Poems and Ballads ... With a memoir of the Author by Sir W. Scott, Bart. And a Supplement by R. White

Front matter

iB S El 12 ® IL M « THE CENTRAL HOUSE, WITH THE SHRUBS BETWEEN THE DOOR AND WINDOW, IS THE BIRTH PLACE OF B> K . JIOHiKl LEY0EM. Poems anU BallaDs E . DR. JOHN LEYDEN : WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR BY SIR WALTER SCOTT, BART., &nO supplement i>{ ROBERT WHITE. Careless of fame, nor fond of praise, • The simple strains spontaneous sprung ; For Teviot's youths I wrote the lays, For Border-maids my songs I sung. KELSO : .1 & s. H. RUTHERFURD, MARKET PLACE. M.UCCC.LTIII. TO THE EEV. JAMES MORTON, B.D., VICAR OF HOLBEACH AND PREBENDARY OF LINCOLN, WHO, LIKE HIS KINSMAN, DR. JOHN LEYDEN, HAS ILLTJSTEAIET) TITIOTDALE, BY COMPILING ITS " agonastic 0nnal0," THIS VOLUME, AS A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP, IS MOST BESPECTFTjLLT tnsceibed. EEEATA. Page 39, line 9, for bide, read bid. 78, " 3, fanned should commence line 4. 91» " 8, for was, read is. ji " 15, " Intiquities, Antiquities. " * " 28, « Sidney, Sydney. " 280, •• 28, " Turubull, Trotter.

Preface

. On presenting a volume to the notice of the public, it is necessary to apologize for any mistake therein which inj advertently may have been committed. In the supple mental addition to the Memoir by Scott, at p. 95, it is j mentioned that when Leyden completed the " Scenes of \ Infancy," the manuscript was sent to Dr Thomas Brown of I Edinburgh, under whose care the poem was conducted > through the press ; but since that was noted, the writer has been informed that Dr Robert Anderson and Mr James Ballantyne superintended the printing thereof — Leyden j himself correcting the punctuation. Hence we may \ presume the early pieces printed in the Magazines, the ballads published in Tales of Wonder and the Border Minstrelsy, and the poem already mentioned, all under- \ went in type the author's careful revisal.

The same attention could not, however, be bestowed on the greater portion of the other poems, for on Leyden's arrival in India, those he composed and the translations he made were written in several thin Quarto volumes, which, after his decease were sent home to Richard Heber, Esq., one of j his executors. These volumes were examined by the j latter gentleman and Sir John Malcolm, and the poems s .™,> VI

PREFACE.

. selected for publication, after being transcribed by the j Rev. James Morton, were printed, together with the other pieces and the " Scenes of Infancy," in the Remains under Mr Heber's editorial care. On the death of Mr Heber, the manuscript volumes were again delivered to William Erskine, Esq., the remaining executor, who also is depart j ed j yet it is hoped they may still be iu safe preservation. On printing the " Scenes of Infancy" in the Remains, Mr Heber was occasionally unsuccessful in attempting to improve the punctuation. The present edition of that poem was collated with the first impression, and several mistakes have been rectified. Some couplets are added \ from the original manuscript, which at first were omitted, to the displeasure of the author. Two poetical pieces of moderate length have been reprinted from the Edinburgh | Magazine.

At first it was contemplated to print in this collection the Border poems only, but on glancing over all the published verse which came from Leyden's pen, \ a number of other pieces seemed to possess such merit that to exclude them had been acting unjustly, both towards the reader and the reputation of the author. That j j limit was consequently removed, and in the following pages will be found almost every poem which can in any degree contribute to Dr Leyden's permanent fame. All I the fragmentary and introductory notes connected with / the poetry, which are comprised in brackets, and not indi-

PREFACE.

. VII cated as quotations, appear before the public for the first time. Much assistance both in correcting proofs and supplying information has been derived from the Rev. James Morton, and the circumstance of dedicating the volume to him is only a slight acknowledgment of the interest he ha3 S evinced in rendering it acceptable to the public. In the same way sincere thanks arc due to Mr James Telfer of Saughtree, Liddesdale — also to Mr James A. H. Murray, Secretary to the Hawick Archaeological Society, who kindly furnished two pencil sketches — one of the birth place of the Poet at Denholm whence the cut which faces the title was designed by Mr Mossmau of Newcastle, and ; another of Hermitage Castle forming the subject of the plate at page 221. When Dr Leyden took up the lyre, his attachment to his native valley ever proved to him a source of genuine inspiration, hence his best pieces are blended with the traditions and scenery of the Scottish Border.

It is thereby presumed the inhabitants of that district will receive the present volume with some degree of favour. If those in a superior position take any interest in their country's greatness, they have here the effusions of one who most earnestly lent his aid in contributing to enrich her with intellectual wealth. Again, the lowly, possessing themselves of such a boon, may relish its invigorating

PREFACE.

. I influence, and, by the bright career of him who bestowed it, be induced to employ every interval of leisure in the laudable pursuit of mental improvement. The people of > Teviotdale, especially, may be proud of Dr John Leyden, not only that stream, field, wood, and hill around them are tinged with the radiance of his genius, but because he was a man noble by nature, true to principle, and of ster i ling worth, who, by the judicious exercise of brilliant • talents, proved himself an honour to his native land. u. sa. \ Newcastle-upon- Tyne, \ February 3d, 1858. CONTENTS. paoe. ;- Memoir of the Author, ...... 1 Supplement to Memoir, 73 Scenes of Infancy, Part L, 117 Do. Do. " II., 147 Do. Do. " III., 171 Do. Do. " IV., 193 Lord Soulis, a Ballad 213 The Cout of Keilder, a Ballad, .... 232 j The Mermaid, a Ballad, 245 Address to my Malay Krees, 263 Ruberslaw, 265 The Celtic Paradise, 274 ; Verses on the Death of Nelson, .... 278 To Mr James Purvis, 280 Elegiac Lines on the Death of a Sister, . . . 283 Portuguese H ymn to the Virgin Mary, . . 287 Ode, addressed to Mr George Dyer, . . • 290 Scottish Music, an Ode 293 ; Ode on visiting Flodden, 297 < Ode, to the Scenes of Infancy, . . • • 301 Spring, an Ode, 305 Ode to the Evening Star, 308 Ode on Leaving Velore, 309 Ode to an Indian Gold Coin, .... 312 Ode on the Battle of Corunna, . . ■ • 314 On an Old Man Dying Friendless, . . • 317 ; Ode to Fantasy, CONTENTS. i. Melancholy, 325 Love, 326 Written in the Isle of Sky, 327 The Memory of the Past, 328 Written at Woodhouselee, 329 To Camoens, 330 On the Sabbath Morning, .... 331 The Elfin King, a Ballad, 332 To the Yew, 339 To the Setting Sun, 340 Serenity of Childhood, 341 Macgregor, . 342 The Wail of Alzira, . . .

" . . 344 To Aurelia, 345 The Battle of Assaye, 346 Dirge of the Departed Year, 348 Verses written at the Island of Sagnr, . . . 351 Finland Song, 353 From Owen's Latin Epigrams, .... 354 Epitaph from the Latin, ib. The Dream 355 The Cretan Warrior, 359 Ode to Virtue, 360 From Tyrtæus, 361 Do. Do., 363 From The Italian of Tasso, 365 From The Italian of Menzini, .... 366 From The Portuguese of De Matos, .... 367 The Arab Warrior, 368 Sonnet Imitated from the Persic of Sadi, . . 369 From the Persic of Rudeki, 370 The Return after Absence from Do., . . . 371 On Mahmud's War Steed, from the Persic of TJnsari, CONTENTS. XI Verses Written after being at Sea for the First Time, 373 The Fight of Praya 376 The Dirge of Tippoo Sultan, 378 On the Death of Tippoo Sultan, .... 384 Ode to Jehovah, 385 Appendix, 389 ILLUSTRATIONS.

Leyden's Birth-place to face Title. Abbotsford, 82 Town and Abbey of Melrose, 163 Dryburgh, 169 Jedburgh Abbey, 180 Kelso, 188 Kelso Abbey, 190 Hermitage Castle, JOHN LEYDEN, M.D* The subject of the present brief Memoir will be long dis tinguished among those whom the elasticity and ardour > of genius have raised to distinction from an obscure and j humble origin. John Leyden was descended from a family of small farmers, long settled upon the estate of j Cavers, in the vale of Teviot, a few miles from Hawick. He loved to mention some traditional rhymes, which one S of his ancestors had composed, and to commemorate the < prowess of another, who had taken arms with the insurj gent Cameronians, about the time of the Revolution, and | who distinguished himself by his gallantry at the defence of the churchyard of Duukeld, 21st August, 1689, against \ a superior body of Highlanders, when Colonel Cleland, the leader of these rustic enthusiasts, was slain at their head.

John Leyden, residing in the village of Denholm, and parish of Cavers, Roxburghshire, and Isabella Scott, his ij wife, were the parents of Dr Leyden, who lived long to ; deplore the irreparable loss of a son, the honour alike of * First published in the Edinburgh Annual Register, VoL IV., 1811. his family and country. Their irreproachable life and simplicity of manners recommended them to the respect and kindness of the neighbours, and to the protection of the family of Mr Douglas of Cavers, upon whose estate they resided. John Leyden, so eminent for the genius which he dis played, and the extensive knowledge which he accumu lated during his brief career, was born at Denholm, on the 8th September, 1775, and bred up, like other children, in the same humble line of life, to such country labour as suited his strength.

" About a year after his birth," says his relative and biographer, Mr Morton, " his parents removed to Henlaw- I shiel, a lonely cottage, about three miles from Denholm, on the farm of Nether Tofts, which was then held by | Mr Andrew Blythe, his mother's uncle. Here they ; lived for sixteen years, during which his father was employed, first as shepherd, and afterwards in managing the whole business of the farm, his relation having had the misfortune to loose his sight. The cottage, which s was of very simple construction, was situated in a wild ; pastoral spot near the foot of Ruberslaw, on the verge \ of the heath which stretches down from the sides of that majestic hill. The simplicity of the interior corresponded j with that of its outward appearance. But the kind affections, cheerful content, intelligence, and piety, that dwelt beneath its lowly roof, made it such a scene as poets have imagined in their descriptions of the inno- J cence and happiness of rural life.

" Leyden was taught to read by his grandmother, who, after her husband's death, resided in the family of her son. Under the care of this venerable and affectionate instructress his progress was rapid. That insatiable desire of knowledge, which afterwards formed so remarkable a feature in his character, soon began to show itself. The historical passages of the Bible first caught his atten tion ; and it wa<? not long before he made himself fami liarly acquainted with every event recorded in the Old and New Testaments."* Thus Leyden was ten years of age before he had an opportunity of attending a public place of education ; and as the death of his first teacher, William Wilson, schoolmaster at Kirktown, soon after took place, the humble i studies of the future poet, antiquary, and orientalist, were adjourned to the subsequent year, (1786,) when a Mr \ W. Scott taught the same school.

But the sacred fire had already caught to the ready fuel which nature had adjusted for its supply. The ardent and unutterable longing for information of every description, which chaj racterized John Leyden as much as any man who ever lived, was now roused and upon the watch. The rude tra- < ditionary tales and ballads of the once warlike district of Teviotdale were the readiest food which offered itself to '; this awakening appetite for knowledge. These songs and legends became rooted in his memory, and he so identified j his feelings with the wild, adventurous, and daring chaj * Memoirs of Leyden, by the Rev. James Morton, prefixed to his Poetical j ; 19. 8vt>. racters which they celebrate, that the associations thus formed in childhood, and cherished in youth, gave an eccentric and romantic tincture to his own mind, aDd many, if not all the peculiarities of his manner and habits of thinking, may be traced to his imitating the manners and assuming the tone of a Borderer of former times To this may be ascribed bis eager admiration of adventurous deeds and military achievement, his contempt of luxury, his zealous and somewhat exclusive preference \ of his native district, — an affected dislike to the southron, as the " auld enemies of Scotland," — an earnest desire to join to the reputation of high literary acquirements the praise of an adept, at all manly exercises, and the dis regard of ceremony, and bold undaunted bearing in society, which might be supposed to have characterized an ancient native of the Border.

In his early days also, he probably really felt the influence of those superstitious impressions, which at a later period he used sometimes to assume, to the great amusement of his friends, and astonishment of strangers. It was, indeed, somewhat singular, when he got upon this topic, to hear Leyden maintain powerfully, | and with great learning, the exploded doctrines of dæmonology, and sometimes even affect to confirm the strange tales with which his memory abounded, by reference to the ghostly experiences of his childhood. Even to those most intimate with him, he would sometimes urge such topics in a manner which made it impossible to determine whether he was serious or jocular ; and most probably his fancy, though not his sober judgment, actually retained some impressions borrowed from the scenes he has himself described : — " The woodland's sombre shade that peasants fear, The haunted mouutain-streams that murmur'd near, The antique tomb-stone, and the churchyard green, Seem'd to unite me with the world unseen : Oft when the eastern moon rose darkly red, I heard the viewless paces of the dead, Heard in the breeze the wandering spirits sigh, Or airy skirts unseen, that rustled by."

Scenes of Infancy. But the romantic legend and heroic ballad did not satiate, though they fedy his youthful appetite for know ledge. The obscure shepherd boy never heard of any source of information within his reach without straining every nerve to obtain access to it. A companion, for \ example, had met with an odd volume of the Arabian ! Nights' Entertainments, and gave an account of its con- \ tents, which excited the curiosity of young Leyden. This precious book was in possesion of a blacksmith's appren tice, who lived at several miles' distance from Denholm, and the season was winter. Leyden, however, waded through the snow, to present himself by daybreak at the forge door, and request a perusa: of this interesting book in presence of the owner, for an unlimited loan was scarcely to be hoped for.

He was disappointed, was obliged to follow the blacksmith to a still greater distance, where he was employed on some temporary job, I and when he found him, the son of Vulcan, with caprice BIOGRAFHICAL MEMOIR OF worthy of a modern collector, was not disposed to impart ■< his treasure, and put him off with some apology. Leyden remained stationary beside him the whole day, till the lad, softened, or wearied out by his pertinacity, actually ; made him a present of the volume, and he returned home ! by sunset, exhausted by hunger and fatigue, but in triumphant possession of a treasure for which he would have subjected himself to yet greater privations. This childish history took place when he was about eleven years old ; nor is there any great violence in conjecturing i that these fascinating tales, obtained with so much difficulty, may have given his youthful mind that decided i turn towards Oriental learning which was displayed through his whole life, and illustrated by his regretted i and too early decease.

At least, the anecdote affords an early and striking illustration of the ardour of his literary curiosity, and the perseverance which marked his \ pursuit of the means for gratifying it. Other sources of information now began to offer themselves, scanty indeed, compared to those which are accessible to thousands of a more limited capacity, but to \ Leyden as invaluable as an iron spike, or a Birmingham | knife, would have been to Alexander Selkirk during his solitary residence on Juan Fernandez. Prom the new < teacher at Kirktown, Leyden acquired some smattering of the Latin language; but ere he could make any progress, < the school became again vacant in the year 1786. Next year it was again opened by a third schoolmaster, named Andrew Scott, under whom Leyden gained some knowledge of arithmetic.

Thus transferred from one teacher to another, snatching information at such times, and in such portions, as these precarious circumstances afforded, he continued not only to retain the elemental know- > ledge which he had acquired, but to struggle onward vigorously in the paths of learning. It seems probable > that the disadvantage sustained from want of the usual assistances to early learning, may, in so energetic a mind as that of Leyden, be in many respects balanced by the habit of severe study and painful investigation, which it was necessary to substitute for those adventitious aids. \ The mind becomes doubly familiar with that information which it has attained through its own laborious and de termined perseverance, and acquires a readiness in en countering and overcoming difficulties of a similiar nature, from the consciousness of those which it has already successfully surmounted.

Accordingly, Leyden used often j to impute the extraordinary facility which he possessed < in the acquisition of languages to the unassisted exercises of his juvenile years. About this period his predominant desire for learning had determined his parents to breed young Leyden up for the Church of Scotland, trusting for his success to those early talents which already displayed themselves 5 so strongly. Mr Duncan, a Cameronian minister at Denholm, became now his instructor in the Latin language. It does not appear that he had any Greek tutor ; nevertheless he probably had acquired some knowledge of the elements of that language before he attended the College of Edinburgh in 1790, for the purpose of cora ] mencing his professional studies. The late worthy and learned Professor Andrew Dalzel] used to describe, with some humour, the astonishment and amusement excited in < his class, when John Leyden first stood up to recite his Greek exercise.

The rustic, yet undaunted manner, the humble dress, the high harsh tone of his voice, joined to i the broad provincial accent of Teviotdale, discomposed on this first occasion the gravity of the professor, and totally routed that of the students. But it was soon perceived that these uncouth attributes were joined to qualities which commanded respect and admiration. The rapid progress of the young rustic attracted the approbation and countenance of the professor, who was ever prompt to distinguish and en courage merit; and to those among the students who did not admit literary proficiency as a shelter for the ridicule due since the days of Juvenal to the scholar's torn coat and unfashionable demeanour, Leyden was in no respect averse from showing strong reasons, adapted to their comprehension, and affecting their personal safety, for keeping their mirth within decent bounds.

The Greek language was long his favourite study, and, ( considering his opportunities, he became much more in ! timately acquainted with its best authors than is usual in Scotland, even among those who make some pretensions to literature. The Latin he understood thoroughly ; and < it is perhaps the best proof of his classical attainments, that at a latter period, to use his own expression, " he 5 passed muster pretty well when introduced to Dr Parr." Leyden was now at the fountain-head of knowledge, and availed himself of former privations by quaffing it in large draughts. He not only attended all the lectures usually connected with the study of theology, but several others, particularly some of the medical clashes, — a circumstance which afterwards proved important to his out set in life, although at the time it could only be ascribed to his restless and impatient pursuit after science of every j description.

Admission to these lectures was easy, from the liberality of the professors, who throw their classes gratuitously open to young men educated for the church, a privilege of which Leyden availed himself to the utmost extent. There were, indeed, few branches of study in which he did not make some progress. Besides the learned j languages, he acquired French, Spanish, Italian, and j German, was familiar with the ancient Icelandic, and \ studied Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian. But though he soon became particularly distinguished by his talents as a linguist, few departments of science altogether escaped his notice. He investigated moral philosophy with the ardour common to all youths of talent who studied ethics, under the auspices of Professor j Dugald Stewart, with whose personal notice he was ho noured.

He became a respectable mathematician, and was at least superficially acquainted with natural philosophy, natural history, chemistry, botany, and miner alogv. These various sciences he acquired in different degrees, and at different times, during his residence at College. They were the fruit of no very regular plan of study : whatever subject interested his mind at the time, attracted his principal attention till time and industry had overcome the difficulties which it presented, and was then exchanged for another pursuit. It seemed fre quently to be Leyden's object to learn just so much of a particular science as should enable him to resume it at any future period ; and to those who objected to the mis cellaneous, or occasionally the superficial nature of his studies, he used to answer with his favourite interjec tion, " Dash it, mail, never mind : if you have the scaf folding ready, you can run up the masonry when you please."

But this mode of study, however successful with John Leyden, cannot be safely recommended to a student of less retentive memory and robust application. With him, however, at least while he remained in Britain, it seemed a matter of little consequence for what length of time he resigned any particular branch of study; for when either some motive, or mere caprice, induced him to resume it, he could with little difficulty reunite all the broken associations, and begin where he left off months or years before, without having lost an inch of ground during the interval. The vacations which our student spent at home were employed in arranging, methodizing, and enlarging the information which he acquired during his winter's at tendance at College. His father's cottage affording him little opportunity for quiet and seclusion, he was obliged to look out for accomodations abroad, and some of his places of retreat were sufficiently extraordinary.

In a wild recess, in the den or glen which gives name to the village of Denholm, he contrived a sort of fumace for the purpose of such chemical experiments as he was adequate to performing. But his chief place of retirement was the small parish church, a gloomy and ancient build ing, generally believed in the neighbourhood to be haunted. To this chosen place of study, usually locked during week-days, Leyden made entrance by means of a window, read there for many hours in the day, and deposit' his books and specimens in a retired pew. It was a well chosen spot of seclusion, for the kirk, excepting during divine service, is rather a place of terror to the Scottish rustic, and that of Cavers was rendered more so by many a tale of ghosts and witchcraft, of which it was the sup posed scene ; and to which Leyden, partly to indulge his humour, and partly to secure his retirement, contrived to make some modern additions.

The nature of his abstruse studies, some specimens of natural history, as toads aud adders, left exposed in their spirit-vials, and one or two practical jests played off upon the more curious of the peasantry, rendered his gloomy haunt not only venerated by the wise, but feared by the simple of the parish, who began to account this abstracted student like the gifted person described by Wordsworth, as possessing — " waking empire wide as dreams, An ample sovereignty of eye and ear; Rich are his walks with supernatural cheer, The region of his inner-spirit teems With vital sounds, and monitory gleams Of high astonishment and pleasing fear." This was a distinction which, as we have already hinted, he was indeed not unwilling to affect, and to which, so far | as the visions existing in the high fancy of the poet can supply those ascribed to the actual ghost-seer, he had indeed no slight pretensions.

Books as well as retirement were necessary to the pro ; gress of Leyden's studies, and not always attainable. But his research collected from every quarter such as were accessible by loan, and he subjected himself to the utmost privations to purchase those that were not otherwise to be procured. The reputation, also, of his prosperous car reer of learning, obtained him occasional access to the library at Cavers ; an excellent old collection, in which he met, for the first time, many of those works of the middle ages, which he studied with so much research and success. A Froissart, in particular, translated by Lord Berners, captivated his attention, with all those tales " to j savage virtue dear," which coincided with his taste for chivalry, and with the models on which it had been formed; | and tales of the Black Prince, of the valiant Chandos, and of Geoffrey Tete-Noire, now rivalled the legends of Johnie | Armstrong, Walter the Devil, and the Black Douglas.

In the country Leyden's society was naturally considerably restricted, but while at college it began to extend itself among such of his fellow-students as were distinguished for proficiency in learning. Among these we may number the celebrated author of the Pleasures of Hope ; the Rev. Alexander Murray, united with Leyden in the kindred pursuit of Oriental learning, and whose lamp, like that of his friend, was extinguished at the moment when it was placed in the most conspicuous elevation;* William Erskine, author of a Poetical Epistle from St Kilda, with whom Leyden renewed his friendship in India ; the ingenious Dr Thomas Brown, distinguished j for his early proficiency in the science of moral philo sophy, of which he was professor in Edinburgh College ; the Rev. Robert Lundie, late minister of Kelso, and several other young men of talents, who at that time pursued their studies in the University of Edinburgh.

Leyden was also fortunate enough to attract the notice and patronage of Dr Robert Anderson, of Edinburgh, the first man of letters who presented the public with a complete edition of English Poetry from the time of Chaucer, downwards. The notice and encouragement j of a gentleman, whose benevolence of disposition placed all his literary experience at the command of the young student, was of the utmost consequence to the direction > of his studies, and was always warmly remembered and I kindly acknowledged by John Leyden, who, under the I Doctor's patronage, had also an opportunity of trying his young wings by a flight or two in the poetical department of the Edinburgh Magazine. In the year 1796, after five or six years spent at the College of Edinburgh, the recommendation of Pro- * This amiable man, and great Orientalist, was appointed to the chair of tho Hebrew Professorship, in the University of Edinburgh, in consequence " a list of splendid - of his qualifications as has rarely ! honoured the most distinguished scholars, and died within a fe-.* months 1 alter. fessor Dalzell procured Leyden the situation of private tutor to the sons of Mr Campbell of Fairfield, a situation which he retained for two or three years.

During the winter of 1798, he attended the two young gentlemen to their studies at the College of St Andrews. Here he had \ the advantage of the acquaintance of Professor Hunter, an admirable classical scholar, and to whose kind instructions he professed much obligation. The secluded situation also of St Andrews, the monastic life of the students, the fragments of antiquity with which that once metropolitan town is surrounded, and the libraries of its Colleges, gave ! him additional opportunity and impulse to pursue his favourite plans of study. About the time he resided at St Andrews, the renown of Mungo Park, and Leyden's enthusiastic attachment to all researches connected with Oriental learning, turned his thoughts towards the history of Africa, in which he found much to enchant an imagination that loved to dwell upon the grand, the marvellous, the romantic, and even the horrible ; and which was rather fired than appalled by the picture of personal danger and severe privation.

Africa, indeed, had peculiar charms for Leyden. He delighted to read of hosts, whose arrows intercepted the sunbeams; of kings and leaders, who judged of the numberless number of their soldiers by marching them I over the trunk of a cedar, and only deemed their strength sufficient to take the field when such myriads had passed as to reduce the solid timber to impalpable dust — the royal halls also of Dahomay, built of sculls and cross-bones, and moistened with the daily blood of new victims of tyranny ;- — all, in short, that presented strange, wild, and romantic views of what have been quaintly en titled "the ultimities and summities of human nature," and which furnished new and unheard-of facts in the history of man, had great fascination for his ardent imagination. And about this time, he used to come into company, quite full of these extraordinary stories, garnished faith fully with the unpronounceable names of the despots and tribes of Africa, which any one at a distance would have taken for the exorcism of a conjuror.