Background
HADDEN, J. Cuthbertj litterateur was born on September 9, 1861 in Banchory-Teman, near Aberdeen.
(This historic book may have numerous typos and missing te...)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 edition. Excerpt: ... CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT THE SONGS SIR WALTER SCOTT "Song-wr1t1ng is not Walter Scott's forte; for once that he succeeds he far more frequently fails." Such was Thomson's declaration to one of his correspondents in 1814. Four years later he tells the same correspondent that Scott has "not a jot of the true relish and feeling for elegant music, nor Hogg, nor any other poet on this side of the Tweed." Of course without that relish Scott was deficient in a very necessary qualification as a writer for Thomson's collections! Unfortunately it took the editor some time to find this out, just as it took him some time to find out that Beethoven as a harmoniser of Scottish melodies was a failure. And yet, even as early as 1811, he had come to think it necessary to instruct Scott in the art of song-writing. "I need not observe to you," says he, "that each stanza of a national song should be constructed in the same form with the first stanza, and that there should not be the least deviation in regard to the measure or to the situation of the single or double rhymes." Some men would have felt mightily indignant at such attempts to teach 153 them their own trade; but Scott, with his wonted large-heartedness, and diffident, no doubt, in regard to points partly musical, accepted Thomson's instruction, and from beginning to end of the correspondence showed no signs of impatience. The earliest of the extant letters from Scott to Thomson is dated November 1805, but Thomson had been corresponding with him before this, and, of course, the two could see each other at any time, being both resident in Edinburgh. There is evidence that the idea of asking help from Scott came from Joanna Baillie. Writing to Thomson on February 18, 1805, she says: "I have been very...
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(Excerpt from George Thomson, the Friend of Burns: His Lif...)
Excerpt from George Thomson, the Friend of Burns: His Life Correspondence George Thomson was so intimately connected with the last years of Robert Burns that the lack hitherto of any biography of the man is somewhat surprising. All that is generally known about him is derived from works on Burns, and in these it has happened, rather by misconception than from malice, that he has been placed in a far from favourable light. It is my aim in this volume to present for the first time a full and true picture of George Thomson. If it be objected by some that Thomson was of no such individual importance as to need a biography, I can only hope that the justification of my volume will be furnished by the interest of those pages which deal with his close and long-continued relations with greater men. In particular, I hope that every student of Burns will take pleasure in my disproof of the allegations commonly brought against Thomson's treatment of the poet. It is not unadvisedly that I have adopted for my sub-title a phrase of Lockhart's, and called Thomson "the friend of Burns." About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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HADDEN, J. Cuthbertj litterateur was born on September 9, 1861 in Banchory-Teman, near Aberdeen.
Aberdeen.
Began life as a bookseller’s assistant in Aberdeen. Studied music in London while employed in the publishing house of George Routledge and Sons. Entered the musical profession and returned to Aberdeen as organist.
Organist of Saint Michael’s Parish Church, Crieff, 1881.
Removed to Edinburgh in 18S9, where he has since abandoned music in favour of literature.
(Excerpt from George Thomson, the Friend of Burns: His Lif...)
(This historic book may have numerous typos and missing te...)