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Biography of James Augustus St.John - `Singen, my dear sir, Singen.’
Thomas De Quincey and James Augustus St.John
Towards the end of the year 1846, Colin Rae Brown was offered employment as business manager of the first daily newspaper in Scotland. The paper was to be called ‘The North British Daily Mail’ The proprietors of the ‘Mail’ had also purchased ‘Tait’s Magazine’ and it was thought advisable to retain the services of Tait’s leading contributor, Thomas De Quincey, in order that the magazine should remain true to it’s radical nature. It was also proposed that De Quincey should be persuaded to write the occasional article for the ‘Mail’ and to reside in Glasgow for a short period as the ‘Tait’ had moved its offices there.
In due course, De Quincey moved to rented accommodation with a landlady called Mrs Tosh and Colin Rae Brown recorded his memories of De Quincey in “De Quincey and his friends’ by J Hogg’ which was published in 1895. Rae Brown describes the ethereal wraith-like appearance of De Quincey, his extreme gentleness, like a ‘retiring yet high bred child’; his ‘exactitude of pronunciation which was the very reverse of pedantic’ and his extreme politeness. But he also describes the difficulty of getting ‘copy’ from the famous, opium-addicted writer.
‘The old gentleman had no got ‘oot o’ his bedroom yet.’
It was with these words that Mrs Tosh greeted the paper’s boy messenger, who had arrived on her doorstep, seeking De Quincey’s contribution to the day’s paper. In some alarm, the editor dispatched Rae Brown to De Quincey’s residence where, accompanied by Mrs Tosh, he entered the room where De Quincey was to be found ‘either fast asleep or in a state of stupor’.
“I’m sure the puir body’s deid.” exclaimed Mrs Tosh and proposed, ‘Dash cauld water on his face’
However, the ‘copy’ was secured and, as Rae Brown left the lodgings, Mrs Tosh whispered, “There maun surely be somethin’ railly wrang wi’ my lodger. He doesna eat as muckle as my wee oo (grandson) eats in a day. D’ye think he’s in his richt mind?”
However, Rae Brown and De Qunicey often took lunch at the ‘Rose Tavern’ in Argyll Street where, amongst other topics, they discussed ‘Burns-worship’ and the Irish question. As they were leaving, Rae Brown mentioned the ‘North British Daily Mail’ and one if its correspondents:
`Before leaving "The Rose," I made reference to our North British Daily Mail correspondent in Paris, Mr, Percy B. St John, pronouncing the surname in a pretty broad, Northernly accent, as "Saint John"; whereupon De Quincey putting on a grave look, and holding up his thin, pale right hand in deprecatory style, said, "Singen, my dear sir, Singen." Even reproof came kindly, almost lovingly, from that gentlest of men.’
Another St John - James Augustus St john - makes an appearance in ‘De Quincey and his friends’. This St John is recalled by John Richie Findlay who was the nephew of Mr Richie, the proprietor of ‘The Scotsman’.
Mr Findley recalls: ‘My friend Mr. John Hill Burton had often promised to introduce me to Mr. de Quincey, knowing that I took great interest in his writings, although at that time I was acquainted with them mainly through such stray articles as I had read in magazines.......’
An introduction follows and a friendship develops. Then, on 30 July 1854, Mr Findlay recalls a momentous day when De Quincey came to supper. ( Mr John Hill Burton, a historian, also attended.) During supper, Mr Findley recalled an event that occurred at another, similar evening - a story he retells for the amusement of De Quincey. The event occurred at his grand-uncle’s house, Mr Leith Ritchie, who edited ‘Chamber’s journal. Mr John Richie Findlay writes:
30th July, I854, -- De Quincey came to supper with us in George Square on Sunday. We were en famile; - the only other guest being Burton. We spoke of the different habits of men in drinking different liquors. He said he used to be fond of gin and water, and drank it till Byron's Life was published, when he gave it up, because he did not wish to be accused, however falsely, of imitating Byron even in that. He was much amused by my account of a scene between Sydney Dobell, Professor Piazzi Smyth. Mr. Augustus St. John, and Leitch Ritchie, which I told him I had witnessed. The incident had occurred a short time previously (4th February) and was this : - Leitch Ritchie had asked some friends to supper at his house (32, Danube Street, Edinburgh), to meet Mr. James Augustus St. John, author of several books of travel, a fine looking man of between sixty and seventy, who had lost his eyesight from ophthalmia in Egypt. Among those who arrived early was Mr. Piazzi Smyth, Professor of Astronomy, Edinburgh University. He has an impediment in his speech which sometimes altogether prevents utterance for a few moments. Leitch Ritchie himself, again, was extremely deaf. The deaf man, the blind man, and the stammering man, were all the company who had arrived, except Dr. Findlater(editor of Chamber’s Encyclopaedia etc ) and myself, when the door opened and Mr. Sydney Dobell was announced. Dobell rushing into the room, as soon as Leitch Ritchie mentioned in a vague way, "Mr. Dobel, - Mr. St. John," seized by the hand, not Mr. St. John, but Professor Smyth, and began a speech he evidently had cut and dry. "And is it possible that I hold by the hand one who bears the illustrious name of st. John!" Smyth in vain attempted to assert his identity; his tongue refused its office. Leitch Ritchie, not hearing Dobell's hushed tones, looked on bewildered. It was the blind man, Mr. St. John himself who came to the rescue, saying, " It is I whose name is St. John." Whereupon Dobell turned to him and began. "Oh, then, is it possible, etc." Findlater and I not being sufficiently familiar in the house, and knowing none of the parties except Smyth and Ritchie, had not felt it right to interfere, but remained amazed and amused spectators. Of course Dobell's speech fell very flat, and, besides, St. John further set him down, though gently, by telling him he had no connection with the Bolingbroke family. De Quincey said the complication was as complete as anything the older dramatists ever fancied...’
My grandmother, born Alice St John, spoke of being proud of her family of journalists. It transpires that James Augustus St John is one of my great-great grandparents. But what of the origins of his name and why the confusion?
Extracts from
"DE QUINCEY AND HIS FRIENDS - PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS, SOUVENIRS AND ANECDOTES OF THOMAS DE QUINCEY HIS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES `WRITTEN AND COLLECTED BY JAMES HOGG SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON AND COMPANY. 1895’ St John, Augustus, p148"