"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.
The fact is," added he, "Campbell is, in a manner, a bugbear to
himself. The brightness of his early success is a detriment to all his
further efforts. _He is afraid of the shadow that his own fame casts
before him_."
While we were thus chatting, we heard the report of a gun among the
hills. "That's Walter, I think," said Scott; "he has finished his
morning's studies, and is out with his gun. I should not be surprised
if he had met with the blackcock; if so, we shall have an addition to
our larder, for Walter is a pretty sure shot." I inquired into the
nature of Walter's studies. "Faith," said Scott, "I can't say much on
that head. I am not over bent upon making prodigies of any of my
children.
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