The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ringan Gilhaize, by John Galt
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Ringan Gilhaize
or The Covenanters
Author: John Galt
Release Date: December 24, 2009 [EBook #30749]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RINGAN GILHAIZE ***
Produced by Steven desJardins, Carla Foust, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Transcriber's note
Inconsistencies in language and dialect found in the original book have
been retained. Minor punctuation errors have been changed without
notice. Printer errors have been changed and are listed at the end.
RINGAN GILHAIZE
Their constancy in torture and in death--
These on Tradition's tongue still live, these shall
On History's honest page be pictured bright
To latest times.
GRAHAME'S SABBATH.
Ringan
Gilhaize
OR
_THE COVENANTERS_
BY
JOHN GALT
AUTHOR OF
"_Annals of the Parish_," "_Sir Andrew Wylie_," "_The Entail_," _Etc._
EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION, BY
Sir GEORGE DOUGLAS, Bart.
London
GREENING & CO., LTD.
20 Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road
1899
INTRODUCTION
A NEGLECTED MASTERPIECE
There have, of course, been many men of genius who have united with
great laxity and waywardness in their lives a high and perfect respect
for their art; but instances of the directly contrary practice are much
rarer, and among these there is probably none more prominent than that
of the author of _Ringan Gilhaize_. Gifted by nature with a faculty
which was at once brilliant, powerful and genial, he led an industrious
life, the upright and generally exemplary character of which has never
for a moment been called in question. But, in the sphere of his art, it
is as undeniable as unaccountable that he cared little or nothing to do
his best. The haps or whims of the moment seem, indeed, to have governed
his production with an influence as of stars malign or fortunate.
Furthermore, we know that the profession of authorship--that most
distinguished of all professions, as, speaking in sober
|