Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-03-02
A FIT OF INSPIRATION.
Tho Way 1t Supplied a Wlshed-
For Poem.

For Poem.
You could not very we'll conceive a
less sentimental name than John
Thomas Augustus Brownrigg. But
names, like appearances, are deceptive,
aud the young man who bore the one
quoted was among the most senti-
mental of creatures His wcalSness-f
weakness II was-exprcssed itself in
the particular form OF poetic effusion.
From the early age Of six he had dab
bled in verses, and by the time he was
twenty-one he must have invoked the
muse to the extent Of several reams of
foolscap. But hitherto the inapprc-
ciative obduracy of editors and pub
fishers had prevented his efforts from
seeing the light of print; indeed, the
farthest he had ever got on the road to
publication was to pay the Authors
Alliance Qimited) twenty guincas for
bringing out-or, as II proved, not
bringing ont-a volume OF his poems.
The worthy Brownrigg, however,
was not 20 easily daunted or put out
Of conccit with himself. lie rcmem-
bered Wordsworth and Keats, and how
the literary fraternity Of their day had
snubbed them at the outset. True
genius, he modestly consoled himself,
though often secuted in its initial
stage, was sure to End recognition in
the end; and he, Augustus Brownrigg,
only had TO wait for ultimate success.
Once give him an opening and lac
would rush through II irresistible rs
the ocean through u breach in n dam.
This opening, the one thing needful
for him, he tried for a long, long time
in vain TO get; but at length favor
able opportunity presented itself. By
the kindness of friend he was given
an introduction to the editor Of Il popu-
lar monthly magazine; and this editor,
good-natured man, In an unusually
good-natured moment, commissioned
him to write some verses on the death
Of a leading minister of the crown,
which had Just then occurred. The
editor did, irdeed, reserve to himself
the right OF rejecting the verses II they
were not up to the mark; but this
caused Brownrigg no uueasiness what
ever. up to the mark, forsooth!"
/ He was granted week in which TO
write the verses. One day in this week,
viz, the Saturday preceding the Tues
day on which the verses were TO be
sent in, the poet took as IA holiday, hav.
ing some time back made IN engage
, ment with an old school-fellow, who
was then in town for few days, to
! lunch with him at the "Cri" and then
10 on to n matinee of "llenry VIII"
lie came up, therefore, from Ealing,
where he lived, to keep his engage
mcnt, and, after a copious and elab-
crate lunch, repaired with his friend
to the Lyccum, finding himself almost
too drowsy to enjoy the piece.
When II was over, nothing would sat
isfy his friend but that they should go
and split another bottle OF champagne
at u neighborinP restaurant, which
they accordingly did. And 1t was get
ting quite late in the evening when
Brownrigg hurried off to catch the
train for Ealing, which should get
him home in time for dinner and thus
save him the outpourlngs of paternal
disploasure, which always greeted him
when he was late for that meal.
IL was the dead season In London
Just then. Hence very few passenger,
were about. The platforms OF the I'm
foreground railway were almost dc
serted. And the smoking compart
ment, into which our friend betoolS him
self at Gloucester road, presented the
unusual spectacle, at that time OF day
OF being entirely empty.
Brownrigg was glad Of this. For the
effect Of the champagne and Of gooC
cigar had been to put him into dream
lily poetical frame Of mind, in which h,
relished the idea Of lying drowsily bacl
in the corner of the carriage ant
breeding over the verses in self-ab
sorbed solitude. SO, rs the train movet
out, he surrendered himself to tn,
dreamy languor, half closing his eyes
and waiting for poetical thoughts Il
fall and entrance him
He had not been long in this lethar
gic state, feeding his mind with higl
inspiring thoughts on the great sub
iect which engrossed him, when actua
lines and verses began 10 shape them
selves in his brain, and gradually TO FL
themselves there in the tangible form
of nrticulate words.
They seemed TO come TO him with n,
effort-at least, no conscious effort
on his part, but, as IL were, spontan
eously; until five completed verses
verses, too, such as he had never hope
to write-had riveted themselves IN hi
memory. This, then, wa
poetic inspiration. No racking Of tn
brain for ideas; no beating about 70
rhymes no paltry drudgery with pc
and ink; but simple surrendering O
ones self to dreamy meditativeness an
leaving of all the rest to the heaven
ly musel
Ii Ealing broadway" had not bee
q terminus Brownrigg would infallibl
have been carried beyond his destiul
ton. For as IL was, he had to b
reused by porter before he coul
awake from the dreams Of poetry I
the facts Of practical life. lie rubbe
his eyes, shook himself and steppe
out of the train. Those verses--drea,
full tbought!-had they vanished wit
his dream? MOI Than
Heaven They were stu cloar an
fresh in his memory. lie would con
init them 10 paper at once in case the
might escape him. SO, taking out h
poclSetboolt he wrote them down hast
!. ly then and there, being more tina
. ever NJ ruck with tho beauties Of b
! own muse as he saw them in black an
s white. What hit they would max
!: = Why, they were worthy
|. Tennyson himself
9 lie said nothing to anyone about tn