HIS CHARACTERISTICS AND CHARACTER. 489 



This want of poetic appreciation of Burns is related to a 

 defect in John's constitution, a certain deficiency of poetical 

 feeling. In this also he formed a marked contrast to his 

 greatest friend, to whom, as Charles says of himself, poetry 

 with all it signifies forms half his life. John purchased 

 few books of poetry, though he had some general collec- 

 tions and the works of individual poets. Yet it is cer- 

 tain that he was not wanting in appreciation of the poetic 

 aspects of nature, especially as connected with flowers, 

 in regard to which his feelings rose, beyond question, to 

 poetic strength. He also possessed some poetic sensibilities, 

 often uttered in appropriate and deep-felt words, of 

 which examples have been given. Indeed, it is quite im- 

 possible for any one to love and study the floral world with 

 John Duncan's intense enthusiasm without being inspired 

 with a great deal of true poetic feeling ; for, as Cowley 

 asks regarding flowers 



" Where do we finer strokes and colours see 

 Of the Creator's real poetry ? " 



Charles Black's opinion was that he had " not a particle 

 of poetry in his composition ; " but this opinion was formed 

 thirty years ago, before John had developed deeper and 

 broader tendencies. The truth on this subject seems to 

 be, that John's original endowments in imagination and 

 the related intellectual and emotional faculties that con- 

 stitute the poet were comparatively small, and that his 

 appreciation of poetical literary form was narrow, though he 

 had a real enjoyment of its rhythm and expression as 

 exhibited in the simpler forms of poetry, and especially 

 in song and ballad ; but that his abundant and life-long 

 intercourse with the beautiful and wonderful in nature in- 



