| |
| WITH secret throes I marked that earth, | |
| That cottage, witness of my birth; | |
| And near I saw, bold issuing forth | |
| In youthful pride, | |
| A Lindsay race of noble worth, | 5 |
| Famed far and wide. | |
| |
| Where, hid behind a spreading wood, | |
| An ancient Pict-built mansion stood, | |
| I spied, among an angel brood, | |
| A female pair; | 10 |
| Sweet shone their high maternal blood, | |
| And father’s air. 1 | |
| |
| An ancient tower 2 to memory brought | |
| How Dettingen’s bold hero fought; | |
| Still, far from sinking into nought, | 15 |
| It owns a lord | |
| Who far in western climates fought, | |
| With trusty sword. | |
| |
| Among the rest I well could spy | |
| One gallant, graceful, martial boy, | 20 |
| The soldier sparkled in his eye, | |
| A diamond water. | |
| I blest that noble badge with joy, | |
| That owned me frater. 3 | |
| |
After 20th stanza of the text (at “Dispensing good”):—
Near by arose a mansion fine 4 | 25 |
| The seat of many a muse divine; | |
| Not rustic muses such as mine, | |
| With holly crown’d, | |
| But th’ ancient, tuneful, laurell’d Nine, | |
| From classic ground. | 30 |
| |
| I mourn’d the card that Fortune dealt, | |
| To see where bonie Whitefoords dwelt; 5 | |
| But other prospects made me melt, | |
| That village near; 6 | |
| There Nature, Friendship, Love, I felt, | 35 |
| Fond-mingling, dear! | |
| |
| Hail! Nature’s pang, more strong than death! | |
| Warm Friendship’s glow, like kindling wrath! | |
| Love, dearer than the parting breath | |
| Of dying friend! | 40 |
| Not ev’n with life’s wild devious path, | |
| Your force shall end! | |
| |
| The Power that gave the soft alarms | |
| In blooming Whitefoord’s rosy charms, | |
| Still threats the tiny, feather’d arms, | 45 |
| The barbed dart, | |
| While lovely Wilhelmina warms | |
| The coldest heart. 7 | |
| |
After 21st stanza of the text (at “That, to adore”):—
Where Lugar leaves his moorland plaid, 8 | |
| Where lately Want was idly laid, | 50 |
| I markèd busy, bustling Trade, | |
| In fervid flame, | |
| Beneath a Patroness’ aid, | |
| Of noble name. | |
| |
| Wild, countless hills I could survey, | 55 |
| And countless flocks as wild as they; | |
| But other scenes did charms display, | |
| That better please, | |
| Where polish’d manners dwell with Gray, | |
| In rural ease. 9 | 60 |
| |
| Where Cessnock pours with gurgling sound; 10 | |
| And Irwine, marking out the bound, | |
| Enamour’d of the scenes around, | |
| Slow runs his race, | |
| A name I doubly honour’d found, 11 | 65 |
| With knightly grace. | |
| |
| Brydon’s brave ward, 12 I saw him stand, | |
| Fame humbly offering her hand, | |
| And near, his kinsman’s rustic band, 13 | |
| With one accord, | 70 |
| Lamenting their late blessed land | |
| Must change its lord. | |
| |
| The owner of a pleasant spot, | |
| Near and sandy wilds, I last did note; 14 | |
| A heart too warm, a pulse too hot | 75 |
| At times, o’erran: | |
| But large in ev’ry feature wrote, | |
| Appear’d the Man. | |
