Their views enlarg'd, their lib'ral mind,

Above the narrow, rural vale; Attentive ftill to Sorrow's wail,

Or modeft Merit's filent claim:

And never may their fources fail!
And never envy blot their name!

IV.

Thy Daughters bright thy walks adorn,
Gay as the gilded fummer sky,

Sweet as the dewy milk-white thorn,
Dear as the raptur'd thrill of joy!
Fair B- ftrikes th' adoring eye,

Heav'n's beauties on my fancy fhine;

I fee the Sire of Love on high,

And own his work indeed divine!

V.

There watching high the leaft alarms,
Thy rough rude Fortress gleams afar;

Like

Like fome bold Vet'ran, gray in arms,
And mark'd with many a feamy fear:
The pond'rous wall and maffy bar,
Grim-rifing o'er the rugged rock;
Have oft withstood affailing War,
And oft repell'd the Invader's fhock;

VI.

With awe-ftruck thought, and pitying tears,
I view that noble, ftately Dome,
Where Scotia's kings of other years
Fam'd heroes, had their royal home:
Alas, how chang'd the times to come!
Their royal Name low in the duft!
Their hapless Race wild-wand'ring roam!
Tho' rigid Law cries out, 'twas just !

VII.

Wild beats my heart, to trace your steps,
Whose ancestors, in days of yore,

VOL. II.

F

Thro'

Thro' hoftile ranks and ruin'd

gaps

Old Scotia's bloody Lion bore: Ev'n I who fing in ruftic lore,

Haply, my Sires have left their fhed, And fac'd grim Danger's loudeft roar, Bold-following where your Fathers led!

VIII.

Edina! Scotia's darling feat!

All hail thy palaces and tow'rs,

Where once beneath a Monarch's feet
Sat Legiflation's fov'reign pow'rs!
From marking wildly-scatter'd flow'rs,
As on the banks of Ayr I stray'd,
And finging, lone, the ling'ring hours,
I fhelter in thy honor'd fhade.

EPISTLE

EPISTLE

то

J. L***** K,

AN OLD SCOTTISH BARD.

April 1. 1785.

WHILE briers an' woodbines budding green,

An' Paitricks fcraichin loud at e'en,
An' morning Pouffie whiddin feen,

This freedom, in an unknown frien',

I pray excufe.

On Fasten-een we had a rockin,

To ca' the crack and weave our stockin;

And there was muckle fun an jokin,

Ye need na doubt;

At length we had a hearty yokin

At fang about.

There was ae fang, amang the rest, Aboon them a' it pleas'd me best,

That fome kind husband had addreft

To fome fweet wife :

It thirl'd the heart-ftrings thro' the breast,

I've scarce heard ought defcrib'd fae weel,

What gen'rous, manly bofoms feel;

Thought I,Can this be Pope, or Steele,

• Or