I am much hurried at present with my comedy, the
'Clouds of Aristophanes.' I have already finished my translation of the
Choephoroe of AEschylus. I dreamt a dream about your being before
Parnassus upon your trial for sedition and contumacy. I thought Thalia,
Clio, &c. addressed you. Their speeches shall be nonsensified into
rhyme, and shall be part of some other scrawl from your affectionate
friend,
"THOMAS THE HERMIT."
In another epistle Campbell threatens to "send a formal message to the
kind nymphs of Parnassus, telling them that, whereas Hamilton Paul,
their favourite and admired laureate of the north, has been heard to
express his admiration of certain nymphs in a certain place; and that
the said Hamilton Paul has ungratefully and feloniously neglected to
speak with due reverence of the ladies of Helicon; that said Hamilton
Paul shall be deprived of all aid in future from these goddesses, and be
sent to draw his inspiration from the dry fountain of earthly beauty;
and that, furthermore, all the favours taken from the said Hamilton Paul
shall accrue to the informer and petitioner!"
After two years' residence in the Highlands, both the poets returned to
Glasgow to resume their academical studies: Campbell to qualify himself
as a man of letters, and Paul to prepare for the ministry of the
Scottish Church. "It would have been impossible, even during the last
years of their college life," writes Mr Deans,[72] "to have predicted
which of the two students would ultimately arrive at the greatest
eminence.
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