Page images
PDF
EPUB

Where gallant Bruce and Douglas lurked concealed,
Till called by victory to the crimson field.

Far look thy mountains, Arran, o'er the main,
And far o'er Cunningham's extensive plain;
From Loudon hill, and Irvine's silver source,
Through all her links, they trace the river's course;
View many a town in history's page enroll'd;
Decayed Kilwinning, and Ardrossan old;
Kilmarnock low, that mid her plains retires,
And youthful Irvine that to fame aspires.
In neighbouring Kyle, our earliest annals boast,
Great Coilus fell, with all his British host:
His antique form, with silver shining bright,
In pleasant Caprington delights the sight.

From Carrick's coast, and Gallovidia's shores,
Clyde's ample sea in waves tremendous roars,
To where Kintyre, beneath the evening skies
Stretching a mighty length, among the billows lies.
See towering Ailsa o'er the waters rise;
Beneath the seas his deep foundation lies:
Hoarse round his rugged roots the ocean roars,
And high above the clouds his summit soars:

White wreaths of mist o'er his huge shoulders hang;
Round his strong sides unnumbered sea-fowls clang;
The royal falcon, and the bird of Jove,

560

570

581

Dare only scale the steep, and spread their wings above. There late, sublime, the powers of ocean sate,

Spectators of the gallant Thurso's fate;

Whose generous soul beheld, with brave disdain,
His country's laurels blasted on the main.

existed concerning Fin-Mac-Coul, or Fingal. The vast cavern of Druimeruey, in the western part of the island, is pointed out as the place of his residence; and according to some, the island itself derives its name from this hero, being originally Arsyn, Fin's place of slaughter.

Hark! as the sea-shrieks in confusion rise,
Through all his shores majestic Clyde replies;
Till, sinking slow, the mimic thunders fall,
And Elliot's genius triumphs o'er the Gaul.

Dear parent stream! may still thy happy plains
Rejoice in peace, and plenty bless thy swains;
May still thy daughters charm with every grace
Of mind, of manners, figure, air and face;
Still may thy fleets, by hardy seamen manned,
Extend fair Albion's sway from land to land;
As lately Phoebus, in his spacious round,

Saw, in each clime, our hosts with conquest crowned.
In vain proud Gallia poured her legions forth,
To match the iron warriors of the North:
The German plains were fattened with her blood,
Her commerce ruined, and her fleets subdued.
Her heroes slain, she trembles as she boasts,
While British thunders roar around her coasts.
And veteran Spain, who still the pride displays,
Without the vigour of her happier days,
Beheld, with terror and amazement filled,
Manilla stormed, and strong Havannah yield:
Shrunk in dismay, where'er her flag unfurled,
Till Britain rose the umpire of the world.

At that bright era, as the festive sound

Of peace, loud echoed earth and ocean round,
Rose from his stream the majesty of Clyde,
His beauteous consort, Daer, by his side;
And round them every tributary flood;
Each leaning on his urn, attentive stood:
Glengonar's dangerous stream was stained with lead;
Fillets of wool bound dark Dunneaten's head;
With corn-ears crowned, the sister Medwins rose,

590

600

610

And Mouse, whose mining stream in coverts flows: 620

Black Douglas, drunk by heroes far renowned,
And turbid Nethan's front, with alders bound;
Calder, with oak around his temples twined,
And Kelvin, Glasgow's boundary flood designed;.
Cart's sombre stream, which deep and silent moves,
Where kings and queens of old indulged their loves;
Leven, which growth and infancy disdains,
Rushing in strength mature upon the plains.

To whom the parent flood: "My children dear,
The festive sounds of peace salute mine ear.
Henceforth our peaceful ports, from insult free,
Anchored secure, their loaded fleets shall see;
And, to my honour, happy worlds shall know,
They to a son of mine their safety owe;
Great Bute, who, warm with patriot zeal, arose,
To still wild war, and give the world repose;
And having done the good his heart desired,
Scorning reward, to shades obscure retired:
For all he valued was already given,
Approven of his soul, his prince, and heaven;
Ile calmly smiled. Eclipsed ambition raved
To see a world by worth superior saved.
Advance, ye Fates! bid future times display
Fair eras bright with many a glorious day;
When time shall ripen what the past began,
And freedom execute her mighty plan.
The savage tribes, with long benighted eyes,
Shall gaze on opening heaven with glad surprise:
Virtue and truth shall flourish unconfined,
And knowledge, nursed by freedom of the mind;
Till every race in mutual love, conspire
To live as children of one common sire;

And grateful earth shall own these blessings given
By the kind care of Britain, and of Heaven;

630

640

650

The general anthem shall to Heaven ascend;
The world her stores to Britain's ports shall send ;
From every sea, arriving fleets shall ride,

Proud of their wealth, and my broad bosom hide."
The river said; and from the top ascends,
Sublime in air, and all his court attends
To meet the sun's descent in western skies,
And mark the airy landscapes as they rise:
White mountain clouds, whose tops as bright appear
As Zembla's glittering frost-rocks hung in air:
Low sink well imitated vales between,

And shaggy cliffs o'er black abysses lean;

Woods shake on high the swift dissolving shade,
While towns, with spires and turrets fair, pourtrayed,
And magic castles lofty heaven invade.

Now, lively painted with the setting ray,
The shining clouds adorn departing day.
As Phoebus sinks serene in splendour bright,
Behind him flows a sea of golden light,

To tinge the skirts of clouds with purple glow,
And all the hues which gild the watery bow;
The various shades of light it ceaseless tries,
And sunk at last, in deepest sable dies;
When, mild and soft, the evening dew descends,
As lovers' sighs, or words of parting friends.

But as he from the amber plains retires,
Brighter and stronger flame the heavenly fires;
And Phebe from the east, advancing bright,
Majestic moves along, the queen of night :
Benighted travellers bless her friendly rays;
From trembling streams a silver radiance plays:
To needful rest retire the nymphs and swains,
And solemn silence reigns o'er all the plains.

660

670

680

687

NOTES TO CANTO II.

SAINT KENTIGERN.

The history of St. Kentigern is related with some variations by Joceline. His mother was named Thanes or Taneu. Joceline terms her the daughter of a Cambrian prince; but the name of her father, according to Fordun, was Loth or Ludan, the Leodegan of romance, from whom Lothian is supposed to have derived its name. According to Joceline, she conceived without knowing who was the father of her child: but by an anonymous nonkish writer, quoted by Pinkerton in a note to his edition or Joceline's Life of St. Kentigern, he is called Ewen the son of Erwegende, a British prince, whom the minstrels denominated Ewen the son of Ulien. Ulien seems to be the celebrated warrior Urien of Reged. His mother being found pregnant, was, according to an ancient law of the Britons, precipitated from the rock of Dunpelder; but having escaped unhurt, she was, like another Danae, exposed at sea, in a small skiff. Being under the particular protection of providence, she arrived safe at Culross, where she was hospitably received by St. Servan, by whom both the mother and child were baptized. According to Joceline, it was not his mother's ring which he recovered from the fish, but that of the adulterous queen Langueth, who entreated the saint, with many professions of penitence, to prevent a discovery of her crime. The passage of Joceline which relates to this law of the Britons, runs thus: "Erat in illo populo barbaro, a diebus antiquis lex promulgata: ut puella in paternis fornicatis (sic) gravida inveniebatur, de supercilio montis altissimi præcipitaretur; corruptor autem illius capite plecteretur: Similiter apud antiquos Saxones, pene usque ad hæc moderna tempora, sancitum durabat, ut quælibet virgo, in paternis sponte deflorata, absque ulla retractatione, viva sepeliretur." The practice of burying such

« PreviousContinue »