whose heart, like his own, was gifted with the magic voice of song. They spent only one night in each others company.* Tannahill, Mr. Hogg informed us, convoyed him half way to Glasgow on the following morning, where they parted. It was a melancholy adieu Tannahill gave him. He grasped his hand, tears gathering in his eyes the while, and said, "Farewell, we shall never meet again-farewell, I shall never see you more." These prophetic words were, alas! too soon verified by the event of his death, which happened but a short time after this deeply affecting and tender parting. Paisley has now given birth to two men of distinguished eminence, and both poets. They were her own children, and she acted the step-dame to them both. One lived to shame her ingratitude by raising a splendid trophy of his genius in a foreign land; the other withered in the shade and horrors of her neglect. Yes, we scruple not to avow it that one main cause of Tannahill's premature fate was the chilling aspect of his own town. He had vanity like every man of genius a thirst for fame, as every noble spirit ought to have; but the first was mortified, and the last was disappointed and ungratified. True, he heard his songs chaunted with delight, and his praises whispered in distant parts, but then not even * Our staunch and excellent friend, Mr A. B whose amiable eccentricities and talents have endeared him to every circle, was the means, we believe, of introducing the two poets to each other. The lover of reliques will in the workshop of Mr. B. find many things worthy of his attention. Our page will not contain a full inventory of them, but we shall mention a few for the edification of the curious. Imprimis, The complete head of the stone effigy which covered the remains of that subtle Magician, famous Wizard, and learned Clerk, Michael Scott-brought from Melrose Abbey.-Item. Á plank of one of the Spanish Armada.-Item. Sundry beautiful chippings of Queen Mary's Yew.-item. A rafter of Alloway's auld hauntit Kirk.-Item. A walking staff of the Broom of the Cowden Knowes, convertible likewise into a sweet pastoral whistle, when it listeth one to pipe melodiously in journeying through the classic dales of the southern shires as a pilgrim towards the noble ruins of Melrose and Dryburgh.-Do. of the Bush abune Traquair.-Do. of the Trysting tree on the Borders, &c. &c. Besides a stupendous harpsicord, an antique virginal, with fiddles, flutes, and violoncellos, great and small, innumerable, and a host of quaighs made of the Torwood and Ellerslie Oak, with as many crosslets and snuff boxes of the Yew Tree above noticed. The Connoisseur of Painting will also be delighted with some fine spirited sketches in black chalk that adorn the walls, some of which we understand are designed and executed by a very promising young artist of this town whose truly original conceptions have often excited our admiration. We were particularly pleased with "the twa Dogs" from Burns. The attitude of "the Gentleman and Scholar" is aptly chosen and admirably delineated. hinted at, in the place of his birth. Where was the countenance the higher ranks should have conferred on him?-Where the support the wealthy could have given him to prosecute his studies and improve in his darling avocation? Merit in the lower paths of life was akin to a miracle in the eyes of the richer class of his native community, and miracles having died with the apostles they were not now to be believed. We have done with our sketch. Sensible as we are that this essay is very defective in many respects-that it is often abridged where it should have been full and particular, and diffuse where it should have been concise and general, nevertheless, despite these faults, it will serve its end of being a kind of rude chart, by which some able hand may direct his course while prosecuting under happier auspices the same subjects of which we have treated. The mistakes or omissions which the attentive reader may discover, as they were either involuntary on our part or originated from lack of better information, it is hoped will be forgiven or at least charitably construed. What has been written was from the worthy motive of giving to our countrymen a bead roll of names belonging to this district that deserve not to perish without some tribute being paid to their memory, however inadequate such may be to their deserts, or insufficient to secure them from the obliviousness which time throws over the most illustrious dead. I see that makaris amang the laif, Playis heir thair padyanis, syne gois to graif; Timor mortis conturbat me. QUOD DUNBAR. APPENDIX. No. 1. The Geste of Schir Gormalyn And the Reid Woulf at the warldis end. Lythe and listen feeris al, In quhat manere thirlit in thralle, Be ane reid Woulff, ane ugsum fende, Quhyll ane knicht breem did wend Then this burde bricht to bring His aventuris, grit to tell, Quhairfoir me rede you well, His laude to roune. Gude Gormalyn bene pricken onne, Ane squyer be him ronne, Stalwarth and fre. Ouir forthis, holtis, and how, F "Quhar wonnis thow knicht, In armour clere dicht?" Spak furth ane man, "I gang, quod Gormalyn, Quhat cace has happit the, Thorow this land gude? "Welaway! mi hertis broken Wi moche wae ywroken," Quod the villeine; "Syne ane reid woulfis stown, The swete May growan Als lyk ane rois blowan, This woulff ben grit in bane, Hideous to see; Eyne lyk beadis of fyr, With ane reid selcouth lyre, Paweis scharpenit Abune al gre. Dwelland at the warldis end, Nocht pitie him kend, Bot dois devore Flokkis, Schepperdis, Wemen, Maydis, bairnis, eild men, Then slinkis to his den In moche glore. Malisounis on him licht, Of this royame braid; And doomit to the deid, Scho is perdie Ilede, Sua sorrowis spryng. Sith quhen the king heris Of this cace ; Certes, baith me and myne Quhilk makis me dwyne Up stertit Gormalyn, Lyk ane suche of wynd, "Be him that bled on tre, This samen May schall I fre, Out syne he drawis his suerd; Quhat airt it mote fall, Qubyll he mote saif mell Wi the woulffis den. Waffland till the west, Joukand till the east, Was sumdele the suerd, Southlandis it whiles did beck, Quhyll in fine north its neck Bendand bot ane cheque Daddit on erd. (Multa deerant) |