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Priory； here be ladies of Queen Mary's Court； and the fair inscrutable Queen herself； with Chastelard； that died at St。 Andrews for desire of her； and poor lassies and lads who were over gay for Andrew Melville and Mr。 Blair； and Miss Pett； who tended young Montrose； and may have had a tenderness for his love…locks。 They are a triste good company； tender and true； as the lovers of whom M。 Anatole France has written （La Messe des Morts）。 Above the witches' lake come shadows of the women who suffered under Knox and the Bastard of Scotland； poor creatures burned to ashes with none to help or pity。 The shades of Dominicans flit by the Black Friars wallverily the place is haunted； and among Murray's pleasures was this of pacing alone； by night； in that airy press and throng of those who lived and loved and suffered so long ago …
‘The mist hangs round the College tower； The ghostly street Is silent at this midnight hour； Save for my feet。
With none to see； with none to hear； Downward I go To where； beside the rugged pier； The sea sings low。
It sings a tune well loved and known In days gone by； When often here； and not alone； I watched the sky。'
But he was not always； nor often； lonely。 He was fond of making his speech at the Debating Societies； and his speeches are remembered as good。 If he declined the whisky and water； he did not flee the weed。 I borrow from College Echoes …
A TENNYSONIAN FRAGMENT
So in the village inn the poet dwelt。 His honey…dew was gone； only the pouch； His cousin's work； her empty labour； left。 But still he sniffed it； still a fragrance clung And lingered all about the broidered flowers。 Then came his landlord； saying in broad Scotch； ‘Smoke plug； mon；' whom he looked at doubtfully。 Then came the grocer saying； ‘Hae some twist At tippence；' whom he answered with a qualm。 But when they left him to himself again； Twist； like a fiend's breath from a distant room Diffusing through the passage； crept； the smell Deepening had power upon him； and he mixt His fancies with the billow…lifted bay Of Biscay； and the rollings of a ship。
And on that night he made a little song； And called his song ‘The Song of Twist and Plug；' And sang it； scarcely could he make or sing。
‘Rank is black plug； though smoked in wind and rain； And rank is twist； which gives no end of pain； I know not which is ranker； no； not I。
‘Plug； art thou rank？ then milder twist must be； Plug； thou art milder： rank is twist to me。 O twist； if plug be milder； let me buy。
‘Rank twist； that seems to make me fade away； Rank plug； that navvies smoke in loveless clay； I know not which is ranker； no； not I。
‘I fain would purchase flake； if that could be； I needs must purchase plug； ah； woe is me！ Plug and a cutty； a cutty； let me buy。
His was the best good thing of the night's talk； and the thing that was remembered。 He excited himself a good deal over Rectorial Elections。 The duties of the Lord Rector and the mode of his election have varied frequently in near five hundred years。 In Murray's day； as in my own； the students elected their own Rector； and before Lord Bute's energetic reign； the Rector had little to do； but to make a speech； and give a prize。 I vaguely remember proposing the author of Tom Brown long ago： he was not； however； in the running。
Politics often inspire the electors； occasionally （I have heard） grave seniors use their influence； mainly for reasons of academic policy。
In December 1887 Murray writes about an election in which Mr。 Lowell was a candidate。 ‘A pitiful protest was entered by an' （epithets followed by a proper name） ‘against Lowell； on the score of his being an alien。 Mallock； as you learn； was withdrawn； for which I am truly thankful。' Unlucky Mr。 Mallock！ ‘Lowell polled 100 and Gibson 92 。 。 。 The intrigues and corruption appear to be almost worthy of an American Presidential election。' Mr。 Lowell could not accept a compliment which pleased him； because of his official position； and the misfortune of his birth！
Murray was already doing a very little ‘miniature journalism；' in the form of University Notes for a local paper。 He complains of the ultra Caledonian frankness with which men told him that they were very bad。 A needless； if friendly； outspokenness was a feature in Scottish character which he did not easily endure。 He wrote a good deal of verse in the little University paper； now called College Echoes。
If Murray ever had any definite idea of being ordained for the ministry in any ‘denomination；' he abandoned it。 His ‘bursaries' （scholarships or exhibitions）； on which he had been passing rich； expired； and he had to earn a livelihood。 It seems plain to myself that he might easily have done so with his pen。 A young friend of my own （who will excuse me for thinking that his bright verses are not BETTER than Murray's） promptly made； by these alone； an income which to Murray would have been affluence。 But this could not be done at St。 Andrews。 Again； Murray was not in contact with people in the centre of newspapers and magazines。 He went very little into general society； even at St。 Andrews； and thus failed； perhaps； to make acquaintances who might have been ‘useful。' He would have scorned the idea of making useful acquaintances。 But without seeking them； why should we reject any friendliness when it offers itself？ We are all members one of another。 Murray speaks of his experience of human beings； as rich in examples of kindness and good…will。 His shyness； his reserve； his extreme unselfishness； carried to the point of diffidence；made him rather shun than seek older people who were dangerously likely to be serviceable。 His manner； when once he could be induced to meet strangers； was extremely frank and pleasant； but from meeting strangers he shrunk； in his inveterate modesty。
In 1886 Murray had the misfortune to lose is father； and it became； perhaps； more prominently needful that he should find a profession。 He now assisted Professor Meiklejohn of St。 Andrews in various kinds of literary and academic work； and in him found a friend； with whom he remained in close intercourse to the last。 He began the weary path； which all literary beginners must tread； of sending contributions to magazines。 He seldom read magazine articles。 ‘I do not greatly care for 〃Problems〃 and 〃vexed questions。〃 I am so much of a problem and a vexed question that I have quite enough to do in searching for a solution of my own personality。' He tried a story； based on ‘a midnight experience' of his own； unluckily he does not tell us what that experience was。 Had he encountered one of the local ghosts？
‘My blood…curdling romance I offered to the editor of Longman's Magazine； but that misguided person was so ill…advised as to return it； accompanied with one of these abominable lithographed forms conveying his hypocritical regrets。' Murray sent a directed envelope with a twopenny…halfpenny stamp。 The paper came back for three…halfpence by book…post。 ‘I have serious thoughts of sueing him for the odd penny！' ‘Why should people be fools enough to read my rot when they have twenty volumes of Scott at their command？' He confesses to ‘a Scott…mania almost as intense as if he were the last new sensation。' ‘I was always fond of him； but I am fonder than ever now。' This plunge into the immortal romances seems really to have discouraged Murray； at all events he says very little more about attempts in fiction of his own。 ‘I am a barren rascal；' he writes； quoting Johnson on Fielding。 Like other men； Murray felt extreme difficulty in writing articles or tales which have an infinitesimal chance of being accepted。 It needs a stout heart to face this almost fixed certainty of rejection： a man is weakened by his apprehensions of a lithographed form； and of his old manuscript coming home to roost； like the Graces of Theocritus； to pine in the dusty chest where is their chill abode。 If the Alexandrian poets knew this ill…fortune； so do all beginners in letters。 There is nothing for it but ‘putting a stout heart to a stey brae；' as the Scotch proverb says。 Editors want good work； and on finding a new man who is good； they greatly rejoice。 But it is so difficult to do vigorous and spontaneous work； as it were； in the dark。 Murray had not； it is probable； the qualities of the novelist； the narrator。 An excellent critic he might have been if he had ‘descended to criticism；' but he had； at this time； no introductions； and probably did not address reviews at random to editors。 As to poetry； these much…vexed men receive such enormous quantities of poetry that they usually reject it at a venture； and obtain the small necessary supplies from agreeable young ladies。 Had Murray been in London； with a few literary friends； he might soon have been a thriving writer of light prose and light verse。 But the enchantress held him； he hated London； he had no literary friends； he could write gaily for pleasure； not for gain。 So； like the Scholar Gypsy； he remained contemplative；
‘Waiting for the spark from heaven to fall。'
About this time the present writer was in St。 Andrews as Gifford Lecturer in Natural Theology。 To say that an enthusiasm for totems and taboos； ghosts and go