LISMORE
Taormina
Our summer was spent on Arran, Colinsay, and on “the Green Isle” of Lismore in the sea-mouth of Loch Linnhe within sight of the blue hills of Morven. We had rooms in the Ferryman’s cottage at the north point of the isle, where the tide race was so strong at the ebb in stormy weather that at times it was impossible to row across to the Appin shore, even to fetch a telegram whose advent was signalled to us by a little flag from the post office—a quicker way of getting it than by the long road from the Lismore post office. We spent much of our time on the water in a little rowing boat. A favourite haunt was a little Isle of Seals, in the loch, where we one day found a baby seagull, fat and fully fledged, but a prisoner by reason of a long piece of grass that had tightly wound round and atrophied one of its feet. Sometimes our friend the ferryman would come too. At first he refused to talk if I was there, because I could not speak Gaelic, and he thought I was English. But at last when I had reassured him that I too was a Scot, when he admitted that though I had not a Highland tongue I had Highland eyes just like his mother’s—his shyness wore away. And one day when we were out on the loch at sundown, and an exquisite rosy flush lay over hill and water, he stopped rowing and leant over his oars, silent for a time, and at last murmured in his slow Highland English “’Tis—the—smile—of God—upon—the—waters.”
At Lismore F. M. wrote, to quote the author’s own words, “‘The Four Winds of Eiré’ (long); ‘The Magic Kingdoms’ (longer and profounder, one of the best things F. M. has ever written); ‘Sea-Magic’ (a narrative and strange Sea-Lore); ‘The Lynn of Dreams’ (a spiritual study); and ‘Seumas’ (a memory).”
During the summer and autumn he had, as F. M., also written a long study on the work of W. B. Yeats for The North American Review; had arranged the first volume of a selection of tales for the Tauchnitz series, entitled Wind and Wave; and had prepared a revised and augmented edition of The Silence of Amor for publication in America by Mr. Mosher. W. S. meanwhile had not been idle. After editing a volume of the Poems by our friend, Eugene Lee-Hamilton, with a long Introduction for The Canterbury Poets, he was at work on a series of articles which were intended for a projected book to be called Literary Geography; and of these there appeared in Harper’s “Walter Scott’s Land,” “R. L. Stevenson’s Country”; and a poem, “Capt’n Goldsack.”
Unfortunately, his increasing delicacy not only disabled him from the continuous heavy strain of work he was under, but our imperative absence from England necessitated also the relinquishing of my journalistic work. The stress of circumstances weighed heavily on him, as he no longer had the energy and buoyancy with which to make way against it. At this juncture, however, one or two friends, who realised the seriousness of conditions petitioned that he should be put on the Civil Pension List. The Hon. Alex. Nelson Hood and Mr. Alfred Austin were the chief movers in the matter, and were backed by Mr. George Meredith, Mr. Thomas Hardy and Mr. Watts Dunton. Realising however, that the writings of William Sharp, considered alone, would not constitute a sufficient claim, Mr. Hood urged William to allow him to acquaint the Prime Minister with the authorship of the Fiona Macleod writings, and of the many sacrifices their production had entailed. My husband consented providing that Mr. Balfour were told “confidentially and verbally.” However, it proved necessary that “a statement of entire claims to consideration should be laid upon the table of the House of Commons for the inspection of members.” In writing to acquaint my husband of this regulation, Mr. Hood added:
“I do not presume to say one word to influence you in the decision you may come to. In such a matter it is for you to decide. If you will sacrifice your unwillingness to appear before the world in all the esteem and admiration which are your due, then, (I may say this) perhaps you will obtain freedom—or some freedom—from anxiety and worry that will permit you to continue your work unhampered and with a quiet mind. But advice I cannot give. I cannot recommend any one to abandon a high ideal, and your wish to remain unknown is certainly that....”
To this W. S. replied:
Edinburgh,
21st Aug., 1902.