Lays of the Highlands and Islands. By John Stuart Blackie.
(Walter Scott.)—The characteristics of Professor Blackie's style as a poet are probably well known to most readers of verse. His geniality, his pleasant egotism, his love of Scotland and its scenery, his courage and independence in the expression of opinion, and a facility of versification often more conspicuous than poetic art,— these are some of the marks which distinguish this vivacious writer as a verseman. In his old age, he retains the glow and energy of youth. The volume of poetry entitled " Messis Vitte," which he published about two years ago, contained poems that savoured more of eighteen than of eighty. But age cannot stale Mr. Blackie, and among the mountains and islands of the land he loves, what better companion can a tourist have ? The book before us is designed as a kind of guide to portions of the Western Highlands, and to the Shetland and Orkney Islands. Of these, at the beginning of the volume, under the title of "A Talk with the Tourists," the author discourses in prose, showing the traveller what to see and how to see it. "No man," he writes, "who fears rain and shuns mist can know the Highlands ;" and with regard to the perils of mountain-climbing, he observes that the tourist must be sure of his bearings and look well to his chart. "All things are safe to a man who calculates ; everything is dangerous to a fool." In this preliminary talk Professor Blackie writes with great good sense on the big-farm system, and on the condition of the crofters. "I have conversed," he says, "with persons of all classes, and have come to the conclusion that from the mingled operation of good and bad motives—as is wont in human affairs—a wrong has been done in this matter, and that, instead of a one-sided rage for large farms and unlimited deer- preserves, the true economical policy of the Highlands consists in the preservation of our local population as a primary object, and that this is best effected by a proper admixture of large farms, farms of medium size, and small crofts, according to situation and circumstances. For any surplus of population beyond this, let emigration be applied as the natural remedy." This is good sense. In his verse, the author treats the subject less judicially, and expends his wrath on the landowners who care more for gold than men :—
" And cursed be all who keep the Bens For sheep and antlered rangers only, And leave the green and sheltered glens All bouseless, tenantless, and lonely; Who love no men, who rear no race To serve their country when we need them, Who for the land that knows their face Will draw the sacred sword of freedom."
It is not given to every home-traveller to sing of what he sees like Professor Blackie ; but it is enough if the tourist share his enthusiasm and love of Nature, qualities as essential to the traveller as to the poet.
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