Fleet Street Eclogues 1893, 1896

by John Davidson

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. 1895 edition. ... LAMMAS HERBERT PERCY SANDY NINIAN Percy A HEALTH, in cider, golden, racy, rough--The harvest and the harvesters! Sandy I drink In amber spirit that enshrines the heart Of an old Lothian summer. Percy Summers old And Gules of August 1--to their memory I drink, and to the memory of those Who wielded shining sickles. Forth they went, The gaunt and ragged heralds of the Before them spread the sighing leagues of grain; Behind, the tardy sun arose and struck All day on men and women obstinate Against the stubborn ranks, the golden Silent and set, as their long-sworded sires Who fought the crashing rollers on the strand And stared athwart the ocean wistfully Into the moaning storm, the reapers And they grew lean; and the sun burnt them A sea of living gold poured round their feet And rose in crested shocks; still and anon The whetstone shrieked against the curving blade. I drink the swarthy harvesters of old! Herbert To them all honour! But I also drink The merry singing wheels that lighten toil. Sandy And drive men into cities where they rot! Nor do they lighten toil--NINIAN A truce to this! Let us see things and say them. Why debate? Sandy Debate? The sergeant-major of the tongue! Rather we should invite his discipline. Percy Well said, indeed! It is this same Debate That overmasters armies; that distils From rancorous commotion amity; It is the proof, sifter and alkahest Of all opinion, and the ordeal keen Of knowledge, reason and intelligence; The arbiter of right; the only source, Camp, castle and estate of liberty. The sword did never yet perpetuate The work it reared--too sharp a trowel, still With bloody mortar building on the sand. The word alone endures; but prophecy Being now invalid, we exalt Debate....

Hardcover

First published February 18, 2015

About the author

John Davidson was a Scottish poet, playwright and novelist, best known for his ballads.

He also made translations from French and German. In 1909, financial difficulties, as well as physical and mental health problems, led to his suicide.

Davidson's first published work was Bruce, a chronicle play in the Elizabethan manner, which appeared with a Glasgow imprint in 1886. Four other plays, Smith, a Tragic Farce (1888), An Unhistorical Pastoral (1889), A Romantic Farce (1889), and the brilliant pantomimic Scaramouch in Naxos (1889) followed.