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some of Bossuet's orations for a Scotch theological publisher。
Alas！ the publisher did not anticipate a demand； among Scotch
ministers； for the Eagle of Meaux。 Murray； in his innocence； was
startled by the caution of the publisher； who certainly would have
been a heavy loser。 ‘I honestly believe that； if Charles Dickens
were now alive and unknown； and were to offer the MS。 of Pickwick to
an Edinburgh publisher； that sagacious old individual would shake
his prudent old head； and refuse （with the utmost politeness） to
publish it！' There is a good deal of difference between Pickwick
and a translation of old French sermons about Madame； and Conde； and
people of whom few modern readers ever heard。
Alone； in Edinburgh； Murray was saddened by the ‘unregarding'
irresponsive faces of the people as they passed。 In St。 Andrews he
probably knew every face； even in Edinburgh （a visitor from London
thinks） there is a friendly look among the passers。 Murray did not
find it so。 He approached a newspaper office： ‘he ＇the Editor whom
he met＇ was extremely frank； and told me that the tone of my article
onwas underbred； while the verses I had sent him had nothing in
them。 Very pleasant for the feelings of a young author； was it not？
。 。 。 Unfavourable criticism is an excellent tonic； but it should be
a little diluted 。 。 。 I must； however； do him the justice to say
that he did me a good turn by introducing me to …； 。 。 。 who was
kind and encouraging in the extreme。'
Murray now called on the Editor of the Scottish Leader； the
Gladstonian organ； whom he found very courteous。 He was asked to
write some ‘leader…notes' as they are called； paragraphs which
appear in the same columns as the leading articles。 These were
published； to his astonishment； and he was ‘to be taken on at a
salary ofa week。' Let us avoid pecuniary chatter； and merely say
that the sum； while he was on trial； was not likely to tempt many
young men into the career of journalism。 Yet ‘the work will be very
exacting； and almost preclude the possibility of my doing anything
else。' Now； as four leader notes； or； say； six； can be written in
an hour； it is difficult to see the necessity for this fatigue。
Probably there were many duties more exacting； and less agreeable；
than the turning out of epigrams。 Indeed there was other work of
some more or less mechanical kind； and the manufacture of ‘leader
notes' was the least part of Murray's industry。 At the end of two
years there was ‘the prospect of a very fair salary。' But there was
‘night…work and everlasting hurry。' ‘The interviewing of a half…
bred Town…Councillor on the subject of gas and paving' did not
exhilarate Murray。 Again； he had to compile a column of Literary
News； from the Athenaeum； the Academy； and so on； ‘with comments and
enlargements where possible。' This might have been made extremely
amusing； it sounds like a delightful task；the making of comments
on ‘Mr。 … has finished a sonnet：' ‘Mr。 …‘s poems are in their
fiftieth thousand：' ‘Miss … has gone on a tour of health to the
banks of the Yang…tse…kiang：' ‘Mrs。 … is engaged on a novel about
the Pilchard Fishery。' One could make comments （if permitted） on
these topics for love； and they might not be unpopular。 But perhaps
Murray was shackled a little by human respect； or the prejudices of
his editor。 At all events he calls it ‘not very inspiring
employment。' The bare idea； I confess； inspirits me extremely。
But the literary follet； who delights in mild mischief； did not
haunt Murray。 He found an opportunity to write on the Canongate
Churchyard； where Fergusson lies； under the monument erected by
Burns to the boy of genius whom he called his master。 Of course the
part of the article which dealt with Fergusson； himself a poet of
the Scarlet Gown； was cut out。 The Scotch do not care to hear about
Fergusson； in spite of their ‘myriad mutchkined enthusiasm' for his
more illustrious imitator and successor； Burns。
At this time Edinburgh was honouring itself； and Mr。 Parnell； by
conferring its citizenship on that patriot。 Murray was actually
told off ‘to stand at a given point of the line on which the hero
marched；' and to write some lines of ‘picturesque description。'
This kind of thing could not go on。 It was at Nelson's Monument
that he stood： his enthusiasm was more for Nelson than for Mr。
Parnell； and he caught a severe cold on this noble occasion。
Murray's opinions clashed with those of the Scottish Leader； and he
withdrew from its service。
Just a week passed between the Parnellian triumph and Murray's
retreat from daily journalism。 ‘On a newspaper one must have no
opinions except those which are favourable to the sale of the paper
and the filling of its advertisement columns。' That is not
precisely an accurate theory。 Without knowing anything of the
circumstances； one may imagine that Murray was rather impracticable。
Of course he could not write against his own opinions； but it is
unusual to expect any one to do that； or to find any one who will do
it。 ‘Incompatibility of temper' probably caused this secession from
the newspaper。
After various attempts to find occupation； he did some proof…reading
for Messrs。 Constable。 Among other things he ‘read' the journal of
Lady Mary Coke； privately printed for Lord Home。 Lady Mary； who
appears as a lively child in The Heart of Midlothian； ‘had a taste
for loo； gossip； and gardening； but the greatest of these is
gossip。' The best part of the book is Lady Louisa Stuart's
inimitable introduction。 Early in October he decided to give up
proof…reading： the confinement had already told on his health。 In
the letter which announces this determination he describes a sermon
of Principal Caird： ‘Voice； gesture； language； thoughtall in the
highest degree；combined to make it the most moving and exalted
speech of a man to men that I ever listened to。' ‘The world is too
much with me；' he adds； as if he and the world were ever friends； or
ever likely to be friendly。
October 27th found him dating from St。 Andrews again。 ‘St。 Andrews
after Edinburgh is Paradise。' His Dalilah had called him home to
her； and he was never again unfaithful。 He worked for his firm
friend； Professor Meiklejohn； he undertook some teaching； and he
wrote a little。 It was at this time that his biographer made
Murray's acquaintance。 I had been delighted with his verses in
College Echoes； and I asked him to bring me some of his more serious
work。 But he never brought them： his old enemy； reserve； overcame
him。 A few of his pieces were published ‘At the Sign of the Ship'
in Longman's Magazine； to which he contributed occasionally。
From this point there is little in Murray's life to be chronicled。
In 1890 his health broke down entirely； and consumption declared
itself。 Very early in 1891 he visited Egypt； where it was thought
that some educational work might be found for him。 But he found
Egypt cold； wet； and windy； of Alexandria and the Mediterranean he
says little： indeed he was almost too weak and ill to see what is
delightful either in nature or art。
‘To aching eyes each landscape lowers；
To feverish pulse each gale blows chill；
And Araby's or Eden's bowers
Were barren as this moorland hill；'
says the least self…conscious of poets。 Even so barren were the
rich Nile and so bleak the blue Mediterranean waters。 Though
received by the kindest and most hospitable friends； Murray was
homesick； and pined to be in England； now that spring was there。 He
made the great mistake of coming home too early。 At Ilminster； in
his mother's home； he slowly faded out of life。 I have not the
heart to quote his descriptions of brief yet laborious saunters in
the coppices； from the letters which he wrote to the lady of his
heart。 He was calm； cheerful； even buoyant。 His letters to his
college friends are all concerned with literature； or with happy old
times； and are full of interest in them and in their happiness。
He was not wholly idle。 He wrote a number of short pieces of verse
in Punch； and two or three in the St。 James's Gazette。 Other work；
no doubt； he planned； but his strength was gone。 In 1891 his book；
The Scarlet Gown； was published by his friend； Mr。 A。 M。 Holden。
The little volume； despite its local character； was kindly received
by the Reviews。 Here； it was plain； we had a poet who was to St。
Andrews what the regretted J。 K。 S。 was to Eton and Cambridge。 This
measure of success was not calculated to displease our alumnus
addictissimus。
Friendship and love； he said； made the summer of 1892 very happy to
him。 I last heard from him in the summer of 1893； when he sent me
some of his most pleasing verses。 He was in Scotland； he had
wandered back； a shadow of himself； to his dear St。 Andrews。 I
conceived that he was better； he said nothing about his health。 It
is not easy