Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Excerpt from Memorial to William Drummond of Hawthornden
What doth it serve to hear the sylvans' songs, The wanton merle, the nightingale's sad strains, Which in dark shades seem to deplore my wrongs? For what doth serve all that this world contains, Sith she for whom those once to me were dear No part of them can have now with me here?
Drummond's prose works are not familiar to the general reader, and none of them is of great importance. Neither in prose or verse had he any long-sustained endeavours, his efforts, especially in the latter direction, being for the most part only short swallow-flights of song. His longest attempt in prose is The History of the Five Jameses, which is not very enticing reading. Another is the Cypress Grove, a dissertation on the mutability of earthly things, and reflections against the fear of death. He also published a number of political tracts on subjects connected with the troubles of the period. His loyalty was of the most fervid description, and several of his pamphlets were written to restrain what he thought the violent counsels of the Covenanters. At the same time he was no advocate of passive Obedience. In one of these documents he says that King and people should both mutually keep inviolably their oaths and promises, and one breaking the contract, the other is released.
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