BLACKWOOD’S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. NO. CCCCXLII. AUGUST, 1852. VOL. LXXII. CONTENTS. DIES BOREALES. NO IX. CHRISTOPHER UNDER CANVASS, 133 FROM STAMBOUL TO TABRIZ, 163 KATIE STEWART. A TRUE STORY. PART II., 182 GOLD—EMIGRATION—FOREIGN DEPENDENCE—TAXATION, 203 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH, 218 MY NOVEL; OR, VARIETIES IN ENGLISH LIFE. PART XXIII., 235 THE EARL OF DERBY’S APPEAL TO THE COUNTRY, 249 EDINBURGH: WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS. 45 GEORGE STREET; AND 37 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. _To whom all communications (post paid) must be addressed._ SOLD BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH. BLACKWOOD’S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. NO. CCCCXLII. AUGUST, 1852. VOL. LXXII. =Dies Boreales.= No. IX. CHRISTOPHER UNDER CANVASS. _Camp at Cladich._ SCENE—_The Pavilion_. TIME—_Sunset_. NORTH—TALBOYS—SEWARD. NORTH. The great Epic Poets of Antiquity began with invoking superhuman aid to their human powers. They magnified their subject by such a confession, that their unassisted strength was unequal to worthily treating it; and it is perfectly natural for us to believe that they were sincere in these implorations. For their own belief was that Gods presided over, ruled, and directed, not only the motions of the Visible Universe, and the greater and outward events and destinies of nations and individuals, but that the Father of Gods and Men, and peculiar Deities under him, influenced, inspired, and sustained, gave and took away the powers of wisdom, virtue, and genius, in every kind of design and in every kind of action. SEWARD. They would call down the help, suggestion, and inspiration of heavenly guides, protectors, and monitors;—of Jupiter, to whom even their dim faith looked above themselves and beyond this apparent world, for the incomprehensible causes of things;—of Apollo, the God of Music and of Song;—of those divine Sisters, under whose especial charge that imaginative religion placed Poets and their works, the nine melodious Daughters of Memory;—of those three other gentle deities, of whom Pindar affirms, that if there be amongst men anything fair and admirable, to their gift it is owing, and whose name expresses the accomplishing excellence of Poesy, if all suffrages are to be united in praise: bright Sisters too, adored with altar and temple,—the Graces.