is
admiration. Wilson had come to reside in Edinburgh during a portion of
the year, but as yet had few acquaintances in the city. He was slightly
known to Scott; but a peculiarity of his was a hesitation in granting
letters of introduction. In despair of otherwise meeting him, Hogg, who
had reviewed his poem in the _Scots Magazine_, sent him an invitation to
dinner, which the Lake-poet was pleased cordially to accept. That dinner
began one of the most interesting of the Shepherd's friendships; both
the poets were pleased with each other, and the closest intimacy ensued.
It was on his way to visit Wilson, at Elleray, his seat in Cumberland,
during the autumn of 1814, that the Shepherd formed the acquaintance of
the Poet-laureate. He had notified to Southey his arrival at one of the
hotels in Keswick, and begged the privilege of a visit. Southey promptly
acknowledged his summons, and insisted on his remaining a couple of days
at Greta Hall to share his hospitality. Two years could not have more
firmly rivetted their friendship. As a mark of his regard, on returning
to Edinburgh Hogg sent the Laureate the third edition of "The Queen's
Wake," then newly published, along with a copy of "The Spy." In
acknowledging the receipt of these volumes, Southey addressed the
following letter to the Shepherd, which is now for the first time
published:--

"Keswick, _December 1, 1814._

"Dear Hogg,--Thank you for your books. I will not say
that 'The Queen's Wake' has exceeded my expectations,
because I have ever expected great things from you,
since, in 1805, I heard Walter Scott, by his own
fireside at Ashestiel, repeat 'Gilmanscleuch.'[31] When
he came to that line--'I ga'e him a' my goud,
father'--the look and the tone with which he gave it
were not needed to make it go through me. But 'The
Wake' has equalled all that I expected. The
improvements in the new edition are very great, and
they are in the two poems which were most deserving of
improvement, as being the most impressive and the most
original. Each is excellent in its way, but 'Kilmeny'
is of the highest character; 'The Witch of Fife' is a
real work of fancy--'Kilmeny' a fine one of
imagination, which is a higher and rarer gift. These
poems have given general pleasure throughout the house;
my eldest girl often comes out with a stanza or two of
'The Witch,' but she w