[201]: The collection of songs was my vade-mecum. I pored over them driving my cart, or walking to labour, song by song, verse by verse, carefully noting the true, tender, sublime or fustian.
[202]: Never did a heart pant more ardently than mine to be distinguished.
[203]: There is scarcely any earthly object gives me more—I do not know if I should call it pleasure—but something which exalts me, which enraptures me more than to walk in the sheltered side of a wood or high plantation, in a cloudy winter day, and hear the stormy wind howling among the trees and raving over the plain.... I listened to the birds and frequently turned out of my path, lest I should disturb their little songs or frighten them to another station. Even the hoary hawthorn twig that shot across the way, what heart, at such a time, but must have been interested for his welfare?
[204]: Poor inconnu as I then was, I had pretty nearly as high an idea of myself and of my works as I have at this moment, when the public has decided in their favour.
Il avait le droit de penser ainsi; quand il se mettait à parler le soir dans une auberge, il causait de telle façon que les domestiques allaient réveiller leurs camarades.
[205]: How it will mortify him to see a fellow, whose abilities would scarcely have made an eight-penny taylor and whose heart is not worth three farthings, meet with attention and notice that are withheld from the son of genius and poverty?
See yonder poor o'erlabour'd wight,
So abject, mean, and vile,
Who begs a brother of the earth
To give himself leave to toil;
And his lordly fellow-worm
The poor petition spurn,
Unmindful, tho' a weeping wife
And helpless offspring mourn.
While winds frae off Ben Lomond blaw,
And bar the doors wi' driving snaw....
I grudge a wee the great folks' gift,
That live so bien an' snug:
I tent less and want less
Their roomy fire-side,
But hanker and canker
To see their cursed pride.
It's hardly in a body's pow'r
To keep at times frae being sour.
To see how things are shar'd;
How best o' chiels are whiles in want,
While coofs on countless thousands rant,
And ken na haw to wair't.