The Book-Hunter
examined after the 14th, I will allow I was a little startled, but
still stuck fast, and had a sort of feeling I would be able to
pass, as I do not like setting about what I cannot perform.
"Proceeding in my labours, I gathered confidence, and when the day
came thought it would be rather hard were I rejected. There were
four examined at the same time, and being before myself, I had to
stand their statements of the difficulty and minuteness of the
questions, and they stared not a little when I told them I had
studied the subject for a fortnight and two days; for previous to
that time I had been engaged in the _History_ of Roman Law at
college, and had commenced with the Principles. After the first
question I felt myself secure; yet I will allow I felt a little
easy (_i.e. relieved_) when each of the examiners shook hands with
me, and told me I had given perfect satisfaction.
"The librarian tells me some are rejected in the Civil Law trials,
but _none_ in the Scotch Law, for which I must next year be
prepared. I hope the saving will counter-balance the trouble of
raising the money. I believe I shall enclose you my acknowledgment
for the L200 (the L13 goes to the library, or something of that
sort, which, though rather apocryphal in my nomenclature, shows the
destination of the money). Tell the children[7] if they will write
I will answer them soon, and enclose them something. Pray remember
me to Mr Alcock, and repeat my sense of obligation to him. Tell
Miss Seton I am now on the same shelf with her nephew. Remember me
to the Misses Leith and all friends, Miss Johnstone and Mrs Wemyss,
and all your not very extensive circle.... Write me soon; and I
remain, my dear mother, your affectionate and dutiful son, J. HILL
BURTON.
[Footnote 7: Dr Burton's youngest brother and sister.]
"_P.S._--I understand that should I 'kick' before passing advocate,
the money will be returned. This would not be the case, however,
were I to prove fickle, so I must consider my steps taken, and all
thoughts of the Aberdeen law as ended; however, I shall finish my
apprenticeship in summer. Had I time, I should like to go a week or
two to the Continent (Norway or so). J.H.B."
CHAPTER III.
BEGINNING OF LITERARY LIFE.
_Particulars regarding passing of Civil Law trial--Letters containing
account of first years in Edinburgh and beginning of literary
life--First marriage--Wife's death--Publications during married life and
widowhood--Political Economy._
If genius is to be defined as the power of taking a great deal of
trouble, Dr Burton certainly possessed genius. His most remarkable power
was that of mental labour. It did not seem to fatigue or excite him. In
his best years his capability for mental work was limited only by the
need of food and sleep, and he could reduce these needs to a minimum,
and apparently without any future reaction.
He has told the writer that he did not go to bed at all during the
fortnight's preparation for his Civil Law trial, described in the last
chapter, but worked continuously, day and night, living almost entirely
on strong tea and coffee. After his examination was over, he felt no
actual fatigue or discomfort. He went to bed at his usual hour, but
slept till the night of the second day was falling, a period of wellnigh
forty-eight hours. He sustained no injury to health, and became entitled
to style himself Advocate.
He never had much practice at the bar; and the need of earning a
livelihood first led him to literary publication.
The two letters next offered refer to the following years of his life,
when the little family was reunited in Edinburgh. Their mother's absence
on a visit to relations in Aberdeen gave occasion for the letters.
"3 HOWARD PLACE, SOUTH,
_14th July 1833_.
"MY DEAR MOTHER,--I take the opportunity of Spalding's[8] going to
Aberdeen to write you a few lines. James received the other day two
letters--one from you, and one from Mary.
[Footnote 8: William Spalding, author of a History of English
Literature and other works; a close friend till his too early
death.]
"The latter mentioned you had sent a letter for me, which has not
yet arrived. I hope to receive it soon, or that you will write me
another, giving a more particular account of your health than the
letters to James have stated.
"I am at all events glad to hear yourself say you are not worse,
and hope that a little such exertion and variety as you must meet
will tend to strengthen you. We have been going on just as usual;
perhaps I have been a little more idle than usual during the past
week, being the last of the session. I have had one or two friends
in to dine, but did not give them very splendid entertainments.
James is most particular in his care of the cat, and we both prowl
about occasionally looking for gooseberries.
"I caught a hedgehog the other evening, which has been let loose in
the garden. I have been unable to discover his place of abode, but
we sometimes meet him taking an evening stroll through the walks.
He is an object of great interest to the cat, whose curiosity,
however, he seems decidedly to baffle....
"I am sorry to hear Robertson is unwell, but I suppose he is able
to write, and he must really be at the trouble of sending me a
letter before I can trouble myself farther about his trunks.
"I shall be engaged to-morrow and next day in the Justiciary Court,
and shall be otherwise very busy during the rest of the month....
"By the way, could you ascertain anything about the next Circuit?
You might perhaps send a note to Daniel (Alexander Daniel, Esq.,
advocate, Farquhar's Court, Upperkirkgate), asking him to call on
you and see if he can get me a case or two....
"With kindest remembrances to grand-aunt and Mrs Brown.--My dear
mother, your affectionate son,
"JOHN HILL BURTON."
The fondness for animals and for gooseberries were lifelong tastes. That
for animals did not extend to taking much trouble about them; but Dr
Burton had none of a student's nervousness about slight noises or
interruptions. He would have thought a house dull without the sounds of
birds or other pets in it, and one of his favourite amusements was to
watch the ways of animals. He had examples, in his acquaintance among
dogs and cats, of heart and conscience in the two species respectively,
too trivial for notice here.
Dr Burton has stated in the letters previously quoted some of the
studies which he pursued at college in Edinburgh. His contribution to
Mrs Gordon's 'Life of Professor Wilson' furnishes a lively picture of
college life and experience in Edinburgh. He attended the course of the
late Sir William Hamilton, and gained some distinction in the study of
moral philosophy and metaphysics, so much that his appointment as
assistant and successor to Sir William was seriously considered by
himself and others. Had he become Professor of Logic and Metaphysics, he
would no doubt have discharged the duties of the situation well. At that
time of his life, great versatility, along with extraordinary diligence,
was the chief characteristic of his mind. In later years he did not
pursue the study of mental science.
Before the period in Dr Burton's life which we have now reached, he had
contributed many articles to the 'Aberdeen Magazine,' published by his
kind old friend Lewis Smith. These were lately collected and republished
by Mr Smith; but, to judge from such specimens as the writer has seen,
they are not, on the whole, of a character to increase Dr Burton's
present reputation. He seems to have tried his hand at every kind of
composition--romance, drama, poetry. In the last mentioned he had most
success. His sentimental verses are pretty. His romances are so much
crowded with incident as to be almost unintelligible. He was true to his
own peculiar taste in novels. If a novel was recommended to him he used
to inquire, "Is there plenty of murder in it?" He disliked almost
equally the philosophical novel, and the domestic or social novel. Of
the former he used to say he preferred to read _either_ philosophy or
fiction; he could not endure them combined. To hear even a sentence of
the best social or domestic novel read irritated him intolerably. He
would ask, "How any one could feel interest in the talk of a set of
ordinary silly people, such as one must meet with every day. It was bad
enough to hear them talk when one could not help it."
Quantities of early works, never printed, are still preserved by his
family. The habit of writing--_not_ letter-writing--seems to have begun
as soon as he could use a pen, and while his orthography--never a strong
point--was excessively weak. "The Rosted Baron" remains a popular work
in a small circle. It is a tale, crowded, as its title indicates, with
blood and flames. The idea may have been taken from the burning of
Frendraught. It was written when Dr Burton was quite a boy, and is now
one of a heap of manuscripts in a childish hand on very yellow paper
remaining in his repositories.
"3 HOWARD PLACE, SOUTH,
_24th July 1833_.
"MY DEAR MOTHER,-- ... I was extremely glad to receive your letter
by post this morning, showing me that you are able to go about, and
that you are enjoying yourself as much as possible. James[9] and I
have been getting on very well and very comfortably.
[Footnote 9: Dr Burton's eight years younger brother.]
"I am obliged to delay our proposed jaunt till Monday next, as I
find it impossible to get my work finished before Friday, the day I
had fixed on. You are aware that I have long delayed an article on
Criminal Trials for the 'Westminster Review.' I have now set about
it seriously, and am resolved not to stir until it is finished,
which I hope may be on Saturday. I have likewise some things to
finish for Chambers before I go, and then I think I shall be able
to enjoy a few days of a stravaig.... I got a slight interruption
last night; just as the twilight came on, Alex. Smith came in. Now
I had been living like a hermit for some time, and though he has
been more than a fortnight returned I had not seen Smith for ten
days. The matter was irresistible. We set to and got very jolly
together. He complained of having low spirits, but they were soon
elevated, and before he went away he was leaping over the chairs,
and very anxious to leap out at the window. I received on Monday
the enclosed letter from Miss H. to you, and wrote by way of answer
that I should send it to Aberdeen intimating my intended visit. By
the way, a circumstance of some consequence occurs to me at this
moment. If you remain for three weeks in Aberdeen and then leave
it, you will do so just about a fortnight (I think) before the
Circuit. Might it not be as well to remain until that period, when
I might attend the Circuit and bring you back? I do not know at
this moment the day of the Circuit, but the newspapers will inform
you.
"You may tell Robertson [the before mentioned 'Joseph'] that his
clothes may rot where they are until he chooses to write to me
himself about them. I suppose James will write you a household
statement some time or other soon. If you wish to amuse yourself
with reading the lives I wrote in the last number of the
Biography,[10] they are Archbishop Hamilton, Sir William Hamilton,