按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
r of health to the banks of the Yang…tse…kiang：' ‘Mrs。 … is engaged on a novel about the Pilchard Fishery。' One could make comments （if permitted） on these topics for love； and they might not be unpopular。 But perhaps Murray was shackled a little by human respect； or the prejudices of his editor。 At all events he calls it ‘not very inspiring employment。' The bare idea； I confess； inspirits me extremely。
But the literary follet； who delights in mild mischief； did not haunt Murray。 He found an opportunity to write on the Canongate Churchyard； where Fergusson lies； under the monument erected by Burns to the boy of genius whom he called his master。 Of course the part of the article which dealt with Fergusson； himself a poet of the Scarlet Gown； was cut out。 The Scotch do not care to hear about Fergusson； in spite of their ‘myriad mutchkined enthusiasm' for his more illustrious imitator and successor； Burns。
At this time Edinburgh was honouring itself； and Mr。 Parnell； by conferring its citizenship on that patriot。 Murray was actually told off ‘to stand at a given point of the line on which the hero marched；' and to write some lines of ‘picturesque description。' This kind of thing could not go on。 It was at Nelson's Monument that he stood： his enthusiasm was more for Nelson than for Mr。 Parnell； and he caught a severe cold on this noble occasion。 Murray's opinions clashed with those of the Scottish Leader； and he withdrew from its service。
Just a week passed between the Parnellian triumph and Murray's retreat from daily journalism。 ‘On a newspaper one must have no opinions except those which are favourable to the sale of the paper and the filling of its advertisement columns。' That is not precisely an accurate theory。 Without knowing anything of the circumstances； one may imagine that Murray was rather impracticable。 Of course he could not write against his own opinions； but it is unusual to expect any one to do that； or to find any one who will do it。 ‘Incompatibility of temper' probably caused this secession from the newspaper。
After various attempts to find occupation； he did some proof…reading for Messrs。 Constable。 Among other things he ‘read' the journal of Lady Mary Coke； privately printed for Lord Home。 Lady Mary； who appears as a lively child in The Heart of Midlothian； ‘had a taste for loo； gossip； and gardening； but the greatest of these is gossip。' The best part of the book is Lady Louisa Stuart's inimitable introduction。 Early in October he decided to give up proof…reading： the confinement had already told on his health。 In the letter which announces this determination he describes a sermon of Principal Caird： ‘Voice； gesture； language； thoughtall in the highest degree；combined to make it the most moving and exalted speech of a man to men that I ever listened to。' ‘The world is too much with me；' he adds； as if he and the world were ever friends； or ever likely to be friendly。
October 27th found him dating from St。 Andrews again。 ‘St。 Andrews after Edinburgh is Paradise。' His Dalilah had called him home to her； and he was never again unfaithful。 He worked for his firm friend； Professor Meiklejohn； he undertook some teaching； and he wrote a little。 It was at this time that his biographer made Murray's acquaintance。 I had been delighted with his verses in College Echoes； and I asked him to bring me some of his more serious work。 But he never brought them： his old enemy； reserve； overcame him。 A few of his pieces were published ‘At the Sign of the Ship' in Longman's Magazine； to which he contributed occasionally。
From this point there is little in Murray's life to be chronicled。 In 1890 his health broke down entirely； and consumption declared itself。 Very early in 1891 he visited Egypt； where it was thought that some educational work might be found for him。 But he found Egypt cold； wet； and windy； of Alexandria and the Mediterranean he says little： indeed he was almost too weak and ill to see what is delightful either in nature or art。
‘To aching eyes each landscape lowers； To feverish pulse each gale blows chill； And Araby's or Eden's bowers Were barren as this moorland hill；'
says the least self…conscious of poets。 Even so barren were the rich Nile and so bleak the blue Mediterranean waters。 Though received by the kindest and most hospitable friends； Murray was homesick； and pined to be in England； now that spring was there。 He made the great mistake of coming home too early。 At Ilminster； in his mother's home； he slowly faded out of life。 I have not the heart to quote his descriptions of brief yet laborious saunters in the coppices； from the letters which he wrote to the lady of his heart。 He was calm； cheerful； even buoyant。 His letters to his college friends are all concerned with literature； or with happy old times； and are full of interest in them and in their happiness。
He was not wholly idle。 He wrote a number of short pieces of verse in Punch； and two or three in the St。 James's Gazette。 Other work； no doubt； he planned； but his strength was gone。 In 1891 his book； The Scarlet Gown； was published by his friend； Mr。 A。 M。 Holden。 The little volume； despite its local character； was kindly received by the Reviews。 Here； it was plain； we had a poet who was to St。 Andrews what the regretted J。 K。 S。 was to Eton and Cambridge。 This measure of success was not calculated to displease our alumnus addictissimus。
Friendship and love； he said； made the summer of 1892 very happy to him。 I last heard from him in the summer of 1893； when he sent me some of his most pleasing verses。 He was in Scotland； he had wandered back； a shadow of himself； to his dear St。 Andrews。 I conceived that he was better； he said nothing about his health。 It is not easy to quote from his letters to his friend； Mr。 Wallace； still written in his beautiful firm hand。 They are too full of affectionate banter： they also contain criticisms on living poets： he shows an admiration； discriminating and not wholesale； of Mr。 Kipling's verse： he censures Mr。 Swinburne； whose Jacobite song （as he wrote to myself） did not precisely strike him as the kind of thing that Jacobites used to sing。
They certainly celebrated
‘The faith our fathers fought for； The kings our fathers knew；'
in a different tone in the North。
The perfect health of mind； in these letters of a dying man； is admirable。 Reading old letters over； he writes to Miss …； ‘I have known a wonderful number of wonderfully kind…hearted people。' That is his criticism of a world which had given him but a scanty welcome； and a life of foiled endeavour； of disappointed hope。 Even now there was a disappointment。 His poems did not find a publisher： what publisher can take the risk of adding another volume of poetry to the enormous stock of verse brought out at the author's expense？ This did not sour or sadden him： he took Montaigne's advice； ‘not to make too much marvel of our own fortunes。' His biographer； hearing in the winter of 1893 that Murray's illness was now considered hopeless； though its rapid close was not expected； began； with Professor Meiklejohn； to make arrangements for the publication of the poems。 But the poet did not live to have this poor gratification。 He died in the early hours of 1894。
Of the merits of his more serious poetry others must speak。 To the Editor it seems that he is always at his best when he is inspired by the Northern Sea； and the long sands and grey sea grasses。 Then he is most himself。 He was improving in his art with every year： his development； indeed； was somewhat late。
It is less of the writer than the man that we prefer to think。 His letters display； in passages which he would not have desired to see quoted； the depth and tenderness and thoughtfulness of his affections。 He must have been a delightful friend： illness could not make him peevish； and his correspondence with old college companions could never be taken for that of a consciously dying man。 He had perfect courage； and resolution even in his seeming irresoluteness。 He was resolved to be； and continued to be； himself。 ‘He had kept the bird in his bosom。' We； who regret him； may wish that he had been granted a longer life； and a secure success。 Happier fortunes might have mellowed him； no fortunes could have altered for the worse his admirable nature。 He lives in the hearts of his friends； and in the pride and sympathy of those who； after him； have worn and shall wear the scarlet gown。
The following examples of his poetry were selected by Murray's biographer from a considerable mass； and have been seen through the press by Professor Meiklejohn； who possesses the original manuscript； beautifully written。
MOONLIGHT NORTH AND SOUTH
Love； we have heard together The North Sea sing his tune； And felt the wind's wild feather Brush past our cheeks at noon； And seen the cloudy weather Made wondrous with the moon。
Where loveliness is rarest； ‘Tis also prized the most： The moonlight shone her fairest Along that level coast Where sands and dunes the barest； Of beauty seldom boast；
Far from that bleak and rude land An exile I remain Fixed in a fair and good land； A valley and a plain Rich