When he's fou he's stout and saucy, Steek the amric, lock the kist, Donald Caird's come again! On Donald Caird the doom was stern, Donald Caird's come again! EPITAPH ON MRS. ERSKINE. PLAIN, as her native dignity of mind, But, oh! what symbol may avail to tell The kindness, wit, and sense, we loved so well! What sculpture show the broken ties of life, Here buried with the parent, friend, and wife! Or on the tablet stamp each title dear, By which thine urn, EUPHEMIA, claims the tear! Yet taught, by thy meek sufferance, to assume Patience in anguish, hope beyond the tomb, Resign'd, though sad, this votive verse shall flow, And brief, alas! as thy brief span below. LIFE IN THE FOREST. (1822.) ON Ettrick Forest's mountains dun 'Tis blithe to hear the sportsman's gun, And seek the heath-frequenting brood Far through the noonday solitude; By many a cairn and trenched mound, Where chiefs of yore sleep lone and sound, And springs, where grey-hair'd shepherds tell, That still the fairies love to dwell. Along the silver streams of Tweed "Tis blithe along the midnight tide Emblem of lovely form and candid With stalwart arm the boat to guide; soul. [1 At the fireside.] [2 Hangman's rope.] On high the dazzling blaze to rear, And heedful plunge the barbed spear; Rock, wood, and scaur, emerging But when friends drop around us in bright, Fling on the stream their ruddy light, And from the bank our band appears Like Genii, arm'd with fiery spears. 'Tis blithe at eve to tell the tale, My blessing on the Forest fair! FAREWELL TO THE MUSE. (1822.) life's weary waning, The grief, Queen of Numbers, thou canst not assuage; Nor the gradual estrangement of those yet remaining, The languor of pain, and the chillness of age. 'Twas thou that once taught me, in accents bewailing, To sing how a warrior1 lay stretch'd on the plain, And a maiden hung o'er him with aid unavailing, And held to his lips the cold goblet in vain ; As vain thy enchantments, O Queen of wild Numbers, To a bard when the reign of his fancy is o'er, And the quick pulse of feeling in apathy slumbers Farewell, then, Enchantress! I meet thee no more! THE MAID OF ISLA. Oн, Maid of Isla, from the cliff That looks on troubled wave and sky, Dost thou not see yon little skiff Contend with ocean gallantly? Now beating 'gainst the breeze and surge, And steep'd her leeward deck in foam, Why does she war unequal urge?— Oh, Isla's maid, she seeks her home. Oh, Isla's maid, yon sea-bird mark, Her white wing gleams through mist and spray, What voice was like thine, that could Against the storm-cloud, lowering sing of to-morrow, Till forgot in the strain was the grief of to-day! Where clouds are dark and billows | She's skirling frae the Castle-hill; rave, Why to the shelter should she come Of cliff, exposed to wind and wave?Oh, maid of Isla, 'tis her home! As breeze and tide to yonder skiff. Thou'rt adverse to the suit I bring. And cold as is yon wintry cliff, Where sea-birds close their wearied Yet cold as rock, unkind as wave, Must Allan Vourich find his home. The Carline's voice is grown sae shrill Ye'll hear her at the Canon-mill Carle, now the King's come! 'Up, bairns!' she cries, baith grit and sma', | And busk ye for the weapon-shaw! Stand by me, and we'll bang them a'Carle, now the King's come! 'Come from Newbattle's ancient spires, Bauld Lothian, with your knights and squires, And match the mettle of your sires -Carle, now the King's come! 'You're welcome hame, my Montagu'! CARLE, NOW THE KING'S COME; Bring in your hand the young Buc BEING NEW WORDS TO AN AULD SPRING. On the occasion of George Is visit to Scotland, August, 1822. THE news has flown frae mouth to mouth, The North for ance has bang'd the South; The deil a Scotsman's die o' drouth, Carle, now the King's come! CHORUS. Carle, now the King's come! Auld England held him lang and fast; Carle, now the King's come! Auld Reekie, in her rokelay grey. Thought never to have seen the day; He's been a weary time away But, Carle, now the King's come! cleuch : I'm missing some that I may rue Carle, now the King's come! Come, Haddington2, the kind and gay, You've graced my causeway mony a day; I'll weep the cause if you should stayCarle, now the King's come! 'Come, premier Duke3, and carry doun Frae yonder craig his ancient croun; It's had a lang sleep and a soun' But, Carle, now the King's come! 'Come, Athole, from the hill and wood, Bring down your clansmen like a clud; Come, Morton, show the Douglas' blood, Carle, now the King's come! Lord Montagu, uncle and guardian to the young Duke of Buccleuch, placed his Grace's residence of Dalkeith at his Majesty's disposal during his visit to Scotland. Charles, the tenth Earl of Haddington, died in 18. The Duke of Hamilton, as Earl of Angus, carried the ancient royal crown of Scotland on hörseback in Kmg George's procession, from Holyrood to the Castle. 'Come, Tweeddale, true as sword to Again I heard her summons swell, For, sic a dirdum and a yell, sheath; Come, Hopetoun, fear'd on fields of It drown'd Saint Giles's jowing bell death; Come, Clerk1, and give your bugle breath; Carle, now the King's come! 'Come, Wemyss, who modest merit aids; Come, Rosebery, from Dalmeny shades; Breadalbane, bring your belted plaids; Carle, now the King's come! 'Come, stately Niddrie, auld and true, Girt with the sword that Minden knew; We have o'er few such lairds as you Carle, now the King's come! 'King Arthur's grown a common crier, He's heard in Fife and far Cantire,"Fie, lads, behold my crest of fire!" Carle, now the King's come! 'Saint Abb roars out, "I see him pass, Between Tantallon and the Bass!" Calton, get out your keeking-glass Carle, now the King's come!' Cogie, now the King's come! PART SECOND. A HAWICK gill of mountain dew, Heised up Auld Reekie's heart, I trow, It minded her of Waterloo Carle, now the King's come! 1 Clerk of Pennycuik, bound by his tenure, when the King came to Edinburgh, to receive him at the Harestone with three blasts on a horn. 2 Landlord of the Waterloo Hotel. Carle, now the King's come! 'My trusty Provost, tried and tight, Stand forward for the Good Town's right, There's waur than you been made a knight Carle, now the King's come! My reverend Clergy, look ye say The best of thanksgivings ye ha'e, And warstle for a sunny day Carle, now the King's come! My Doctors, look that you agree, Cure a' the town without a fee; My Lawyers, dinna pike a plea- Carle, now the King's come! 'Come forth each sturdy Burgher's bairn, That dints on wood or clanks on airn, That fires the o'en, or winds the pirn Carle, now the King's come! 'Come forward with the Blanket Blue", Your sires were loyal men and true, As Scotland's foemen oft might rueCarle, now the King's come! 'Scots downa loup, and rin, and rave, We're steady folks and something grave, We'll keep the causeway firm and brave Carle, now the King's come! 'Sir Thomas 4, thunder from your rock, Till Pentland dinnles wi' the shock, And lace wi' fire my snood o' smokeCarle, now the King's come! 3 The Blue Blanket is the standard of the incorporated trades of Edinburgh. 4 Sir Thomas Bradford, then commander of the forces in Scotland. 'Melville, bring out your bands of blue, A' Louden lads, baith stout and true, With Elcho, Hope, and Cockburn too Carle, now the King's come! 'And you, who on yon bluidy braes Compell'd the vanquish'd Despot's praise, Rank out-rank out-my gallant Greys 2 Carle, now the King's come! 'Cock o' the North, my Huntly braw, Where are you with the Forty-twa"? Ah! wae's my heart that ye 're awa' Carle, now the King's come! 'But yonder come my canty Celts, With durk and pistols at their belts, Thank God, we've still some plaids and kilts Carle, now the King's come! 'Lord, how the pibrochs groan and yell! Macdonnell's ta'en the field himsell, Macleod comes branking o'er the fell Carle, now the King's come! 'Bend up your bow each Archer spark, For you're to guard him light and dark; Faith, lads, for ance ye've hit the mark Carle, now the King's come! Young Errol, take the sword of state, The sceptre, Panic-Morarchate°; 1 Lord Melville was Colonel of the Mid-Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry; Sir John Hope of Pinkie, Major; and Robert Cockburn, Esq., and Lord Elcho, were captains in the same corps. 2 The Scots Greys, under General Sir James Stewart of Coltness, were on duty at Edinburgh during the King's visit. Bonaparte's exclamation at Waterloo was, Ces beaux chevaux gris, comme ils travaillent! 3 Marquis of Huntly, Colonel of the 42nd Regiment. 4 Colonel Ronaldson Macdonnell of Glengarry, 5 The Earl of Errol is hereditary Lord HighConstable of Scotland. A corruption of the Gaelic_Banamhorar-Chat, or the Great Lady (literally Female Lord of the Chatte); the Celtic title of the Countess of Sutherland. 1 Knight Mareschal, see ye clear the gate Carle, now the King's come! 'Kind cummer, Leith, ye've been mis-set, But dinna be upon the fret- 'My daughters, come with een sae blue, Your garlands weave, your blossoms strew; He ne'er saw fairer flowers than you— Carle, now the King's come! 'What shall we do for the propineWe used to offer something fine, But ne'er a groat's in pouch of mine— Carle, now the King's come! 'Deil care-for that l'se never start, We'll welcome him with Highland heart; Whate'er we have he 's get a part Carle, now the King's come! 'I'll show him mason-work this dayNane of your bricks of Babel clay, But towers shall stand till Time's away- Carle, now the King's come! I'll show him wit, I'll show him lair, And gallant lads and lasses fair, And what wad kind heart wish for mair? Carle, now the King's come! 'Step out, Sir John', of projects rife, Come win the thanks of an auld wife, And bring him health and length of life Carle, now the King's come!' [1 Sir John Sinclair, patron and projector of national and patriotic plans,' says Lockhart.] |