2 In yon deep bed of whispering reeds His airy harp1 shall now be laid; That he, whose heart in sorrow bleeds, May love through life the soothing-shade. 3 Then maids and youths shall linger here; And, while its sounds at distance swell, Shall sadly seem in Pity's ear To hear the woodland pilgrim's knell. 4 Remembrance oft shall haunt the shore 5 And oft as Ease and Health retire The friend shall view yon whitening spire, 2 6 But thou, who own'st that earthly bed, 7 Yet lives there one, whose heedless eye Shall scorn thy pale shrine glimmering near? 8 But thou, lorn stream, whose sullen tide Whose cold turf hides the buried friend! His airy harp:' the harp of Eolus, of which see a description in the 'Castle of Indolence.' - 2Whitening spire:' Richmond Church. 9 And see, the fairy valleys fade; Dun Night has veil'd the solemn view! Meek Nature's child, again adieu ! 10 The genial meads1 assign'd to bless Thy life, shall mourn thy early doom; 11 Long, long, thy stone, and pointed clay ODE ON THE POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND; CONSIDERED AS THE SUBJECT OF POETRY. INSCRIBED TO MR JOHN HOME. HOME, thou return'st from Thames, whose Naiads long Go, not unmindful of that cordial youth3 Whom, long endear'd, thou leavest by Lavant's side; Together let us wish him lasting truth, And joy untainted with his destined bride. 26 1 Genial meads: Mr Thomson resided in the neighbourhood of Richmond some time before his death. 'Tragic song:' how truly did Collins predict Home's tragic powers! Cordial youth:' a gentleman of the name of Barrow, who introduced Home to Collins. Go! nor regardless, while these numbers boast My short-lived bliss, forget my social name; Thou need'st but take thy pencil to thy hand, There must thou wake perforce thy Doric quill; How, wing'd with fate, their elf-shot arrows fly, Or, stretch'd on earth, the heart-smit heifers lie. Such airy beings awe th' untutor'd swain: 9 20 30 Nor thou, though learn'd, his homelier thoughts neglect ; Let thy sweet Muse the rural faith sustain ; These are the themes of simple, sure effect, That add new conquests to her boundless reign, And fill, with double force, her heart-commanding strain. Even yet preserved, how often may'st thou hear, Strange lays, whose power had charm'd a Spenser's ear. At every pause, before thy mind possest, Old Runic bards shall seem to rise around, With uncouth lyres, in many-colour'd vest, Their matted hair with boughs fantastic crown'd: Whether thou bidd'st the well-taught hind repeat The choral dirge, that mourns some chieftain brave, When every shrieking maid her bosom beat, And strew'd with choicest herbs his scented grave! Or whether, sitting in the shepherd's shiel,1 Thou hear'st some sounding tale of war's alarms; When at the bugle's call, with fire and steel, The sturdy clans pour'd forth their brawny swarms, And hostile brothers met, to prove each other's arms. 'Tis thine to sing, how, framing hideous spells, When, o'er the watery strath, or quaggy moss, Or, if in sports, or on the festive green, For them the viewless forms of air obey; 40 50 60 16 Shepherd's shiel:' a summer hut, built in the high part of the mountains. To monarchs dear, some hundred miles astray, In the first year of the first George's reign, They mourn'd in air, fell, fell Rebellion slain ! And as, of late, they joy'd in Preston's fight, 70 Saw, at sad Falkirk, all their hopes near crown'd! They raved divining, through their second sight, 2 80 Pale, red Culloden, where these hopes were drown'd! Illustrious William !3 Britain's guardian name! One William saved us from a tyrant's stroke; He, for a sceptre, gain'd heroic fame, But thou, more glorious, Slavery's chain hast broke, To reign a private man, and bow to Freedom's yoke! These, too, thou'lt sing! for well thy magic Muse He glows, to draw you downward to your death, His glimmering mazes cheer th' excursive sight, 26 1 'Young Aurora:' probably the first appearance of the northern lights, which happened about the year 1715. - Second sight:' the term that is used for the divination of the Highlanders. — William :' the Duke of Cumberland, who defeated the Pretender at the battle of Culloden. Dank Will:' a gaseous meteor, called by various names, such as Will o' the Wisp, &c. |