Stephenson: The Ettrick Shepherd 53 



visited at Elleray many times in subsequent years. The ac- 

 quaintance thus begun between the Shepherd and Professor 

 Wilson was sincere, and, with one short exception, lasting. 

 The white-haired professor of philosophy was the most strik- 

 ing figure as well as the most affected mourner in that slow 

 train that wended its way twenty years later, along the Heart 

 Leap Road, down by Tushielaw to Ettrick Kirk. Thru Wil- 

 son's means grew up a friendship between Hogg and Robert 

 Southey ; also an acquaintance with Wordsworth ; but the poet 

 of Rydal Mount on one occasion spoke contemptuously of 

 Hogg's power as a poet and Wordsworth was never forgiven 

 by the touchy Shepherd. 



The fate of The Forest Mmstrel had not discouraged Hogg. 

 He now became desirous of publishing another volume of 

 verse. He had recently written a good deal, and, rather than 

 lose it, hastily joined it together into a long narrative poem of 

 very loose structure. The story of The Queen's Wake is sim- 

 ple: Mary Queen of Scots arrives in Scotland and decides 

 to have a poetic contest in which all the bards of Scotland are 

 to take part. They meet, contest for three days, and the 

 victor is judged. The major part of the production consists 

 of the songs sung by the bards. It was merely as a pretext 

 for joining together these already-written songs that Hogg hit 

 upon the plan of the Wake. 



The history of its publication may be told here to the end. 

 Constable agreed to the undertaking. Goldie, of Forum ac- 

 quaintance, gave a better offer ; Hogg transferred the volume 

 and offended Constable in consequence. The book was a tre- 

 mendous success and made Hogg instantly famous ; but, before 

 he had reaped any pecuniary benefits Goldie failed and Hogg 

 became bankrupt. Yet this misfortune was not wholly with- 

 out its advantage for it was in the capacity of one of Goldie's 

 executors that Mr. Blackwood was introduced to the Shepherd. 



One finds in this poem many false rhymes. Doubtless Hogg 

 justified himself in this practice by the similar fault in the 

 poetry of his idol, Scott. The verse of The Queen's Wake is 

 far more monotonous than Scott's, the Shepherd not having 

 learned the advantage to be derived from variety of rhyme 

 and meter. In the course of the poem Hogg often clumsily 

 refers to himself, and there are other minor faults. Yet, in 

 spite of these, one bows in wonder and admiration before such 

 a poem or series of poems from such a man. Queen Mary is 



