Poetry > Lady of the lake

6
INTRODUCTION TO THE
so, perhaps, than you yourself will believe, or than
even I, or other partial friends, can fairly allow
to your merit. You stand high—do not rashly
attempt to climb higher, and incur the risk of a
fall; for, depend upon it, a favourite will not be
permitted even to stumble with impunity.” I re¬
plied to this affectionate expostulation in the
words of Montrose—
“ He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch
To gain or lose it all.”
“ If I fail,” I said, for the dialogue is strong in
my recollection, “ it is a sign that I ought never
to have succeeded, and I will write prose for life :
you shall see no change in my temper, nor will I
eat a single meal the worse. But if I succeed,
Up with the bonnie blue bonnet,
The dirk, and the feather, and a’
Afterwards I shotted my affectionate and anx¬
ious critic the first canto of the poem, which re¬
conciled her to my imprudence. Nevertheless,
although I answered thus confidently, with the
obstinacy often said to be proper to those who bear