New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-30

rhc portions OF this volume most likely TO at
tract the reader Of literary tastes are those re-
lating TO Thomson and Burns. Other essays con-
tain descriptions Of places and Of country pas
, times that serve to illustrate incidentally many
passages OF Scottish literature. But the chapters
on the two best-known Scottish poets are OF
sort 10 give one views about the men and
their works As to Thomson, the last thing to be
Considered usually is the fact that he ma
dive OF Scotland. Bat Mr.. Halliburton insists
that It should be the first thing considered. APP
pearances are against him. Thomson wrote in
, English lived in London and was reckOned as
one OF the group Of English poets Of whom Pope
was the leader. His poetry struck a responsive
chord In the hearts of the English people VINO
loved nature and were alive TO patriotic I'M
pulses. 1t must be remembered that thomson
w2s the author not only of The Seasons. but
also of the best lyric in honor OF the EngAsh
i,ower at sea. On the other hand. Scotland never
cherished for him truly domestic affection. She
admired him as a contributor to her fame she
was proud OF him as Of one who had gone beyond
her borders and had won his pace among the
great ones OF the world; but he was not IN her
daily thoughts Thomsons own characteristics
aside from his genius were enough to account
for this He not man to attract personal
attention or to win lively affection. Demonstra-
lions Of this kind would doubtless have annoyed
him greatly His incidence such that he
neglected his most intimate correspondents IN
Scotland. and obliged to assure them occa-
sionaily that he still cherished them in his heart
q thing he would not have needed to do had be
been less Indifferent about such matters /
thought" he wrote to one Of HIS sisters. you mad
known me better than 10 interpret my silence
into decay Of affection" in fact he lived too
long In Scotland before he left it to feel the ro-
mantle love for its soc:et- which might have
drawn him back to it if he had gone away in
childhood or IN early youth lie was man OF
tvc3ty-four, already capable of his best work.
and more likely to feel the of his sur
roupdings than 10 admire them. Mr. Halliburton
alludos 10 the fact that Thomson. toward the
close OF his life. thought Of revisiung Scotland
but was unable to make up his mind He THINKS
such a visit might have added years TO Thom-
sons life That is possible. He adds that II
might have awakened that personal atecuon
among Thomsons countrymen which was the one
thing wanting TO add popularity to his fame.
But this is doubtful; his indifference would have
proved barrier to renewal OF those ola lntl-
mac,es which were formed in youth almost I'M
consciously His carelessness would possibly
have been misnterpreted as due TO sense of his
own Importance. It is next 10 impossible for peo-
ME filed with the ordinary activities and en-
tbuslasms Of lie TO fathom i character to which
these are nothing.
But these things really do not affect the ques-
ton The proper appeal is to Thomson's poetry
And here Mr.. Halliburton strikes out an uneX-
pected line Of criticism. To the rea Ter distant
from all the rural scenes that Thomson might
have gazed upon. his descriptions are beautiful
simply because they are true to nature in general
He can think Of landscapes with which he himself
is familiar Of storms which he has witnessed. ana
apply to them the verses Of the poet But MI
Halliburton shows. not fully one could wish but
by some illusions. that Thomson was true to nat
ure in general simply because he was true to her
IN the particular forms by which she impressed
herself upon him in his youth. He cites the OBJ
servation Of another that there is a curious re-
semblance in the summer landscape OF Italian
Mantua and Scottish South1ean and then alludes
10 the fact that Thomson. native Of S0uthdean
was from his childhood UP. constant reader in
the poems Of certain farmer in the neighborhood
OF Mantua. namely. Virgil. Virgil described the
Places which his young eyes had looked upon. ana
Thomson. with his young eyes. saw around him a
scene SO like that he could apply the very words
Of Virgil 10 it. Virgil and Southdean together
gave him the inspiration for the Seasons" The
details Of the pictures which Thomson drew were
taken from what he saw. and the author Of these
essays wonders that, with 50 many illustrated edi-
tons Of the poet no artist has thought OF sketches
Of the scenes that suggested the verse. b. the
study Of the early hauns Of the poet. Mr. Hall
burton insists that the national character Of his
genius is determined. Thomson was "a Scottish
poet not merely by birth and upbringing. but IN
theme and thought we'll" But he was Scottish
in a geographical rather than political or re
gious sense He loved the land and nature he
had seen it. But the Presbyteranism to which he
was born was irksome 70 him. He wrote from
cd for
Scotland This had been mis- feeling in Leth be-
fore he went TO England 1t has TO be weighed in
any attempt TO understand the Cheerfuness with
which he endured his exile. In politics Thomson
belonged neither to North South. His patriot
ism Of kind very necessary in his day. and
sometimes wanting-a patriotism which viewed
England and Scotland one The influence Of
Thomson and Of poets like him was strong force
in making the union far more than mere political
bond. Memories Of his youth in Scotland were
just the material for The poetry which ne delighted
10 write. because they REQUIRED to him in an idyl-
lie form, made beautiful and enchanting by dis
lance.
II it is necessary to show that poet like
Thomson drew his inspiration from the land that
reared him. 1t Is equally necessary to show that
Burns was not the ilierate. instructive poet that
he has been represented to be. He was. more
than almost any other poet. son OF the soil.
His lie was bound almost hopelessly to the
plough. But his sympathies were far larger than
his visible horizon. and not merely born,
but made. a poet. His verse was never drawn
from books. but books stimulated him to draw II
from the homey life around him and from the
hopes and anxieties Of his own heart What Mr..
Halliburton has done is TO show from places here
and there in Burns's verses that he more
than familiar with Goldsmith. with Young. with
r1,o;
However the essayists views with respect 10
Dunbar deny to Burns any knowledge of him
except what he might have gained from selec
tons. The link between the ancient and modern
poet was that Of language. Burns wrote In the
dialect which he spoke At the present day Il