Thomas Thomson, father of "the Poet of the Seasons," ministered from 1700 till his death sixteen years later, and in the sheltered manse beside the river young Thomson was reared, growing up among scenes of sylvan beauty and wild grandeur which afterwards influenced and coloured his imperishable verse. The church at Chesters was vacated in 1876, and only a portion of its walls, ivy-clad and fragile, now remains. The present building, which is reckoned one of the prettiest country churches in the land, stands close by the Jedburgh road, and not far from the Belling or Beltein Hill, which local tradition associates with the worship of Baal and the offering of sacrificial rites; and in a field across the highway, on the farm of Roundabouts, there are traces of a fort or tumulus, described by the late Sir Walter Elliot of Wolfelee as a circular enclosure 25 to 30 yards in diameter, surrounded by a high earthen mound, outside of which was a deep ditch, and beyond it a second earthen mound not so high as the inner one." Before passing from the story of the kirks of the parish mention must be made of the chapel which in pre-Reformation days existed at Lethem, where there is a field known by the name of Chapel Knowe, and where a baptismal font somewhat similar to the one recently unearthed at Southdean was until a few years ago preserved. This building at Lethem is believed to have preceded the sanctuary at Southdean, and it has been suggested that if its ruins, now sunk under the sod, were laid bare a richer return of examples of early ecclesiastical architecture than the operations at the foot of Southdean Law have produced would be obtained. In a tract of country only a few minutes' ride from England, and therefore constantly exposed to surprise visitations by marauding bands, numerous forts were necessary. The ruins of five peels still exist within the boundaries of the parish, though one of them, at Dykeraw, is now reduced to a ragged-looking pile of stones, and only the foundations of Klesley peel survive, the stones having been used in the erection of a neighbouring farm building. Kilsyke and Mervinslaw forts retain some of their original strength; and opposite Klesley, where houses stood until about forty years ago, is Southdean or "Slack Tower, so named from the swampy ground which surrounds it. The writer has conversed with old inhabitants of the parish who remembered the time when a cluster of houses lay snugly in a hollow beside the tower, and which were known by the suggestive name of the "Keek Oot." In one of these cottages there lived in the early years of last century a shepherd named William Anderson, one of whose duties was to distribute the braxy the meat of "fallen" sheep-among the people about the place. Anderson, so runs the story gathered from the lips of one of the old residenters above referred to, had in some way awakened the ill-will of an old woman who lived on the braeside at Klesley, and who was popularly supposed to possess the evil eye. The offending shepherd, a fine, leish fellow, was suddenly seized with an illness which practically deprived him of the use of his limbs. By his neighbours Anderson was regarded as under a "spell"-belief in witchcraft was a long time in dying out among the hill folkand their delusion was encouraged by the fact that on the death of the reputed witch ten years afterwards the stricken shepherd so far recovered that the narrator of the incident had a clear recollection of seeing him "hirplin' up the brae to the kirnin' at his mother's house." Farther up the watergate, in the open, treeless country around Jedheads and the Reiving Burn, two well-known Covenanter preachers found security and succour in the days when a company of King Charles's dragoons was quartered at Southdean. Alexander Peden lay concealed for a time in a narrow cleuch to which he has given his name, and another popular field preacher, William Veitch, was provided with an underground hiding-place on a heathery knowe, so deftly constructed that he was able to watch the soldiers as they scoured the moor in search of fugitives.-W. W. M., in "Glasgow Herald." A BORDER GLOAMING. With laggard steps this sweet night-messenger comes, Dim in her gown of grey; On her soft face a rosy light is cast Her hair is amber as the sunset cloud; Hold back her draperies' misty shadowy shroud, Her dainty head with a gold fillet is crowned, With glory of the evening star inbound All clad in soothing power; And hearts made tired with toil from early dawns Bless her restoring hour. CHRISTIE DEAS. DR JOHN LEYDEN, POET AND pression upon the young poet's mind; while stately Windburgh was rendered thrice interesting to him by the relation of the fairy story of the origin of Hawick flood from its mountain lake. At the hands of his grand-uncle, who was his tutor in Border lore, Leyden received fit education to be a genuine poet of the Borders; and how ably he has discharged his office is Scenes of Infancy," which is so excellent a repertory of scenic description and local tradition and history. best seen in his F all the romantic regions of Scotland, there is none more justly celebrated than that watered by the Tweed and its tributaries. Alike by historical and by legendary associations, it has a literature distinctly its own; while for its pastoral beauty, varied with rugged grandeur, it may be claimed to be the Tempé of Scotland. Dear is it to Scotsmen, and particularly so to Borderers, as having been the nursery of Sir Walter Scott. It was by having inhaled inspiration from these cherished Border scenes that he was enabled to write the soul-inspiring lines: "Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, This is my own, my native land! From wandering on a foreign strand!" Than the vale of classic Teviot-once the abode of numerous clans of Border raiders and mosstroopers, but now "made blithe with plough and harrow”. -no part of Scotland is more replete with scenes which tradition vies with history in enshrouding with the glamour of romance. Brought up as he was on the slopes of rugged Ruberslaw, Leyden doubtless often ascended to the summit, and had the classic scenes of Teviotdale pointed out to him. His relatives and companions would indicate the rocky pulpit from which Peden, the zealous Covenanter, preached to his rustic congregation, while away to the south-east might be pointed out the glens and hills amidst which he hid in order to escape the pursuit of the King's dragoons. At the foot of Ruberslaw, too, might be indicated to him the burn where the Scots overtook the marauding English, and successfully contended with them. Towards the south-west might be seen the smoke of Hawick, with structures reared in blood"; and Hornshole also might be pointed out, with the necessary addition of how the valiant youth of Hawick there overcame their ancient enemies and gained a glorious victory and a timehonoured flag. Minto Crags and the Dunion -conspicuous landmarks-made a vivid im Sir Walter Scott was the chief luminary in the world of modern literature, but Leyden, Hogg, and William Laidlaw shone with light of which they borrowed none from the great novelist. To these litterateurs had come as an inheritance the accumulated lore of centuries misty legends of the all but mythical Merlin Caledonius, who is said to have spent his latter days in the upper regions of the Tweed ; weird stories of the necromancer and wizard, Michael Scott; fairy tales of the semi-mythical Thomas the Rhymer; bloodcurdling traditions of the redoubtable Lord Soulis; legends of cruelty by the ravaging English, and of the perilous times of the Covenanters; and no less interesting stories of incidents in connection with the Rebellions of '15 and '45. And what more valuable inheritance could there be to them than those Border ballads, recited in that Doric in which John Barbour, Andrew of Wyntoun, and Blind Harry the Minstrel wrote at a period when England was practically forsaken by the poetic muse? John Leyden lived in the golden age of Border literature; and he himself, with rare original genius, was one of those resplendent lights which shone in that brilliant epoch. He was born at the village of Denholm, in Cavers parish, on the southern bank of the river Teviot, on 8th September 1775. He was the eldest child of the family, his parents being John Leyden and Isabella Scott. His ancestors for several generations had been farmers on Cavers estate. One of them had drawn the sword in the cause of the Covenant, while another of a more peaceful temperament was the author of some rude verses which are now forgotten, "except his own epitaph, which he composed before his death, and which is inscribed on his tombstone in the churchyard of Cavers."* About a year after Leyden's birth, his parents removed to Henlawshiel, a lonely cottage at the foot of majestic Ruberslaw, and about * Leyden's "The Complaynt of Scotland," p. 374. three miles from Denholm. Here his father remained for sixteen years, first as shepherd to his wife's uncle, Mr Andrew Blythe, who farmed Nether Tofts, and latterly as overseer of the farm after his relative had the misfor tune to lose his sight. At an early age young Leyden was sent to tend the sheep and cattle on his native heath. He was nine years of age before he was sent to school, but previous to this he had received from his mother some rudimentary instruction in letters; and under the tender care of his aged grandmother, who resided with the family, he was taught to read the Bible and to understand the lessons contained in that sacred volume. Especially the historical and poetical passages of the Old Testament were eagerly devoured by the enraptured youth. The zeal for knowledge thus engendered grew with his years, and I think that, as in the case of Ruskin, there can be no doubt that the poetic tendency of his mind was largely due to his profound knowledge of the sacred writings. Whence but from these could he have drawn the inspiration to write the From the dark brow the wrinkle charm away, Leyden's taste for reading being thus awakened, it was not long before he had mastered the contents of every book that he could procure. It is on record that among those in which he greatly delighted were the " Arabian Nights' Entertainments," Sir David Lindsay's A swain once taught me in his summer bower, At the village school of Kirkton, about three miles distant, Leyden remained for about three years, acquiring a rudimentary knowledge of Latin, writing, and arithmetic. At intervals he had to attend to the business of the farm. But seeing he was possessed of talents of no ordinary kind, his parents wisely placed him when about twelve years of age under the tuition of the Rev. James Duncan, minister of a congregation of Cameronians at Denholm. Under this reverend tutor Leyden showed remarkable powers of application in learning Greek and Latin. "Of the eagerness of his desire for knowledge it may not be improper to relate an anecdote which took place at this time. Denholm being about three miles from his home, which was rather too long a walk, his father was going to buy him an ass to convey him to and from school. Leyden, however, was unwilling, from the common prejudice against this animal, to encounter the ridicule of his school-fellows by appearing so ignobly mounted, and would at first have declined the offered accommodation. But no sooner was he informed that the owner of the ass happened to have in his possession a large book in some learned language, which he offered to give into the bargain, than his reluctance entirely vanished, and he never rested until he had obtained this literary treasure, which was found to be 'Calepini Dictionarium Octolingue.' He remained with Mr Duncan for two years, preparing for his entry into the University of Edinburgh, to which hist father had arranged to send him, with a view to his qualifying for the ministry. Leyden set out from his home in the month of November, 1790, for Edinburgh, and was accompanied by his father for about twenty miles on the road towards the capital. They had a horse which they rode alternately, and * Morton's "Memoirs of Dr Leyden," p. 5. after parting, young Leyden proceeded on foot. His reflections upon this occasion were afterwards rendered into the beautiful lines at the beginning of the fourth part of his "Scenes of Infancy "But when I left my father's old abode, At college he very soon distinguished himself, and it is recorded that the first time he stood up to be examined in the Greek class, he acquitted himself in such a satisfactory man ner that the Professor conferred on him the warmest praise. Among his fellow students, however, Leyden's strong Teviotdale accent excited some merriment, but they soon found that he possessed qualities that commanded respect and admiration. From the time he entered on his University career till the completion of his theological studies-a period of eight years-there was scarcely a branch of science or literature to which he did not apply himself with unremitting ardour. Especially for the acquisition of languages he possessed a remarkable talent, and before his college course was completed he had mastered Greek, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Persian, and the ancient Icelandic. Towards the close of 1797 he accompanied two pupils to the University of St Andrews. About this period the renown of Mungo Park was attracting the attention of those interested in African discovery, and Leyden accordingly turned his thoughts towards the history of that continent. All the energies of his mind were now engaged on this subject, and the result of his investigations he gave to the world in 1799 in a small volume entitled "A Historical and Philosophical Sketch of the Discoveries and Settlements of the Europeans in Northern and Western Africa at the close of the Eighteenth Century." It was well received by the public, and soon obtained a wide circulation, not only in this country, but all over the Continent. Both before and after this period he was a frequent contributor to the "( Edinburgh " and also the "Scots Magazines, of which the former was at that time under the editorship of his friend, Dr Robert Anderson. In the shop of Archibald Constable, Leyden made the acquaintance of Mr Richard Heber, the celebrated book-collector, and brother of the famous Reginald Heber, Bishop of Calcutta. Through Mr Heber he was introduced to Henry Mackenzie, author of "The Man of Feeling," and also to Lord Woodhouselee, the historian. But most important of all was his introduction to Walter Scott, who had already commenced his brilliant career as an author. During the summer of 1800, Leyden accompanied his father to Gilsland, a celebrated watering-place on the river Irthing in Cumberland, to see if the healing waters there might relieve his parent of a severe bilious disorder from which he had been suffering. Leyden soon had the satisfaction of seeing his father restored to health. When at Gilsland he made excursions throughout the neighbourhood, collecting where he could the traditionary lore, tales, and ballads of the district, materials which were to be of much use in the compilation of Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.” With his accustomed energy and zeal for antiquities, also, Leyden carefully examined the Roman Wall, which passes a little to the south of Gilsland. He followed it for a number of miles in its course eastward, and also visited Carlisle and the Lake District. Of this tour he wrote a journal, a portion of which has fortunately been preserved. It is now in the possession of Dr John Leyden Morton, London, a grandson of the author of "" who very "Monastic Annals of Teviotdale,' kindly allowed me to make use of it in a paper I contributed in May, 1906, to the Transactions of the Hawick Archæological Society. 66 During the autumn of the same year he made another tour, on this occasion to the Highlands and Western Islands, in which he was accompanied by two young Germans who had studied at Edinburgh during the previous winter. "The Journal," says Scott, "which he made on this occasion was a curious monument of his zeal and industry, and contained much valuable information on the subject of Highland manners and traditions. The manuscript had, it would appear, been lost or mislaid, for in a letter to his brother Robert, written from London in 1803, Leyden asks him to "call on Dr Anderson and beg him to send me per mail my Highland Journal if it can possibly be procured. I want it exceedingly for various reasons, and among others, for the account of Bruce's Abyssinian MSS." Not till nearly one hundred years after do we find any trace of the Journal. I was fortunate enough to secure it about ten years ago from a wellknown Edinburgh bookseller who had purchased it shortly before at a sale of a Library in London. It was published in 1903 under the title of "Journal of a Tour in the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland in 1800." From this work we learn that the travellers started from Edinburgh on July 14th, and visited Linlithgow, Kinnaird House -where he examined Bruce's Abyssinian MSS. with great care and interest-Stirling, the field of Bannockburn, the Trossachs, Inveraray, Oban, Staffa, Iona, and the princip..l Western Islands. Continuing their journey northward, Leyden and his companions visited the towns of Inverness, Nairn and Aberdeen, their tour terminating at Kinross on October 1st. During this journey Leyden made unwearied search for the supposed originals of "Fingal and Temora," but with somewhat discouraging results, though Scott says that "he adopted an opinion more favourable to their authenticity than has lately prevailed in the literary world." At this time Leyden experienced a feeling of disappointment at his want of success in the clerical profession, but it was not long before he discovered that the Christian ministry, after all, was not to be his vocation. Leyden's next publication was a new edition of a curious work, published about 1548, entitled "The Complaynt of Scotland," one of the rarest books in our Scottish literature. To this singular work he supplied a learned introduction, with notes and a glossary. It was published by Archibald Constable in 1801. In his preliminary dissertation Leyden attributes the authorship to Sir David Lindsay, and it has been remarked that it is one of the most successful pieces of special pleading in existence."* In the same year he contributed to "Monk" Lewis' "Tales of Wonder the remarkable ballad entitled "The ElfinKing," and in the following year he accompanied Scott into Liddesdale and Ettrick for the purpose of procuring material for the third volume of the "Minstrelsy." Scott had completed two volumes and had now begun to collect material for a third. To the first two volumes, which were published at Kelso in 1802, Leyden had contributed his "Ode on Visiting Flodden," "An Ode Scottish Music," and the spirited ballads, "Lord Soulis" and "The Cout of Keilder.' His beautiful ballad, "The Mermaid," was pub on * Dr Murray's "The Complaynt of Scotlande (Early English Text Society) p. cxix. |