— heard; bone—skeleton; heaven—forgiven. The homonyms fare—fair are once used, the identical rime thee—thee, and the eye rimes come—home.[1] These faulty rimes were probably the principal reason why M. G. Lewis did not wish to use, for his Tales of Wonder, Scott's William and Helen, although he had desired to have it when it was read to him in London by William Erskine, Scott's friend.[2]
The reception of Scott's William and Helen in his immediate circle was in the highest degree satisfactory, as was to be expected. Dugald Stewart, John Ramsey, William Erskine and Miss Jane Cranstoun, to take those whose letters are preserved in Lockhart, were enthusiastic. Miss Cranstoun, with something of future insight, wrote to a friend: "Upon my word Walter Scott is going to turn out a poet,—something of a cross I think between Burns and Gray." She even went so far as to dispraise Taylor in favor of her friend: "William Taylor's translation of your ballad is published, and so inferior that I wonder we could tolerate it." She adds, "I have seen another edition too, but it is below contempt. So many copies make the ballad famous, so that every day adds to your renown."[3]
Beyond his immediate circle the first praise came from William Taylor, in acknowledgment of Scott's letter and a copy of his translation:
I need not tell you, Sir, with how much eagerness I opened your volume—with how much glow I followed the Chase—or with how much alarm I came to William and Helen. Of the latter I will say nothing; praise might seem hypocrisy—criticism envy. The ghost nowhere makes his appearance so well as with you, or his exit so well as with Mr. Spenser. I like very much the recurrence of
About the same time, too, we get another English glimpse of the poem. We have seen how enthusiastic Anna Seward became over Mr. Spencer's translation of Lenore. In a letter to Lady Eleanor Butler (Feb. 7, 1797), she refers to what she could not then have known was the edition of one who was to be a frequent
- ↑ In his earliest version Taylor uses the eye-rimes come—home, prove—love, and gone—none. He has also the identical rime die—die, and the faulty stop—ope.
- ↑ Lockhart's Life, ch. IX, (I, 253).
- ↑ Lockhart's Life, ch. VII, (I, 209). The letter is without date, but was sent to Scott at Montrose, reaching him after his last interview with the lady of his early attachment.
- ↑ Lockhart's Life, ch. VIII. Mr. Spencer's name is often spelled with s by correspondents of this time.
