The Life of George Borrow

cided to keep sacred to himself the "Veiled Period," as it came to be called. In all probability it was a time of great hardship and mortification, and he wished it to be though

nces during that period of mystery and misfortune. Time after time he was implored to "lift up a corner of the curtain

ripts in the green box. In the days of happy augury, before he had quarrelled with Sir Ri

ow, who is familiar with the Northern Languages, proposes, however, to present these curious reliques of romantic antiquity directly from the Danish and Swedish, and two elegant volumes of them now printing will appear in Septembe

ich a specimen will be seen among the poetical articles of the present month. One, or more, of

e Monthly Magazine had appeared in October 1823. The first of the articles, entitled "Danish Traditions and Superstitions," appeared August 1824, and continued, w

dedication. The volume appeared on 10th May, in an edition of five hundred copies at ten shillings and sixpence each. It appears that some two hundred copies were subscribed for, thus ensuring the cost of product

Ki?mpe Viser with notes; also to "scatter a few judiciously among literary men." It is doubtful if this sage counsel were acted upon; for there is no record of any review or announcement of the w

is old lodging at Milman Street, possibly on account of the associations, but to 26 Bryanston

r S

ble. I am going to the South of France in little better than a fortnight, and I woul

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of the characters in a painting upon which he is engaged, Borrow replies: "I have no wish to appear on canvas." It is probable that in some way or other Haydon offended his sitter, who, regretti

the years spent at Oulton. Thus the "Veiled Period" may be assumed to have been one of wandering. The seven years are gloomy and mysterious, but not utterly dark. There is a hint here, a suggestion there-a letter or a paragraph, that gives in a vague way some idea of what Borrow was doing, and whe

3; and again in the same year, "I have heard the ballad of Alonzo Guzman chanted in Danish, by a hind in the wilds of Jutland." [76a] "I have lived in different parts of the world, much amongst the Hebrew race, and I am well acquainted with their words and phraseology," [76b] he writes; and on another occasion: "I have seen gypsies of various lands, Russian, Hungarian, and Turkish; and I have also s

t patterans [76f] [a cross marked in the dust], and following the direction pointed out, arrived at the resting-place of 'certain Bohemians,' by whom I was received with kindness and hospitality, on the faith of no other word of recommendation than patteran." [76g] In a letter of intr

too casual, too much in the nature of asides, to be the utterances of a poseur. A man seeking to

he tramped to Pamplona, where he gets into trouble, is imprisoned, and is released on condition that he leave the country; he proceeds towards Marseilles and Genoa, where he takes ship and is landed safely in London. The data, however, upon which this itinerary is constructed are too frail to be convincing. There is every probability that he

12th April), and did for that grand horse "what I would neither do for earl or baron, doffed my hat." [78] Borrow apparently remained wit

ommittee of the Honourable and Praiseworthy Association, known by the name of the Highland Society . . . a body animate with patriotism, which, gui

s will enable the English reader to form a clear and correct idea of the originals." In the course of a rather ornate letter, Borrow offers himself as the translator and compiler of such a work as he sugges

to Dr Bowring, recently

, Ewald's most celebrated production, which, if you approve of, you will perhaps render me some assistance in bringing forth, for I don't know many publish

ember he wr

e our strength in composing a kind of Danish Anthology. Suppose we bring forward at once the first volu

g, if you should think fit, a page or two of introductory matter." Dr Bowring replied by return of post that he thought that no more than two volumes could be ventured on, and Borrow acquiesced, writing: "The sooner the work is ad

mething worthy of fame, for we shall have plenty of matter to employ talent upon." A later letter, which was written from 7 Museum Street (8th January), told how he ha

to "alter . . . whatever false logic has crept into it, find a remedy for its incoherencies, and render it fit for i

suggest one alteration . . . When you see the foreign Editor," he continues, "I should feel much obliged if you would speak to him about my reviewing Tegner, and enquire whether a good article on Welsh poetry would be received. I have

ppeared in several publ

n, THE SONGS OF SCANDINAVIA, in 2 vols. 8vo, containing a Selection of the most interesting of the Historical and

rs, ￡1, 1s.-to Non

Poetry; the Second will give the choicest production

iod it is impossible to say. It may be assumed that Mrs Borrow did not keep him, for, apart from the slender proportions of the income of the mother, the unconquerable independence of the son must be considered; and Borrow loved his mother too tenderly to allow her to de

at good-natured man might assist him. Although he is to see him on the morrow, he

birth and early habits. You might inform the Prince that I have been for years on the Commander-in-Chiefs list for a commission, but that I have not had sufficient interest to procure an appointment. One of my reasons for wishing to reside in Greece is, that the mines of Eastern literature would be accessible to me. I should soon become an adept in Turkish, and would weave and transmit to you such an anthology as woul

dtvig, the Danish poet, who required some transcrip

so they told him at the Museum. However, as I am doing nothing particular at present, and as I might learn something from transcribing it, I would do it for ￡20. He will ca

ng a transcript of the celebrated Anglo-Saxon Codex of Exeter, for the use of the British Museum," he applied to some unknown corres

btain a post at the British Museum. On 9t

would be the very thing for me, provided that it could be accomplished. I should feel obliged if you would de

use of Bowring & Murdock had recently failed.] Quietly make yourself master of that department of the Museum. We must then think of how best to get at the Council. If by any management they can be

t he only required an opportunity of showing to the world what manner of man he was. He seemed doomed to meet everywhere with discouragement; for no one wanted him, just as no one wanted his translations of the glorious Ab Gwilym. He appeared before the world as a failure, whic

mber he wrote

lieve, the offspring of ennui and unsettled prospects. I have thoughts of attempting to get into the French service, as I should like prodigiously to serve under Clau

Bowring, who once more has been exe

Lane,

eptemb

ear

t been successful in your application to the Belgian authorities in my behalf, I know full well t

e born in Belgium, and when we consider the heroic manner in which the native Belgian army defended the person of their new sovereign in the last conflict with the Dutch, can we blame them for their determination? It is rather singular, however, that resolved as they are to be served only by themselves they should have sent for 5000 Fre

ntry Ireland, and provided I can obtain a commission in one of them, and they are kept in service, it would be better than spending ￡500 about one in the line. I am acquainted with the Colonels of the two Norfolk regiments, and I daresay that neither of them would have any objection to receive me. If they are not embodied I will most certainly apply to you, and you may say when you recommend me that being well grounded in Arabic, and having some talent for languages, I might be an acquisition to a corps in one of our Eastern Colonies. I flatter myself that I could do a great deal in the East provided I could once get there, either in a civil or

ema

ear

iged and obed

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of this place. I have lately been wandering about Norfolk, and I am sorry to say that the minds of the peasantry are in a horrible state of excitement; I have repeatedly heard men and women in t

mother had possessed it, which she did not, he would not have drained her resources of so large an amount. His subsequent attitude towards the Belgians was characteristic of him. To h

ared in The Foreign Quarterly Review (June 1830), in which Borrow supplied translations of the sixteen poems illustrating Bowring's te

oyment. It may be, as has been said, and as seems extremely probable, that Bowring used his "facility in acquiring and translating tongues deliberately as a ladder to an administ

s later; "I write to you, as usual, for assistance in my projects, convinced that you will withhold none which it may be in your power to afford, more especially when b

me a large sale, not only in England but in Wales; but "on the eve of committing it to the press, however, the Cambrian-Briton felt his small heart give way within him. 'Were I to print it,' said he, 'I should be ruined; the terrible descriptions of vice and

. for the trouble you have given yourself on my account," [87b] and his bundle of manuscript, containing nearly three thousand

isinclination to make friends with anybody save vagabonds. He could attract and earn the friendship of an apple-woman, thimble-riggers, tramps, thieves, gypsies, in short with any vagrant he chose to speak to; but his hatred of gentility was a grea

n in March; but on 27th, 28th, and 29th July 1830 he was unquestionably in Paris. Writing about the Revolu

in all directions, and the desperate cuirassiers were dashing their fierce horses against these seemingly feeble bulwarks. There stood they, dotting down

nd Louis-Philippe gained, a throne. He returned to Norwich sometime during the autumn of 1830. [88b] In November he was entering

ned to join him. Obtaining a year's leave of absence from his colonel, together with permission to apply for an extension, he entered the service of the Real del Monte Company, receiving a salary of three hundred poun

involved heavy losses in connection with the bills of exchange, and wishing to avoid this tax, John sent to his brother

myself bred up," and demands whether he has not law, etc., on his side. The outcome of the correspondence was that the disembodied allowance was refused on the plea "that Lieutenant Borrow having been absent without Leave from the Training of the West Norfolk Militia has, under the provisions of the 12th Section of the Militia Pay and Clothing Act, forfeited his Allowance." In conse

sion he writes apropos of George's suggestion of the army, "If you can raise the pewter, come out here rather than that, and rob." One sage thing

ht possibly have been engaged in political journalism. The statement made by him that he "frequently spoke up for Wellington" [90] may or may not have

verse from publishing, or at least allowing to be known, the difficulties that they had to contend with. Borrow was in no sense of the word an ordinary man. He unquestionably suffered acutely during the years of failure, when it seemed likely that hi

30. To no small degree Borrow was responsible for his own failure, or perhaps it would be more just to say that he had been denied many of the attri

de, genuine pride-that feeling which the world agrees to call so noble. Oh, how mean a

denunciatory hatred of gentility, together with humbug, which he always seemed to confuse with it, the attacks of the "Horrors," his grave bearing, which no laugh ever disturbed, and, above all, his uncompromising hostility to the things that

not unfrequently supplied the place of friends, money, and many other things of almost equal importance-iron perseverance, without which all the advantages of time and circumstance are of very little avail in any undertaking." [91b] It was