Toulon
IS Call you that task? Hang me, III
]; write it as fast as Bony carried it or
u "And long ere dinner time have
ID Full eight close pages wrote;
s. What, Duty. hast thou now to Grave
~ We'll done, Sir Walter Scott
These dialogues with his conscience
o could hardly have been recorded with
It out the playful veil Of verse 10 hide
n their deep seriousness OF self-sacritic
e. and atonement. Who can grudge hin
t. his escape to the country from
Q. the uncongenial scene Of them ceiebra
" ted in these valedictory lines
ii $50 goodbye, Mrs. Brown,
=. am going out Of town,
= Over dale, over down,
~ Where bugs bite not,
y. Where dodgers fight not,
II. Where below You charmen drink not,
e. Where cutters beside You stink not;
n But all Is fresh, and clear, and gay,
i. And merry lxmbkins sport and play"
- --BLncktoood's Magazine.
To Preserve Gra pes.
- Pluck the clusters carefully, reneV
n. those that are green or bitten by inssc
70 or blasted, and tie them to pole abo'
"a. ten feet long and SO firm IS not to Der
es much beneath the weight. Hang Il
poles with the clusters suspended in
sly loIs or cna"oel Mnele .n IL 70 80 -