6 Macneil does not stand alone. Burns ing reputation. He was a sort of founded his 'Cottar's Saturday Night' Burns in miniature, had feeling on the Farmer's Ingle; and for the heart, and great sensibility. At the groundwork of the Monk and Mil-time his poems were published, they er's Wife, Ramsay is indebted to were exceedingly popular, and gave Dunbar. The last fifteen years of his rise to expectations, which, in public life were passed in lettered ease and opinion, his brief and unhappy exisaffluence, and during that period he tence prevented being realised. It is composed many of his works. Among questionable, however, if he would a few of his poems, we may mention have been a better poet than he was, the following, The Harp,' The even if his life had been inore favourLinks of Forth, Mary of Castle-able. Much of the merit of his poe Donald and Flora,' carry,' Hey try depended on the untoward circumBonnie Lass can you lie in a Hammock,' stances in which it was composed. and Come under my Plaidy.' Mac- He wanted imagination; and, at any neil is one of the first writers of Scot-rate, the loom of a weaver was a bad tish lyrical poetry. He wrote element for the visits of the Muse. The Paisley poets, Alexander Wil- A greater poet than either Tannason and Robert Tannahill, attracted hill or Wilson, is Richard Gall. It notice at the time they appeared, and is surprising how little the writings of some of their pieces are still read with this ingenious man are known. Had pleasure. Wilson possessed consider- he appeared before Burns, he would able talent for humourous poetry. have gained universal popularity; but Watty and Meg, Rab the works of the latter threw all conand Ringan,' The Laurel Disputed,' temporary and succeeding song-writers and various other pieces of merit. into the shade. In point of merit, he He was a man of little education, but of comes as close to Allan Ramsay as a powerful, laborious, and persevering it is possible to come without absomind. He was alternately a pedlar, lutely equalling him. His poems, we schoolmaster, and weaver. He imbibed believe, were first published four or the republican principles which followed five years ago. He enjoyed the the subversion of the French Mon- friendship and esteem of Burns, archy; and, in a fit of discontent, left Thomas Campbell, and Macneil. his native country for America, in The Farewell to Ayrshire,' generally 1794. He died at Philadelphia, in published among Burns' poems, is, in 1813. In that distant quarter, he reality, the composition of Gall. composed his Herculean work, the There are scarcely in the Scottish lan American Ornithology,' an under- guage two finer songs than his, betaking on which his fame mainly rests. ginning, As I came through Glen "Watty and Meg,' his poetical mas- Dochart vale,' and For many lang terpiece, though full of vulgarisms, years I hae heard frae my grannie.' possesses great merit. Some of his These poets, and various others townsmen have been absurd enough whom we shall not even name, gave, to compare it to the Jolly Beggars,' if possible, an additional extension and Christ's Kirk on the Green,' Peb- popularity to the tongue. But it is lis at the Play,' and Will and Jean.' to Hogg, to Cunningham, and to the Tannahill laboured under a thousand author of Waverley, that we are indisadvantages; and has written a few debted for completing that superstruc songs which will redound to his last-ture which Burns had commenced, 6 and for robing it in the last and therefore, in one sense, had the advanbrightest hues of fancy. Nurtured tage of them all. The years of among the wilds of Selkirkshire-youth and fancy flowed on in a clear, familiar, from his earliest years, with unbroken stream-enlightened with mountain scenery and dwelling in a every circumstance which could adorn region of shadows and clouds, and a poetic mind. In his writings, he spirits, Hogg may be said to have has shown that these advantages were: been born in the land of poetry. not bestowed in vain. They display Sitting upon the mountain side with the pure visionary ideal of his ima his sheep feeding before him; his eye gination. There is no strong depth was accustomed to gaze on solitary of feeling-no vigour of expression—→ scenes and his imagination, height- no impetuous burst of intellect-but ened and expanded with romantic a soft shadowy imaginary touch, which, tales, peopled the solitudes with un- floats like a cloud, and skims over the earthly forms, and threw over them a mind, as a vapour along the surface of dim and visionary veil. There was a stream. He has not the fire, the not a vapour that hung upon the intensity, the keen play of passions, mountain-nor a meteor that be- and the understanding of Burnsspangled its side-nor a murmur that nor the feeling for pastoral beauty of floated down the glens, but contained Ramsay-nor the gracefulness of the elements of poetry; not a stream, Macneil-nor the devotional purity or lake, or fountain, but was pregnant of Cunningham; but, in clothing the with wild and poetical associations. shadowy regions of fancy in material Every hill was peopled with its aerial hues, and in investing ideal forms inhabitants. They floated on the and places, with a local habitation wreaths of gossamer, glittered in the and a name,' he excels them all, moonlight beams, and danced upon When this incomparable shepherd is the rainbow between the earth and so eminent as a poet, it is to be reheaven. His wild imagination was gretted, that he ever tried his hand filled and beautified. He became in prose composition. Neither the more conversant with the world of Brownie of Bodsbeck,' The Winidea than of reality, and formed to ter, Evening Tales, nor even his himself a region of fancy, with whose Three Perils of Man,' will add to mysterious scenes and inhabitants, his his fame. As a prose writer, he is soul loved to hold communion. The far inferior to Burns, which is the more Ettrick Shepherd, therefore, had bet- unaccountable, as his opportunities ter external advantages for forming the have been much greater. He is tomind of a poet than any of our bards. tally destitute of the ease, energy, and Ramsay's genius expanded in the dull manly diction of the Ayrshire Ploughunpoetical occupation of periwig- man. In poetry, Kilmeny' is, per-. maker; Burns' came forth at the haps, his masterpiece. It is certainly plough, in the midst of distress and sor- an exquisite production, and breathes row; Macneil's, though familiar with an unearthly spirit and wildness, which the lovely scenery of Roslin, was long no poet of the age could have spread withered by misfortune; Wilson's and over it, but himself. Of the Queen's Gall's expanded in poverty and grief; Wake,' Mader of the Moor,' the and Allan Cunningham's sprung up 'Mountain Bard,' the Forest Minwith beauty, in the monotonous oc- strel,' and Pilgrims of the Sun, it is cupation of a stone mason. Ilogg, impossible to say any thing at present. He has written some beautiful songs; | bestowed upon it by the great magibut his genius has not the condensacian in his introduction to the Fortion and variety necessary to form a tunes of Nigel.' Praise from such a first-rate lyric poet. quarter, is praise indeed, and sufficient to console a man under every neglect. Miss Of Allan Cunningham, we shall say little; and for two reasons-1st, We have been obliged to skip over His writings, although beautiful, are a host of writers, many of them men little known, and have formed no era of genius, and have restricted ourselves in his native dialect; and 2d, We are almost entirely to those whose writings too imperfectly acquainted with them have been instrumental in restoring to give any thing like a general or con- and preserving the dialect. clusive opinion. From the little, Joanna Baillie, Mrs. Grant, Sir Walhowever, we have seen, we have no ter Scott, Mr. John Wilson, and hesitation in placing him by the side various other writers of the present of Burns and Hogg. Many of the day, have added splendour to their songs which Cromek gave to the native language; and the author of world, as the remains of Nithsdale and Waverley, whoever he be, has placed Galloway song, are now ascertained to upon it the stamp of his matchless Whether Cromek knew this die, and has bid it live for ever. be his. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Society, Women, &c. lively, pleasant town. or not, is a matter of indifference. The fact is true, and stamps Cunningham as a man of extraordinary talents. The Lord's Marie has kepp'd her locks,' She's gane to dwall in Heaven, my Lassie,' There's Cape Town, the capital of South Africa, Kames o' Hinney between my Luve's has, for some time past, amongst travellers Lips,' are among a few of his songs. at least, enjoyed the reputation of being a How long its glo He must be blind indeed, who does ries have passed away, I know not; but not perceive that Burns, or Hogg, or am very certain, it is entitled to no suctr Macneil, never went beyond them. encomiums at the present day. The fluc The Lass o' Preston Mill,' Mary tuating condition of the individuals who Halliday, and Julia Vernon,' are compose the society of the Cape, will at once account for its instability and variain a different style, and no less beauti-tion. The respectable part of the inhabiful. Why many of the tame senti-tants may be divided into two classes: first, mental lyrics of Moore are so much the military upon the station, and the invaadmired, and why the writings of this lids in the East India Company's service, who may be said to comprise nearly allincomparable Gallowegian are ne- that there is of gentility: and, secondly, ́ glected, we leave the public to say the merchants; a most comprehensive Beautiful as some of Moore's songs word; among whom are to be found a few.. are, we will engage to pick out a score men, who might rank with that class: on of Cunningham's, which shall surpass the Royal Exchange; and a vast number of the lowest order of money-getters. The any equal number of the Irish bard's. invalided warriors of the East, are permit We have no hesitation in saying, that ted to wander, for their health, upon the Thomas Moore never wrote any one high seas; and to retain their full pay, if poem better than those of Cunning- their peregrinations are not extended to ham's, which we have named. Sir the westward of the Cape. From this cirMarmaduke Maxwell,' a tragedy, is cumstance, and the attraction of good air, they abound, thick as autumnal leaves,' the most splendid effort of his genius exhibiting a splendid specimen of disease and deserves the high encomium--a variety of wretchedness! 6. · These miserable gentlemen (if it be allowable to sport with human infirmity) might seem part of Milton's squadron of diseases. All feverous kinds- : English merchants, who are the most opulent, can boast of a few highly respectable characters, who would do honour to any society but many are mere unprincipled extortioners. Nothing is to be purchased in this town, in the shops, or stores, as they are termed, as an advantage is taken of a man who wants any article in a hur ry; and cent, per cent. profit is expected on all goods sold in that manner. In addition to this, you have to endure a most intolerable degree of insolence. If the There is, at present, little or no visiting master of the store is engaged in eating, going on at the Cape; and few amuse- drinking, or smoking, you may wait in paments, either public or private, to enliven tience. Ladies have been requested to the hours of relaxation from business.--- get upon a stool, and hand down, for their Eating and drinking, however, in the ab-inspection, the particular wares they were sence of other attractives, are by no means desirous of purchasing.` A society, therefore, which is dependent upon such moveable gentry for its tone and brilliancy, must be subject to incessant changes; and, accordingly, the last removal of military made a woeful alteration. 6 forgotten, but engross at least as large a The public sales are the only places share of attention as in any other part of where things are sold for their real value : the world. What is wanting to their fes- indeed, from this circumstance, there is tivities in science---in pomp and circum-little business done in any other manner; stance,'---is made up for in solid feeding. and every mercantile house has one or There is a pretty theatre, where amateurs more of these sales during the week. performed; but the actors are dispersed; They are usually held in the open street; even theatrical entertainments were too and it is considered as nowise derogatory refined an amusement for the Dutch into the dignity of a merchant, to be seen at habitants of the Cape. Public dancing the auctioneer's elbow, displaying Bandana, assemblies are held monthly during the handkerchiefs, bundles of thread, or such winter season. I was present at one of like articles; or standing with a goosethem, and found but little to distinguish quill behind his ear, it from an English country assembly. The women, taken collectively, were much upon a par with our own country-women, in face, figure, movement, and dress; but there was nothing above mediocrity--none of those strikingly beautiful and elegant forms, one or two of which are usually to be met with in a ball-room at home--the admiration of the one sex, and the envy of the other. It may be remarked, that the women have far less influence upon the general tone of society than with us; as is ever the case in less polished countries. The Dutchmen are of an inferior stamp: vulgar and awkward; with an attempt at smartness and fashionable deportment, which is visibly unsuccessful. The women dance well enough: the performance of the men is more conspicuous for energy than grace. 'arrectis auribus," ready to note down the names of the dif ferent purchasers of his wares. It was in this gentlemanlike situation, that I disco-; vered, to my surprise, one of the most respectable and opulent merchants of the town, in whose company I had dined the previous evening. There is very little export trade at present: wine was the principal article; but the market at home is glutted with the bad adulterated wines, and has spoiled the sale of the good. A considerable quantity is sent home, in pursuance of private orders,› to the friends of persons resident here. Baths, which in a hot country are almost indispensable for refreshment, cleanliness, and health, are a luxury unknown in Cape. Town. Sea-bathing is not in fashion; the beach is much exposed; and on that part of it which is best adapted to the purpose, it is the custom to deposit the filth of the town, to be swept away by the tide. Nearly the whole of the residents of Cape Town, excepting, of course, the military, and members of the government, are merchants, traffickers in some shape or other; who pass their mornings in attend, ing sales, and their evenings at the table, or in lounging before their houses. The the exterior aspect of things. The streets are overrun with dogs, who' act in some degree the part of scavengers, as at Lisbon, Alexandria, &c.; but there t is no want of neatness and cleanliness in give their children an education at home. The Dutch go without. The Dutch are early risers. They make a point of attending the market, which is daily held at sun-rise; and, as there are A fine collection of the Latin and Greek no public evening amusements, and little classics was left to the public, by an old private society to tempt them to encroach German gentleman, who died here; and upon the night, they go early to bed. At they are deposited in a room adjoining to ten o'clock nothing is to be heard but the the Lutheran church, called the Public Libaying of the dogs, or the distant roaring brary. However, a friend of mine applyof the tide. In the country, however, or ing for admission, it was thought to be an the environs of the town, the suminer innovation upon established rules, and so nights are not altogether favourable to re-hazardous a step, that the colonial secretary pose. Stillness and solemnity are here no was consulted upon the occasion! attributes of the Sable Goddess: the earth swarms with crickets, and other chirping fry, that come forth to revel in the cool dews of night, like true Anacreontic spi-culating library, to which Tom Jones and rits; as if Humphrey Clinker have not yet found their way. Intellectual refinement is, in fact, at the lowest ebb, both among the Dutch and English. Their business and pleasure are buying and selling. I could not help thinking of the soliloquy in Seneca's Epistles:--- Let me be called a base man The busy day Drove them from their sport and play;" and the air is filled with the incessant hum of insects; to say nothing of the musquitoes, whose operations are not confined to bumming. There is a subscription reading-room, whose shelves are supplied with a very few novels, and books of travels; and one cir so I am called a rich one. If a man is rich, who asks if he is good? The ques tion is how much we have, not from whence, or by what means we have it. Every one has so much merit as he has wealth. For my part, let me be rich, O ye gods, or let me die; for there is more pleasure in the possession of wealth than in that of parents, children, wife, or friends!' Hæ tibi erunt artes:" The English follow precisely the same mode of life as at home;-dine late; go to bed late; and get up late; drink Port wine, and bottled stout; wear narrowbrimmed hats; and walk in the noon-day sun. This attachment and close adherence to national habits, in defiance and contempt of all local customs, is characteristic of the English, wherever they are found. A late ingenious author gives a very pleasant instance of this :---arriving For the polite arts, of course, can have no at Naples, he found a regular double-admirers in such a community as this. wicket cricket match going on--n---Eton Music, the first of the sister arts that finds against the world---and the world was beaten its way amongst an unlettered people, is in one innings !---(Matthew's Dairy.)--- cultivated with little assiduity, and with a A subscription pack of fox-hounds is regu- success hardly proportioned to that assiduilary hunted during the winter season, for ty. The Hottentots are the best natural the recreation of the English, with very musicians; and, I think, altogether, the indifferent sport; for though game is in plenty, the country is uninclosed, and the glorious difficulties and dangers of the chase are wanting. The horsemen, who literally must be patientes pulveris atque solis, are occasionally precipitated into deep holes, formed by the ant-eater and other animals, and may return covered with the sandy honours of the field. I have not heard that any of them have been fairly ingulfed, like Curtius, for their country's weal. Literature is wholly neglected. The chaplain of the garrison takes in a few pupils; but there is no school in the colony. A good schoolmaster is much wanted.Such as can afford it, among the English, best vocal performers I heard. The voices of the women are sweet, rich, and in excellent tune. At a distance of two hundred miles in the interior of the colony, I heard several of them singing, in parts, the psalm tunes which they had learned at the Missionary Institution. One: sang the air, another sustained a second part, confined chiefly to the third below. Sometimes a third part, by way of bass, has been attempted; though not so perfect in the execution, but still without the slightest violation of harmony. This they call, in Dutch, singing gruff and fine." The men do not appear to possess, or, at least, they do not exert this talent; and how the women acquired it, I could not discover, |