landed from America. It must have been an enormous tree when it stood
on its native soil, at its full height, and with all its branches. I
gazed at it with admiration; it seemed like one of the gigantic
obelisks which are now and then brought from Egypt, to shame the pigmy
monuments of Europe; and, in fact, these vast aboriginal trees, that
have sheltered the Indians before the intrusion of the white men, are
the monuments and antiquities of your country."

The conversation here turned upon Campbell's poem of "Gertrude of
Wyoming," as illustrative of the poetic materials furnished by American
scenery. Scott spoke of it in that liberal style in which I always
found him to speak of the writings of his contemporaries. He cited
several passages of it with great delight. "What a pity it is," said
he, "that Campbell does not write more and oftener, and give full sweep
to his genius. He has wings that would bear him to the skies; and he
does now and then spread them grandly, but folds them up again and
resumes his perch, as if he was afraid to launch away. He don't know or
won't trust his own strength. Even when he has done a thing well, he
has often misgivings about it. He left out several fine passages of his
Lochiel, but I got him to restore some of them." Here Scott repeated
several passages in a magnificent style. "What a grand idea is that,"
said he, "about prophetic boding, or, in common parlance, second sight--

'Coming events cast their shadows before.'

"It is a noble thought, and nobly expressed, And there's that glorious
little poem, too, of 'Hohenlinden;' after he had written it, he did not
seem to think much of it, but considered some of it'd--d drum and
trumpet lines.' I got him to recite it to me, and I believe that the
delight I felt and expressed had an effect in inducing him to print it.