"I am a bending aged tree, "That long has flood the wind and rain; "But now has come a cruel blast, "And my laft hold of earth is gane: "Nae leaf o' mine fhall greet the spring, "Nae fimmer fun exalt my bloom; "But I maun lie before the ftorm, "And ithers plant them in my room. "I've seen fae mony changefu' years, "On earth I am a ftranger grown; 97 9 "I wander in the ways of men, "For filent, low, on beds of duft, "And "And last, (the fum of a' my griefs!) 66 My noble mafter lies in clay ; "The flow'r amang our barons bold, "His country's pride, his country's ftay: "In weary being now I pine, "For a' the life of life is dead, "And hope has left my aged ken, "On forward wing for ever fled. "Awake thy laft fad voice, my harp! · "And thou, my last, beft, only friend, "Accept this tribute from the Bard "Thou brought from fortune's mirkeft "gloom. " In "In Poverty's low barren vale, "Thick mifts, obfcure, involv'd me round; "Though oft I turn'd the wistful eye, "Nae ray of fame was to be found: "Thou found'ft me, like the morning fun "That melts the fogs in limpid air, "The friendlefs Bard and ruftic fong, "Became alike thy foftering care. "O! why has worth fo fhort a date? 66 "O! had I met the mortal shaft "Which laid my benefactor low! "The "The bridegroom may forget the bride, "That fmiles fae fweetly on her knee; "But I'll remember thee, Glencairn, "And a' that thou haft done for me!" VOL. II. N LINES LINE S, Sent to Sir JOHN WHITEFORD of WHITEFORD, Baronet, with the foregoing Poem. THOU, who thy honour as thy God rever’ft, Who, fave thy mind's reproach, nought earthly fear'ft, To thee this votive off'ring I impart, The tearful tribute of a broken heart. The Friend thou valued'ft, I, the Patron, lov'd; His worth, his honour, all the world approv'd. We'll mourn till we too go as he has gone, And tread the dreary path to that dark world unknown. TAM |