James Hogg Book

JAMES HOGG - NOTE - The scheme of the Series necessitates the inclusion, in one volume with this sketch of Hoggs life, of brief notices of the minor and more or less contemporary poets, Robert Tannahill, William Motherwell, and William Thorn. JAMES HOGG - INTRODUCTION - IF there have been many greater poets than the Ettrick Shepherd, there have probably been few more closely associated with a particular district of the earths surface, more racy of the soil from which they sprung. Herein, perhaps, lie Hoggs limitations for, of course, he is local rather than universal, the poet of a class rather than of humanity, of an epoch rather than of the ages. But, accepting these limitations, herein also lies his strength. For there are few instances of the poetry of a particular people and locality being so completely incarnated in one man, and through him passing so directly into literature. Indeed, so essential is the connexion, that a glance at the locality in question, and at its condition a century ago, is indispensable ere we proceed to bring the poet himself upon the stage. The shire of Selkirk, anciently known as Ettrick Forest, the Arcadia of Scotland and the hunting-ground of Scottish kings, is described by the gazetteer as forming part of the eastern declivity of that lofty ridge of mountains which from Northumberland penetrates northward into Clydesdale. Its surface is but little diversified, appearing, indeed, to the spectator, now that the ancient wood has been removed, but as one assemblage of hills. It is watered by two principal streams, which, flowing in a north-easterly direction and for some distance almost in parallel lines, unite to empty their waters into Tweed. Theserivers are the Ettrick and that most tunefully besung of rivulets, the Yarrow. The hills are generally rounded in outline and grassy but at certain points-as on Min hmuir, or at the pass into Moffatdale-they become more rugged and barren, displaying lines which are more striking to the eye and grander. At Ettrick Peli and Blackhouse Heights they rise respectively to 2200 and 2370 feet above sea level. Excepting Selkirk and Galashiels on the eastern limit of the county, there are no towns whilst the villages, few and scattered, might be more accurately described as hamlets...