eming lack of
loyalty, he afterwards made ample compensation; he celebrated the King's
visit to Scotland, in August 1822, in "a Masque or Drama," which was
published in a separate form. A copy of this production being laid
before the King by Sir Walter Scott, Sir Robert Peel, then Secretary of
State, received his Majesty's gracious command suitably to acknowledge
it. In his official communication, Sir Robert thanked the Shepherd, in
the King's name, "for the gratifying proof of his genius and loyalty."
It had been Scott's desire to obtain a Civil List pension for the
Shepherd, to aid him in his struggles at Mount Benger; and it was with
something like hope that he informed him that Sir Robert Peel had
expressed himself pleased with his writings. But the pension was never
obtained.

Harassed by pecuniary difficulties, Hogg wrote rapidly, with the view of
relieving himself. In 1822, he published a new edition of his best
poems, in four volumes, for which he received the sum of L200; and in
this and the following year, he produced two works of fiction, entitled,
"The Three Perils of Man," and "The Three Perils of Women," which
together yielded him L300. In 1824, he published "The Confessions of a
Fanatic;" and, in 1826, he gave to the world his long narrative poem of
"Queen Hynde." The last proved unequal to his former poetical efforts.
In 1826, Mr J. G. Lockhart proceeded to London to edit the _Quarterly
Review_, taking along with him, as his assistant, Robert Hogg, a son of
the Shepherd's elder brother. The occasion afforded the poet an
opportunity of renewing his correspondence with his old friend, Allan
Cunningham. Allan wrote to him as follows:--

"27 Lower Belgrave Place, _16th Feb. 1826._

"My dear James,--It required neither present of book,
nor friend, nor the recalling of old scenes, to render
your letter a most welcome one. You are often present
to my heart and fancy, for your genius and your
friendliness have secured you a place in both. Your
nephew is a fine, modest, and intelligent young man,
and is welcome to my house for his own sake as well as
yours. Your 'Queen Hynde,' for which I thank you,
carries all the vivid marks of your own peculiar cast
of genius about her. One of your very happiest little
things is in the Souvenir of this season--it is pure
and graceful, warm, yet delicate; and we have nought in
the language to com