My heart did glowing transport feel,
To see a race2 heroic wheel,

And brandish round the deep-dy'd steel
In sturdy blows;

While back-recoiling seem'd to reel

Their suthron foes.

His Country's Saviour, mark him well!
Bold Richardton's heroic swell;

The chief on Sark' who glorious fell,

In high command;

And he whom ruthless fates expel
His native land.

There, where a scepter'd Pictish shade
Stalk'd round his ashes lowly laid,
I mark'd a martial race, pourtray'd

In colours strong;

Bold, soldier-featur'd, undismay'd

They strode along.

6

2 The Wallaces.

3 William Wallace.

Adam Wallace, of Richardton, cousin to the immortal preserver of Scottish independence.

5 Wallace, Laird of Craigie, who was second in command, under Douglas Earl of Ormond, at the famous battle on the banks of Sark, fought anno 1448. That glorious victory was principally owing to the judicious conduct and intrepid valour of the gallant Laird of Craigie, who died of his wounds after the action.

6 Coilus, king of the Picts, from whom the district of Kyle is said to take his name, lies buried, as tradition says, near the family-seat of the Montgomeries of Coil's-field, where his burial-place is still shown.

Thro' many a wild, romantic grove',
Near many a hermit-fancy'd cove,
(Fit haunts for friendship or for love)
In musing mood,

An aged judge, I saw him rove,

Dispensing good,

8

With deep-struck reverential awe
The learned sire and son I saw,
To Nature's God and Nature's law

They gave their lore,

This, all its source and end to draw,
That, to adore.

Brydone's brave ward? I well could spy,
Beneath old Scotia's smiling eye;

Who call'd on fame, low standing by,
To hand him on,

Where many a patriot name on high,
And hero shone.

DUAN SECOND.

With musing-deep, astonish'd stare,
I view'd the heav'nly-seeming fair ;
A whisp'ring throb did witness bear,

Of kindred sweet,

When with an elder sister's air

She did me greet.

7 Barskimming, the seat of the Lord Justice Clerk (Miller). 8 Catrine, the seat of the late Doctor, and present Professor Stewart.

9 Colonel Fullarton.

'All hail! my own inspired bard! In me thy native muse regard! Nor longer mourn thy fate is hard,

Thus poorly low!

I come to give thee such reward
As we bestow.

'Know, the great genius of this land
Has many a light, aërial band,
Who, all beneath his high command,
Harmoniously,

As arts or arms they understand,

Their labours ply.

'They Scotia's race among them share; Some fire the soldier on to dare;

Some rouse the patriot up to bare

Corruption's heart:

Some teach the bard, a darling care,
The tuneful art.

'Mong swelling floods of reeking gore, They, ardent, kindling spirits pour; Or, 'mid the venal senate's roar,

They, sightless, stand,

To mend the honest patriot lore,

And grace the land.

And when the bard, or hoary sage,

Charm or instruct the future age,

They bind the wild poetic rage

In energy,

Or point the inconclusive page

Full on the eye.

• Hence Fullarton, the brave and young; Hence Dempster's zeal-inspired tongue; Hence sweet harmonious Beattie sung

His "Minstrel lays;"

Or tore, with noble ardour stung,

The sceptic's bays.

To lower orders are assign'd
The humbler ranks of human kind,
The rustic Bard, the lab'ring Hind,
The Artisan;

All chuse, as various they're inclin❜d,
The various man.

When yellow waves the heavy grain, The threat'ning storm some strongly rein; Some teach to meliorate the plain

With tillage-skill;

And some instruct the shepherd-train,

Blythe o'er the hill.

'Some hint the lover's harmless wile; Some grace the maiden's artless smile; Some sooth the lab'rer's weary toil,

For humble gains,

And make his cottage-scenes beguile

His cares and pains.

Some, bounded to a district-space, Explore at large man's infant race, To mark the embryotic trace

Of rustic Bard;

And careful note each op'ning grace,

A guide and guard.

Of these am I-Coila my name; And this district as mine I claim,

Where once the Campbells, chiefs of fame, Held ruling pow'r:

I mark'd thy embryo tuneful flame,

Thy natal hour.

• With future hope, I oft would gaze
Fond, on thy little early ways,

Thy rudely caroll'd, chiming phrase,
In uncouth rhymes,

Fir'd at the simple, artless lays

Of other times.

I saw thee seek the sounding shore,
Delighted with the dashing roar;
Or when the north his fleecy store

Drove thro' the sky,

I saw grim nature's visage hoar,

Struck thy young eye.

'Or when the deep green-mantl'd earth Warm-cherish'd ev'ry flow'ret's birth, And joy and music pouring forth

I

In ev'ry grove,

saw thee eye the gen'ral mirth

With boundless love.

'When ripen'd fields and azure skies, Call'd forth the reaper's rustling noise, I saw thee leave their ev'ning joys,

And lonely stalk,

To vent thy bosom's swelling rise

VOL. I.

In pensive walk.

I