My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

wallace.online.org
from wallace.online.org More from this publisher
12.07.2015 Views

324 MY LIFEvarious parts of England and Ireland.He was a veryimpressive speaker, and always held his audience.Among the most esteemed of the friends I owedto " Land Nationalization " were two eminent Scotchmen,both poets, and both ardent lovers of justiceand humanity — Professor J. Stuart Blackie andCharles Mackay. The former wrote to me in July,1882, saying that he had just finished the "carefulstudy " of my " Land Nationalization," and that hewas "happy to find it so much in accordance withmy oldest and most mature speculations, and—whatis of more importance—observations on the subject."He sent me a copy of his small volume, " Altavona,"with a chapter on the " Sutherland Clearances," andhe concluded, "As to your remedies for the giganticevils which our present system of land laws entails,they recommend themselves strongly to every consistentthinker."Both he and Isuffered some inconvenience fromhaving mentioned the name of the agent who carriedout the terrible Sutherland evictions in the first twodecades of the nineteenth century, as it is given in allthe early narratives, as well as in the report of thetrial of the agent for arson and murder, when, ofcourse, he was acquitted. His sons were at that timealive, and protested against the publication. Bothour publishers were frightened. Professor Blackiewithdrew his book, and published a second editionmuch cut down. I placed mine in the hands of anew publisher, and I promised that in a new editionI would omit the name of the agent, but refused tomake any alterations in the statements of facts.Three years later (in December, 1885), when Iwas lecturing in Edinburgh, I had the great pleasureof meeting Professor Blackie. I was staying with

LAND NATIONALIZATION 325the late Mr. Robert Cox, at whose house the professorwas an intimate. He called soon after Iarrived, and on hearing my name, he cordially embracedme (in the continental fashion) as one withwhom he was incomplete sympathy, and then threwhimself upon the rug to talk to Mrs. Cox. AfterwardsI had a long conversation with him on all thesubjects that interested us most, and was delightedwith his geniality no less than with his intensehuman sympathy, especially in the case of the cruellydisinherited Highlanders.Although I had for many years been a greatadmirer of Charles Mackay's Songs and Poems, andwas living quite near him while we were at Dorking,from August, 1876, to March, 1878, I did not makehis acquaintance till some years afterwards, as, owingto my constitutional shyness, I do not think I evermade the first overtures to any man, or even calledupon any one without some previous correspondenceor introduction. But several years later I sent him acopy of my " Land Nationalization " (I think probablyon the suggestion of some one who knew him),with a letter, begging his acceptance of it. Thisbrought me three letters in rapid succession—oneacknowledging it, saying he had been very ill for sixmonths, but adding that he had been an adherent ofour cause for forty years, and referring me to hispoem, " Lament of Cona for the Unpeopling of theHighlands."In the following year he removed to London forgood medical attendance, and wrote me a very flatteringletter after reading my "Malay Archipelago."The next year (1886) I was able to call on him,when in London for a day, at his apartments in

LAND NATIONALIZATION 325the late Mr. Robert Cox, at whose house the pr<strong>of</strong>essorwas an intimate. He called soon after Iarrived, <strong>and</strong> on hearing my name, he cordially embracedme (in the continental fashion) as one withwhom he was incomplete sympathy, <strong>and</strong> then threwhimself upon the rug to talk to Mrs. Cox. AfterwardsI had a long conversation with him on all thesubjects that interested us most, <strong>and</strong> was delightedwith his geniality no less than with his intensehuman sympathy, especially in the case <strong>of</strong> the cruellydisinherited Highl<strong>and</strong>ers.Although I had for many years been a greatadmirer <strong>of</strong> Charles Mackay's Songs <strong>and</strong> Poems, <strong>and</strong>was living quite near him while we were at Dorking,from August, 1876, to March, 1878, I did not makehis acquaintance till some years afterwards, as, owingto my constitutional shyness, I do not think I evermade the first overtures to any man, or even calledupon any one without some previous correspondenceor introduction. But several years later I sent him acopy <strong>of</strong> my " L<strong>and</strong> Nationalization " (I think probablyon the suggestion <strong>of</strong> some one who knew him),with a letter, begging his acceptance <strong>of</strong> it. Thisbrought me three letters in rapid succession—oneacknowledging it, saying he had been very ill for sixmonths, but adding that he had been an adherent <strong>of</strong>our cause for forty years, <strong>and</strong> referring me to hispoem, " Lament <strong>of</strong> Cona for the Unpeopling <strong>of</strong> theHighl<strong>and</strong>s."In the following year he removed to London f<strong>org</strong>ood medical attendance, <strong>and</strong> wrote me a very flatteringletter after reading my "Malay Archipelago."The next year (1886) I was able to call on him,when in London for a day, at his apartments in

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!