illness to account, by composing a poem, descriptive of the beauties of
the surrounding scenery. The hint was sufficient; he commenced a
descriptive poem in the Spenserian stanza, which was speedily completed,
and given to the world under the title of "Mador of the Moor." It was
well received; and the author is correct in asserting that it contains
"some of his highest and most fortunate efforts in rhyme." "The
Pilgrims of the Sun" was his next poem; it was originally intended as
one of a series, to be contained in a poetical work, which he proposed
to entitle "Midsummer Night Dreams," but which, on the advice of his
friend, Mr James Park of Greenock, he was induced to abandon. From its
peculiar strain, this poem had some difficulty in finding a publisher;
it was ultimately published by Mr John Murray of London, who liberally
recompensed the author, and it was well received by the press.

The circle of the Shepherd's literary friends rapidly extended. Lord
Byron opened a correspondence with him, and continued to address him in
long familiar letters, such as were likely to interest a shepherd-bard.
Unfortunately, these letters have been lost; it was a peculiarity of
Hogg to be careless in regard to his correspondence. With Wordsworth he
became acquainted in the summer of 1815, when that poet was on his first
visit to Edinburgh. They met at the house, in Queen Street, of the
mother of his friend Wilson; and the Shepherd was at once interested and
gratified by the intelligent conversation and agreeable manners of the
great Lake-poet. They saw much of each other in the city, and afterwards
journeyed together to St Mary's Loch; and the Shepherd had the
satisfaction of entertaining his distinguished brother-bard with the
homely fare of cakes and milk, in his father's cottage at Ettrick.
Wordsworth afterwards made the journey memorable in his poem of "Yarrow
Visited." The poets temporarily separated at Selkirk,--Wordsworth having
secured the promise of a visit from his friend, at Mount Ryedale, prior