SONNET.

"It is painful to be obliged to state that Motherwell's grave cannot be discovered without the assistance of a guide, not being marked by even a headstone."—M'Conechy's Memoir of William Motherwell.

LIFE AND LETTERS OF THOMAS CAMPBELL.

IN 3 VOLS. 8vo, BY DR. BEATTIE.*

can

wards, while he was making his way in business very satisfactorily, he formed an intimate acquaintance with Daniel Campbell, a clansman, but no blood relation, of the Campbells of Kirnan.' He was the son of John Campbell, and his wife Mary, daughter of Robert Simpson. John Campbell was a merchant in Glasgow, nearly related to the Campbells of Craignish, an old Argyleshire family. The Simpsons had been for many generations residents in the city, or immediate neighbourhood, of Glasgow, where they possessed several small estates. An old tradition, still current among the collateral descendants-for Robert Simpson died without male issue-states that the progenitor of the Simpsons was 'a celebrated royal armourer' to the King of Scotland. In that capacity, it is said, he fashioned two broadswords, of exquisite temper and workmanship: one of which he burn, to the Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland; the other he presented on the centenary anniversary of the battle of Bannockretained as an heir-loom in his own family, where it is still preserved. It is a plain but handsome blade, with the date 1414 stamped upon it.

THE preparation of this biography by Dr. Beattie, || the friend and the physician of Thomas Campbell, has been known for some time; and the three volumes now published are the result of his labours, The history of Thomas Campbell is one of an almost entirely literary character. The late poet was strictly a literary man. He followed no other profession permanently, and he was eminently successful in that path whereon he was partly forced. The biographer has endeavoured to make the poet tell the story of his own life, by quoting largely from his letters, and often interspersing only such connecting links as appeared to be absolutely necessary. This plan has advantages, and it is not without disadvantages. The public generally prefer to have a history of this nature not in the words of the biographer, but in the letters and papers of the person in whom they are most interested. The Life of Keats" has been produced in a similar style, but on a smaller scale, by its noble cditor. The disadvantages inseparable from this plan are, that we have a redundancy of writing often on trivial matters, and on points evidently con sidered by the writer of minor importance. In preparing old letters for the press, this course scarcely be avoided. The plan, however, appears to have been suggested by Campbell himself. Dr. Beattie is not a volunteer in the matter. brought under a promise by his late friend to write this work. A number of the necessary papers were put into his possession by Mr. Campbell prior to his death. Dr. Beattie was thus compelled to take the work in hand, which he has now discharged in a style that will be satisfactory to the many friends of the author of the "Pleasures of Hope." The first chapter contains a genealogical statement of Campbell's ancestry. His grandfather was Laird of Kirnan, in Argyleshire. At his death, Robert Campbell, the poet's uncle, succeeded to the estate; and living more extravagantly than the rent-roll permitted, he was compelled to sell his land to a half-brother, and, proceeding to London, lived as a literary man--a precarious living at any period, and peculiarly hazardous in the last century. He died in London, "in very reduced circumstances." The second brother, Archibald, studied for the Presbyterian Church; and hav-mercantile pursuits. Our poet's father, at this time, was in the ing for some time been minister of a Scotch congre gation in Jamaica, he ultimatley settled in Virginia, United States. A son of this gentleman afterwards succeeded to the original family estate-a small parcel, in a large property to which he became entitled by the Law of Entail. Alexander, the third son, was engaged in the mercantile profession. But we quote Dr. Beattie's account of

THE POET'S FAMILY.

He was

"Alexander, the youngest of the three sons of Archibald Campbell, and father of the poet, was born in 1710. He was educated with a view to mercantile pursuits; and early in life went to America, where he entered into business, and resided many years at Falmouth, in Virginia. There he had the pleasure of receiving his brother Archibald, on his first quitting Jamaica to settle in the United States; and there also, some ten years after

"Shortly after making the acquaintance of Daniel Campbell, the United States; and, in the company of his friend, returned at Falmouth, in Virginia, Alexander Campbell took final leave of to Glasgow, where they entered into copartnership as Virgini: n traders, under the firm of Alexander and Daniel Campbell. This connection proved very satisfactory. The partners became more and more known and respected as men of probity and experience; every way deserving the success which, for several years, rewarded their industry, and gained for them unlimited confidence in the trade. Daniel Campbell, the junior partner, had a sister named Margaret, born in 1736, and at this time about the age of twenty. To her Alexander Campbell, though by repute a confirmed bachelor, and then at the mature age of forty-five, paid his addresses; between the two friends was cemented by a family tie. Alexander and before another year had expired, the mercantile connection Campbell and Margaret Campbell were married in the Cathedral Church of Glasgow, on the 12th of January, 1756, in presence of their respective families. They began their domestic cares in peared under the march of civic improvements. In this house a large house in the High Street, which has long since disapthe poet was born. From the date of his marriage, in 1756, to the first outbreak of war with America, in 1775, Mr. Campbell continued at the head of the firm; and every successive year added something to the joint prosperity of himself and his partBut at the disastrous period, when the flag of war was unflow with less vigour into the Clyde. The Virginia trade, furled between kindred people, the tide of prosperity began to hitherto so profitable, immediately changed its current; and among the first who felt, and were nearly ruined by the change, was the now old and respectable firm of Alexander and Daniel

ner.

Campbell. Their united losses arising from the failure of other

houses with which they were connected, swept away the whole, or very nearly the whole, amount of forty years' successful industry-in fact the savings of a long life, spent in this branch of

surviving children, had not completed her nineteenth year; and sixty-fifth year of his age. His daughter Mary, eldest of his ten the difficulties of his present position, greatly increased by the sad prospects as to their future establishment in life, may be more easily imagined than described. The actual loss sustained by the senior partner, Mr. Alexander Campbell, in this unfore seen disaster, has been variously estimated. After a careful examination of the accounts with which I have been furnished by

living representatives of the two families, I find it cannot have

been much less than twenty thousand pounds-equivalent in those days to what was considered an ample independence-particularly in the west of Scotland, where industry and frugality were leading features in the domestic life of a Glasgow merchant; and when luxury and ostentation were very little known or practiced, even by the wealthiest of her citizens. Daniel Campbell, the junior partner in the firm, always estimated his own individual loss at eleven or twelve thousand pounds;' which might also be considered as a liberal provision. But, being a younger

*London: Edward Moxon,

BATTLES OF SHETTLESTONE.

man, with a smaller family to provide for than his brother-in-mens, nothing better than those that every smart law, he could look to the future with more confidence, and take lad writes during some part of his school life, and more decisive measures for repairing his ruined fortune. To wisely learns. At the Grammar School, he became Alexander Campbell, now well stricken in years, and the father an enthusiastic admirer of Greek; and a passion of a very numerous family, the test by which his moral character was to be tried was not more sudden than it was severe. Yet for the Greek orators and poets distinguished him he submitted to it with equanimity, or even cheerfulness; and during life. He does not appear to have engaged made such efforts as his age and circumstances allowed for im- often in the warlike pursuits of the school; and when proving the very scanty residue which had been saved from the he entered on this field, his efforts were unsuccessful, wreck of his former affluence. In these efforts he was ably seas appears from his defeat and wounds at one of the conded by his wife, whose natural strength and energy of character were strikingly developed by the new cares and anxieties in many which she was now involved; of the prudence with which, as a wife and a mother, she conducted her domestic affairs during the long struggle that ensued, there is the most pleasing and authentic testimony. To her, indeed, much of the high merit of having supported and educated her family upon an income, that in the present day would barely suffice to purchase the common necessaries of life, is unquestionably due. Among her contemporary relatives, she had always been considered as a person of much taste and refinement.' She was well educated for the age and sphere in which she moved, with considerable family pride, as the daughter and wife of a Campbell, and with much of a fond mother's ambition to see her young family make their way in that respectable station of life to which they were born. She was passionately fond of music, particularly sacred music, and sang many of the popular melodies of Scotland with taste and effect. With the traditional songs of the Highlands, particularly Argyleshire, she was intimately acquainted; and from her example it seems probable the love of song was early imbibed and cultivated by her children.

"From the moment that the aspects of domestic concerns had changed, all the better features of Mrs. Campbell's character appeared in strong relief; every indulgence which previous affluence had rendered habitual and graceful in the station she then occupied, was firmly, conscientiously, abandoned. In her family arrangements, a system of rigid economy was so established, that no unreasonable expense on one occasion might increase the difficulties of the next. 'She was,' to use the words applied to her by all who knew her intimately during these years of trials, ‘an admirable manager, a clever woman.' It is pleasing to add, that her unwearied exertions to prepare her children, by a good solid education, for a respectable entrance on the duties of life, were crowned with success; and, during the last years of her long life, afforded her matter for great thankfulness, and procured for her great comforts."

Dr. Beattie adds to this statement a long account of Mr. Campbell's family, who bore up against the calamities that ruined their fortune with great fortitude. It is remarkable that several of his brothers, at different periods, succeeded in realizing considerable property in their mercantile pursuits in the colonies and in the United States, which were always lost by some misfortune. The family consisted of eight sons and three daughters; and the second or family chapter in the biography concludes thus:

"All this talented family-parents, brothers, and sisters-it was the poet's destiny to survive; and to find himself at last in the very position which he has so feelingly described—

666
'A brotherless hermit, the last of his race."

Thomas Campbell was born on the 27th July, 1777, and died at Boulogne on the 15th June, 1844, in his 67th year. He appears never to have enjoyed a robust constitution, and even at an early age he was sent from Glasgow on account of his health-a practice now followed for some weeks of each summer by all, or nearly all, the families of that city by whom the expenditure can be afforded. The house of the Campbells was in the High Street of Glasgow, not now a healthy locality; and there is no reason to suppose that it was better then. At school, Campbell was distinguished by application rather than genius; although, at an early age, he wrote verses, of which his biographer gives speci

"I had always deemed it a heinous sin to engage in stonebattles, although they were favourite diversions among the Glasgow urchins. But one day there was an expedition fitted out, with slings and round stones, against the boys of Shettlestone, an adjoining village. A spirit of evil seduced me to join in it; although the grounds of hostility, it must be confessed, were scarcely more rational than those of most international wars. I paid dearly, however, for my folly. We were soundly licked, and, from the shortness of my limbs, being one of the last in retreat, I got so sorely pelted that I could not walk home. Some of the bigger Glasgow boys brought me to my father's house; there they gravely stated that we had been walking quietly in the Shettlestone road, when a parcel of blackguards came suddenly out and attacked us, without the least provocation! A carter, however, who had let me be put into his empty cart, gave a totally different statement of the affair; namely, that the weavers of Shettlestone had only come out to protect their tender offspring from our slings and stones! Nor was this enough; the arch-fiend had another victory over me, which I felt more than my bruised bones-namely, in my being exposed before my venerable father, who had always prided himself on my love of truth, for a tacit admission of what my Glasgow seniors in the combat had given as the 'true statement.' The fate of this expedition was what his companious called a settler;' a long armistice succeeded, and the Poet was not again summoned to witness any fray,' for at least six weeks. The scars and bruises which, as it afterwards appeared, he had received in this inglorious retreat, were so severe as to occasion his being laid up for some time in his own room."

paign, young Campbell did not confine himself so closely to

"In the midst of all his preparations for the college cam

his books as not to take his full share in all the ploys-good bad, or indifferent-in which the other spirited boys of the school were but too diligently engaged. He appears, indeed, to have eschewed all further intercourse with the Shettlestone weavers, or their tender offspring;' and to have taken no further interest, personally at least, in any of the 'stone retrieving their disasters. In this non-intervention, his battles' that were subsequently fought, in the vain hope of father's commands were peremptory. But he had also reasoned coolly, no doubt, when laid up with his wounds, on the evil consequences of such international warfare, and resolved in future to confine himself to the theory. He therefore contented himself with Homer's descriptions, where there was certainly all the sublimity of battles, sudden irruption had given so unexpected a turn to the without any risk from the Shettlestone infantry, whose fortunes of his class. They were a formidable tribe; for although worsted and routed, their retreat-like that of young Parthians-was quite as dangerous as their advance; and besides, there might not be always, as in the recent engagement, an empty cart for the benefit of the wounded. further skirmishing, he was unhappily not proof against But while the young philosopher cautiously avoided all temptations at home, which convinced him in the end that

"The boy is father to the man;" and Dr. Beattie may be right in ascribing the poet's future interest in the Polish cause to the same reason which induced the

political intrigue is sometimes even worse than open war- a sworn associate, and now, probably, the only survivor, of fare. The trap was set by a wily hand; and, as that hand that juvenile party of which the young poet was the acwas a brother's, Thomas never suspected that the well-knowledged leader. In the school, at that time, as Mr. known waggery of Daniel was to be played off upon himself. Stevenson informs me, there was a good deal of skirmishing My mother,' says he, had a cousin, an old bedrid lady, among the tyros of the different forms; and, being an Engof the name of Simpson, about whose frail life she felt great lish boy, he had now and then to vindicate the honour of his auxiety; but, being herself a martyr to rheumatism, she country by personal conflicts with the Scotch callants,' was unable to visit her personally. She therefore sent, every who could not forgive the murder of Sir William Wallace!' day, either my brother or myself, a distance of nearly two But whenever there appeared anything like unfairness, miles, to inquire How Mrs. Simpson had rested last night, Campbell was always at hand to take his part, telling the and how she felt herself this morning? One day,' he con-boy-belligerents' that generosity to strangers was a Scotch tinues, that I was sent to fetch the bulletin, which would virtue, practised by Wallace himself. Besides,' he added, have kept me from a nice party that was to go out for the rather haughtily, it was a shame in them to speak of his gathering of blackberries, I compiained, with tears in my English friend as if he were no better than one of themeyes, to my brother Daniel, about this deil of an auld wife, selves.' If this remonstrance failed to restore peace, or to that would neither die nor get better.' Tut, man,' said my establish the war on an equal footing, Campbell's arm was crafty brother, can't you just do as I do?' And what's at the service of his friend. He was no cool spectator of that? Why, just say that she's better, or worse, without these bickerings: whenever there was apparent wrong, he taking the trouble of going so far to inquire? This seemed insisted upon redress, and in all such cases of petty aggresa piece of excellent advice; but a philosopher under 13 sion he took part with the injured. May we not consider could see clearly that some untoward event might throw these little traits as the marked indication of that generous discredit upon the bulletin. Daniel, however, with his spirit, which, after the lapse of a few years, was to awaken usual gravity, proved to demonstration that there was no public sympathy in behalf of Poland, and to associate the risk whatever in the plan, or why should he have car- name of Campbeli with the friends of the oppressed in every ried it on so long?' 'Well,' thought I, there was some country?" thing in that.' It would certainly be a great saving of time,' said Daniel. I said I thought it would; so having adopted the plan as a great means of saving time, we continued to report in this manner for weeks and months; and finding that a bad bulletin only sent us back earlier next morning, we agreed that the old ladyboy to raise his arm for the English scholar. The tenshould get better.' These favourable reports of her dency to write verses still continued; and it is curious dear cousin's health were very gratifying to Mrs. Campbell. to notice their gradual improvement, although as yet No suspicion whatever attached to the bulletins, as they they promised none of those excellencies that afterwards were reported every morning:-' Mrs. Simpson's kind compliments to mamma; has had a better night, and is going made Campbell the best and most polished of our lyric on very nicely. And thus the poet and his brother took poets. advantage of every nice party' that was made up, either for picking 'blackberries,' or any other ploy of equal interest and importance. But the pleasing deception could not last much longer; truth, that had been so ingeniously defrauded, was about to make reprisals upon the young culprits. This, too, was at the very moment when they were starting to spend a long day in the country. But wae's me,' says Campbell, "on that very morning on which we had the audacity to announce that Mrs. Simpson was quite recovered,' there comes to our father a letter, as broad and long as a brick, with cross-bones and a grinning death's head upon its seal, and indited thus:- Sir,-Whereas, Mrs. Jane Simpson, relict of the late Mr. Andrew Simpson, merchant in Glasgow, died on Wednesday, the 4th instant, you are hereby requested to attend her funeral on Monday next, at ten o'clock, A. M.' "Never was evidence more conclusive. Both the culprits would have gladly confessed the trick, and implored pardon, but they were speechless; and in as much consternation as if the grimly ghost of Mrs. Simpson herself had delivered the fatal message. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell looked at the letter, then at their two hopeful sons, and then at one another; but such were their grief and astonishment that neither of them for some minutes could utter a word.

"At last,' says the poet, my mother's grief for the death of her respected cousin vented itself in cuffing our cars. But I was far less pained by her blows than by a few words from my father. He never raised a hand to us; and I would advise all fathers who would have their children to love their memory, to follow his example.'

Although the preceding anecdote says little for Campbell's honour as a boy, or even his respect for his paren s and their friends, yet he was, notwithstanding these appearances, a generous lad—and at school, w hen broils arose, he generally avoided them, or took the weakest side. The little anecdote which we copy will remind many persons of their own schoolboy days; when it was an article of scholastic faith, that our countrymen were superior in all qualities whatever, but especially in those of a pugnacious character. The anecdote is quite characteristic of the sad results which were sown by

NATIONAL ANIMOSITIES.

"Amongst his favourite comrades were several who afterwards distinguished themselves as men of science and commercial enterprise. One of the latter was Ralph Stevenson, VOL. XVI.-NO. CLXXXI.

COLLEGE LIFE.

He entered Glasgow University in October, 1791, having distinguished himself in all the classes of the Grammar School, now the High School of Glasgow. Dr. Beattie says that, even while a student, the poet was not characterised by the virtue of close application. While a mere boy, Campbell appears to have had the enviable tact of looking into a book, and extracting from it whatever was valuable. He took the cream, and left what remained for the perusal of less fastidious readers." This faculty is not, however, calculated to do more than make a superficial scholar; and Campbell was one of the first Greek scholars of the day. In his first year at college, he gained three prizes; and it may be added that even these prizes were not easily obtained at Glasgow University by any young lad of fourteen years of age.

His college career was brilliant, but might have been more so, if he had not been, as he states, "obliged by his necessities to give elementary instruction to younger lads;" and thus his powers of instruction were exhausted in teaching when he ought to have been learning." Dr. Beattie believes that this process of instructing others "led" a more solid foundation for his own fame; but its general tendency is to fag and discourage the young teacher, who is thus compelled to do double duty. While prosecuting vigorously his classical studies, we find him pursuing his poctical fancies, and working his upward way in the path that was to lead him to celebrity. The following anecdote regarding the foundation of his popular ballad, "Lord Ullin's Daughter," is interesting:

"Among the notes illustrative of this period, and kindly furnished to me by one of his earliest friends, find that Campbell was still very constant in his addresses to the Muses, and furnished a little poem, which he had printed, in the ballad form, and distributed among his fellow-students. When he was preparing this for the press,' says a friend,

he came to my lodging with the manuscript, and we looked it over, with a view to correct whatever might require emendation.' He got it printed on a slip of paper, like a bawbee ballad; and, from its resemblance in scenery and subject, to Lord Ullin's Daughter,' it was probably the first form of that ballad, which he afterwards so beautifully recast, while residing in the Highlands. It began with these lines:

'Loud shricked afar the angry sprite
That rode upon the storm of night,
And loud the waves were heard to roar
That lashed on Morven's rocky shore'-
which, if compared with those in the ballad published, we
shall find the resemblance sufficiently striking to warrant
such a conjecture-

By this the storm grew loud apace;
The water-wraith was shrieking,' &c."

although not in the warmest terms, and it is not surprising, but annoying, to find that this Greek scholar and poet could not spell and write the English language with propriety. In 1793, while yet only in his fifteenth year, he occasionally attended at a solicitor's office in Glasgow; but he never liked the business. The general opinion that the study of law is inconsistent with the practice of poetry and the pursuit of literature, was confirmed in the experiences of Campbell. His case did not constitute the rule, but rather was, in our opinion, the exception. There are many splendid illustrations of the facility with which law and literature may draw together. The names of Jeffrey and Brougham will occur readily to every reader, as examples of the intimate connection that may exist between the daily routine of legal duties and eminence in general literature. Sir Walter Scott was a lawyer; and many of his novels evince a keen intimacy with the absurdities and technicalities of Scottish law forms. Samuel Warren, the author of "Now and Then," and other stirring narratives, is a barrister of considerable standing, and author also of "The Moral, Social, and Professional Duties of Attorneys," one of the best books

At that period, 1791, a number of literary clubs were formed amongst the students at the Glasgow University, and Campbell felt the warm interest of youth in their debates. The oratorical displays of the evening were often prolonged till midnight, and yet they produced comparatively few orators. With the exception of theological students, of whom Glasgow has always had a large share, the professional duties of these young men, in their subsequent life, were not calculated to promote the prac-of the past year. Some of the most promising volumes tice and study of eloquence; and we are not aware that any of them acquired celebrity in that field. The cause and objects of Campbell's first Greek poem is

thus narrated:

work on Italy acquired a high standing, immediately on of last year are written by lawyers. Mr. Whiteside's its publication. The author of "Nimrod," the best poem of 1848, in our language, is a Scottish W.S., practising in Edinburgh. We should, however, have merely to run up a catalogue of names and works, if we were called on to prove the union between legal and literary studies, although the opposite opinion has become proverbial, and barristers who are bold enough to publish verses in their own name, like the clever author of "Nibley Green," deem it advisable to preface them with an apology.

"It was during the same term at college, and in the Greek class which young Campbell attended with so much acknowledged credit to himself, that another little incident occurred, which brought his poetical talent before the Professor in a rather pleasing and interesting light. Some public ceremony or procession, it seems, had just been announced as about to take place in the city; and being of a very attractive description, the leaders in the Greek class were taking very active measures for securing a holiday;' but were sadly puzzled how they should memorialize' the Professor, so as to make sure of his indulgence. The 'show' was expected to be even much finer than was at The duties of the solicitor's office did not suit Campfirst imagined; and yet, was to be all Homer and no holiday? In this dilemina, young Campbell tacitly took bell. He made no progress with law works; and we upon himself the office of junior counsel in Greek for the think his biographer, in the following verses, necdwhole class, and soon made himself master of the case.lessly at a loss to know the more congenial pursuits Next morning, when the students had all assembled, much chagrined at the little success that had attended their delito which he retreated. The last part of our extract berations, the Professor took his seat as usual. explains them:

"On opening a Greek text-book that lay on his desk, he observed a neatly-folded manuscript, respectfully addressed to himself, and humbly praying, &c., as all petitioners do. He took it up, turned it over, as if to throw it aside; but, seeing that it was written in poetry, he was struck with the novelty, and at length read it over with much apparent attention. His class-fellows knew nothing of what was going on; but young Campbell was literally trembling for the fate of his first piece,' and the holiday! And while he watched with intense anxiety the rather equivocal smile that played about the Professor's lips, during the perusal, his fears too clearly suggested that it was in contempt of the petitioner! He even thought he could distinctly

The day's disaster in his morning face!' "In a few minutes, however, he was agreeably surprised to hear his name pronounced in the presence of the whole class, with a very handsome compliment attached to it, and followed by the far more captivating announcement, that theholiday was granted!" Granted-The word was electric the students returned hasty and boisterous thanks, and, rushing forth to the market-place, spent a glorious holiday,' with the young Tyrtacus at their head.

"From the date of this petition, young Campbell was ho noured with marked attention by Professor Young, whose approbation, in this instance, stimulated him to such increased diligence in his study of Greek, that he soon gave proofs of his proficiency by those elegant translations which still maintain their place among his published poems.

In the next session he entered the Logic class, and was commended for his exercises by Professor Jardine,

"During the summer of this year; or, at least, for several weeks after prize-day, Campbell appears to have spent the greater portion of his time in the office of a solicitor, or writer, in Glasgow, a relation by his mother's side, and to have actually commenced the duties of an apprenticeship This gentleman was the late Mr. Alexander Campbell; but as he informed my correspondent, the young poet came to his office only on trial, and, disliking the business on better acquaintance, soon left the office and returned to more congenial pursuits.' What these pursuits were, does not exactly appear; but that he was diligent in his preparation for the ensuing session at college, and in almost daily correspondence with the muses, is abundantly evident by the translations and original poems which he struck off in the course of the autumn.

"Among the miscellaneous pieces, was one inspired by the most atrocious event of the day--an event over which he wept at the time, and the mere recollection of which, after the lapse of forty years, still made him shudder.' It was the following poem on Marie Antoinette. It excited much attention on both sides of the green;' met the publie sympathy so universally felt at the time, and afterwards appeared in one of the leading Glasgow papers :

"VERSES ON THE QUEEN OF FRANCE. "Behold! where Gallia's captive queen, With steady eye, and look serene, In life's last awful-awful scene, Slow leaves her sad captivity. "Hark! the shrill horn, that rends the sky, Bespeaks the ready murder nigh;