HISTORY OF HARTING. 169 



Shakespeare at least thought that the praise of a dead 

 rival, combined with flattery without stint, could trans- 

 form a " hated wretch " and " diffused infection of a 

 man " into a second husband of his victim's widow. 

 And if Shakespeare be in this famous scene, as usual, 

 true to nature, is there anything wonderful in Collins's 

 politic condolence with his Harting lassie for the man 

 to whom she had preferred him ? 



Another indication of Collins's associations with this 

 neighbourhood is his poem on the death of Otway, 

 who also was educated at Winchester, and who was 

 born at Trotton. Among the few lines of Collins that 

 remain, there are several that doubtless describe his 

 memories of Harting ; and one may think that some- 

 where near the site of the present tower at Uppark, 

 commanding one of the most beautiful landscape views 

 in England, he must have caught sight of the evening 

 which he has made immortal in a lay that, like every 

 syllable that this poet left, "wins the harmonious ear." 



" Or if chill blustering winds or driving rain 

 Prevent my willing feet, be mine the hut 



That from the mountain's side 



Views wilds and swelling floods 

 And hamlets brown, and dim-discovered spires ; 

 And hears their simple bell, and marks o'er all 



Thy dewy fingers draw 



The gradual dusky veil." 



The allusions to Uppark under the Tankervilles 

 to be found in the Caryll Correspondence .are few 

 and unhappy. In 1737, Lady Mary Caryll, writing 

 from Lady Holt to her son, describes in her prattling 

 gossip an impromptu wedding at Uppark, which might 

 rival the memories of Gretna Green. The bridegroom 

 is a Mr. Pierssen or Pearson, a connection of Lady 

 Tankerville's, who seems to have had some manage- 

 ment in the Uppark estate, and the lady, a Miss Jedes, 



Collins' Ode to Evening. 



