Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

MRS HEMANS. 309
I may add here two letters of advice, both on poetical
subjects ; the first treating of the poetry of Mrs
Hemans, then in her youth, and applauded to all the
echoes in public, though not so enthusiastically in the
freedom of private life :
—
Professor Wilson to W. Blackwood.
I really do not know how I can advise you respecting Mrs
H. It seems a case on which you alone can decide—to wit,
whether her contributions are or are not worth the money.
My opinion, on the whole, is as follows : She is the best of our
female writers of what is called Poetry. Her verses are often
beautiful, always melodious, but—I think they should either be
all accepted or all declined. For none of them that I have read
are unworthy of a place in that department of a Magazine, as
verses go — and she is a popular enough writer, entitled, I
think, to that right. It would be offensive to her to have them
returned ; and I scarcely think any of them should be rejected.
Are they then worth the money ? Confound me if I know
To me they are not. But, I believe, to many readers they give
much pleasure. They make an agreeable break, and they are
generally pleasant reading. Besides, she was, I presume, flat-
tered by their reception, and perhaps might feel hurt by being
cut off, as well as injured by the loss of the coin. I am rather
disposed to think you should go on with her ; but I will con-
verse with you about it, as it certainly is a point rather perplexing.
It is surprising that she is not run out entirely, and
dry as a whistle. Poetry is certainly a drug—but hers don't
seem to disgust. . I conclude my unsatisfactory epistle.
The second of these letters concerns a poem of Mr
Aird, of whom Wilson thought more highly than of
Mrs Hemans, though we doubt whether his high
opinion has been confirmed. It is somewhat startling
to think of the publication of a long and serious poem
as a serial, much as that method of publication has
developed since then.
!