'My brother Douglas may upbraid, And strive with threat'ning words to move me: My lover's blood is on thy spear, How canst thou ever bid me love thee? 'Yes, yes, prepare the bed, the bed of love! With bridal sheets my body cover! Unbar, ye bridal maids, the door; Let in the expected husband lover! 'But who the expected husband, husband is? His hands, methinks, are bathed in slaughter. Ah me! what ghastly spectre's yon, Comes in his pale shroud bleeding after? 'Pale as he is, here lay him, lay him down; And crown my careful head with willow. 'Pale though thou art, yet best, yet best beloved! 'Pale, pale indeed! O lovely, lovely youth! 'Return, return, O mournful, mournful bride! Return, and dry thy useless sorrow! Thy lover heeds nought of thy sighs He lies a corpse on the braes of Yarrow." 342 HECTOR MACNEIL [1746-1818] I LO'ED NE'ER A LADDIE BUT ANE I LO❜ED ne'er a laddie but ane, And a pair o' mittens o' green; Let ithers brag weel o' their gear,' For he's ilka thing lordly to me. Yet how sweet are the tears as they fa'! 'Dear lassie,' he cries wi' a jeer, 'Ne'er heed what the auld anes will say: 'O Menie, the heart that is true Has something mair costly than gear; Ilk e'en it has naething to rue, Ilk morn it has naething to fear. 1 Bought. A short cloak. Possessions. • Each. • Pining. 343 Ye warldlings, gae hoard up your store, He ends wi' a kiss and a smile- He's free aye to daut' and to kiss. Your wooers wi' fause scorn and strife, COME UNDER MY PLAIDIE 'COME under my plaidie, the night's gaun to fa'; 'Gae 'wa wi' your plaidie, auld Donald, gae 'wa! 'Dear Marion, let that flee stick fast to the wa'; Your Jock's but a gowk, and has naething ava; The hale o' his pack he has now on his back: He's thretty, and I am but threescore and twa. Be frank now and kindly: I'll busk' ye aye finely, 'My father's aye tauld me, my mither an a', I ha'e little tocher: you've made a good offer: She crap in ayont him, aside the stane wa'. 344 SIR WILLIAM JONES [1746-1794] AN ODE In Imitation of Alcaeus WHAT Constitutes a State? Not high-raised battlement or laboured mound, Not cities proud with spires and turrets crowned; Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride; • Dowry. 10 Throbbed violently. 1 Dress. • Comfortable. 11 Enfeebled. 12 Lost. 345 346 Where low-browed baseness wafts perfume to pride. With powers as far above dull brutes endued In forest, brake, or den, As beasts excel cold rocks and brambles rude; But know their rights, and, knowing, dare maintain, And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain: And sovereign Law, that State's collected will, Sits Empress, crowning good, repressing ill. The fiend, Dissension, like a vapour sinks, Hides her faint rays, and at her bidding shrinks. Than Lesbos fairer and the Cretan shore! Shall Britons languish, and be men no more? Those sweet rewards, which decorate the brave, And steal inglorious to the silent grave. ON PARENT KNEES A NAKED NEW-BORN CHILD ON parent knees, a naked new-born child, Calm thou may'st smile, whilst all around thee weep. SUSANNA BLAMIRE [1747-1794] AND YE SHALL WALK IN SILK ATTIRE AND ye shall walk in silk attire, And siller' hae to spare, 1 Money. (H) HC XLI |