ERRATA. At page 124, for "lurches," read "lurchers." At page 208, for "Pope," read "Watts." At page 258, for "Layers," read "Lawyers." At page 299, fifth line from top, read "sordid spirit." OPINIONS OF THE PRESS Regarding some of the Poems when Published separately. "A review of such an interesting subject as the Great Scottish Volunteer Review, before Her Majesty, in the Queen's Park, Edinburgh, on the 7th August, 1860, skilfully wrought into a chaste garland of poetry, cannot fail to arrest the attention and arouse the admiration of many a lover of freedom and liberty, and be a most acceptable 'memento' of that illustrious event to many a patriotic Scotchman. But, apart from every other consideration, we consider its own peculiar merits sufficient to gain for it a widespread circulation, and procure for its author that celebrity to which he is so justly entitled."-Fife Herald. "Mr. Bruce's 'memento' of the Scottish Volunteer Review will be hailed with pleasure and satisfaction by many, as an acceptable memorial of that most enthusiastic manifestation of loyalty and patriotism. The poem is an admirable specimen of genuine poetry. The rhyme throughout is faultless. The subjects discussed in the poem are ably handled; and, as a whole, it may be said to contain many valuable truths, clothed in a garb which cannot fail to instruct as well as to entertain."-Dundee Courier. "Mr. Bruce has a heart-hatred of despotism, and tyrants of all descriptions particularly of Louis Napoleon-and an intense admiration for 'Auld Scotia,' and those ancient heroes, Wallace and Bruce, and their compeers, who repelled the tide of invasion from our hills and valleys. He is also a fervid admirer of Rob Roy, whom he classes with Robin Hood, both having been engaged in the holy task of shielding the weak from the oppression of the strong."-Dundee Advertiser. "Some lines are exquisitely satirical, and scarcely out-done by anything of the kind we know of; and few parts have not something interesting to the true lover of poetry; while some lines are so vividly written that one is nearly led to believe he is scanning the pages of Scott, and not those of a modern, and, as yet almost unknown author."-Strathearn Herald. "The author of 'Destiny' has within his breast something of the spirit of his great exemplars; and here and there we have evidences of poetic vigour which would not have lowered the tone of their writings. An arduous student of the immortal Shakespeare, he has acquired a deep insight into human nature, and the elements of human passion; a faithful follower of Byron, he has deeply drunk of the natural and unrestrained outburst of the emotions, and firmly grasped the working of the passions; a true admirer of Burns, he has aroused within himself the genuine spirit of independence, as well as discerned the moral grandeur of the noblest affections. By a careful study of their works, and by blending together the individual and social elements of our nature, as therein pourtrayed, he makes it his endeavour that mens conscia recti shall support him in his work, 'equally indifferent,' as he says in his preface, 'to the praise or censure of the critic.' The difficult Spenserian stanza which our author has adopted, has been handled with remarkable success. Opening with a spirited account of the world's birth, he touches on man's fall, and the mystery attached to it; its results; Abel's murder, the prototype of war between man and man, showing that— "While two shall live, though brothers in their veins, One welds the links in blood, or, groaning, wears the chains." This naturally leads him to speak of the late fratricidal war in America; the Russian despotism, which caused the last (we fear, the last, in truth) rebellion in Poland, and its horrible consequences; the German haughtiness to the Danes, with reflections on the neutral conduct of the British Government. His description of the great Napoleon's career and sad fate is terse and telling. Lord John Russell gets a castigation for making 'conventions take the place of deeds,' in the Danish question,-not so much for remaining neutral, as for holding up false hopes to the Danes. He then goes on to trace the destinies of some nations, diverging now and again to show how dear to a well-balanced mind are independence of spirit, freedom of thought, constitutional liberty, and the love of patriotism. On the whole, the perusal of 'Destiny' has given us much pleasure, both for its own inherent worth, and because it is the effort of a man, amid the harassing cares of business, has, at his spare hours, indomitably tried to please others, while he amused himself."-Fifeshire Journal. who "An aspirant for fame has lately appeared, and, as his preface to his poem on 'Destiny' shows, he is a working man, and one who has 'left no calling for this idle trade' of writing poems, but has written this poem on 'Destiny' during the hours which business left unemployed. |