CHAPTER XIII

THOMAS CAMPBELL—­JOHN CAM HOBHOUSE—­J.W.  CROKER-JAMES HOGG, ETC.

Thomas Campbell appeared like a meteor as early as 1799, when, in his twenty-second year, he published his “Pleasures of Hope.”  The world was taken by surprise at the vigour of thought and richness of fancy displayed in the poem.  Shortly after its publication, Campbell went to Germany, and saw, from the Benedictine monastery of Scottish monks at Ratisbon, a battle which was not, as has often been said, the Battle of Hohenlinden.  What he saw, however, made a deep impression on his mind, and on his return to Scotland he published the beautiful lines beginning, “On Linden when the sun was low.”  In 1801 he composed “The Exile of Erin” and “Ye Mariners of England.”  The “Battle of the Baltic” and “Lochiel’s Warning” followed; and in 1803 he published an edition of his poems.  To have composed such noble lyrics was almost unprecedented in so young a man; for he was only twenty-six years of age when his collected edition appeared.  He was treated as a lion, and became acquainted with Walter Scott and the leading men in Edinburgh.  In December 1805 we find Constable writing to Murray, that Longman & Co. had offered the young poet L700 for a new volume of his poems.

One of the earliest results of the association of Campbell with Murray was a proposal to start a new magazine, which Murray had long contemplated.  This, it will be observed, was some years before the communications took place between Walter Scott and Murray with respect to the starting of the Quarterly.

The projected magazine, however, dropped out of sight, and Campbell reverted to his proposed “Lives of the British Poets, with Selections from their Writings.”  Toward the close of the year he addressed the following letter to Mr. Scott: 

Mr. T. Campbell to Mr. Scott.

November 5, 1806.

My Dear Scott,

A very excellent and gentlemanlike man—­albeit a bookseller—­Murray, of Fleet Street, is willing to give for our joint “Lives of the Poets,” on the plan we proposed to the trade a twelvemonth ago, a thousand pounds.  For my part, I think the engagement very desirable, and have no uneasiness on the subject, except my fear that you may be too much engaged to have to do with it, as five hundred pounds may not be to you the temptation that it appears to a poor devil like myself.  Murray is the only gentleman, except Constable, in the trade;—­I may also, perhaps, except Hood.  I have seldom seen a pleasanter man to deal with. ....  Our names are what Murray principally wants—­yours in particular....  I will not wish, even in confidence, to say anything ill of the London booksellers beyond their deserts; but I assure you that, to compare this offer of Murray’s with their usual offers, it is magnanimous indeed....  The fallen prices of literature-which is getting worse by the horrible complexion of the times-make me often rather gloomy at the life I am likely to lead.