IX.

With fhaven crown, in a fequefter'd cell,
A lazy lubbard there was feen to lay ;
No work had he, fave fome few beads to tell,
And indolently fnore the hours away.
The nameless joys that bless the nuptial bed,

The mystick rites of Hymen's hallow'd tye,
Impure he deems, and from them ftarts with dread,
As crimes of fouleft ftain, the deepest dye:
No focial hopes hath he, no focial fears,
But spends in lethargy devout the ling'ring years.

X.

Gnashing his teeth in mood of furious ire,

Fierce Perfecution fate, and with ftrong breath
Wakes into living flame large heaps of fire,
And feafts on murders, maffacres, and death.
Near him was plac'd Procruftes' iron bed

To stretch or mangle to a certain fize:

To fee their writhing pains each heart muft bleed,
To hear their doleful fhrieks and piercing cries;

Yet he beholds them with unmoisten'd eye,
Their writhing pains his fport, their moans his melody.

XI.

A gradual light diffufing o'er the gloom,
And flow approaching with majestick pace,
A lovely maid appears in beauty's bloom,
With native charms and unaffected grace :
Her hand a clear reflecting mirrour shows,
In which all objects their true features wear;
And on her cheek a blush indignant glows
To fee the horrid forc'ries practis'd there :

She fnatch'd the volume from the tyrant's rage,
Unlock'd it's iron clafps, and op'd the heav'nly page.

XII.

My name is Truth, and you, each holy seer, That all my steps with ardent gaze pursue, Unveil,' fhe faid, the facred myst'ries here, • Give the celestial boon to publick view. • Tho' blatant Obloquy, with lep'rous mouth,

• Shall blot your fame, and blast the generous deed, Yet in revolving years fome lib'ral youth

• Shall crown your virtuous act with glory's meed ; * Your names adorn'd in Gilpin's * polish'd page • With each historick grace, shall shine thro' ev'ry age!

XIII.

• With furious hate, tho' fierce relentless pow'r • Exert of torment all her horrid skill;

• Tho' your lives meet too foon the fatal hour,

Scorching in flames, or writhing on the wheel;

Yet when the dragon + in the deep abyfs

• Shall lie, fast bound in adamantine chain, Ye with the Lamb fhall rife to ceaseless bliss,

• Firft-fruits of death, and partners of his reign;

* Then shall repay the momentary tear,

The great fabbatick reft, the Millennary Year !'

*The Rev. Mr. William Gilpin, author of the Lives of Bernard Gilpin and Bishop Latimer, and of the Lives of Wickliffe and the principal of his followers.

See Rev. chap. xx. and the learned and ingenious Bishop of Bristol's com ment upon it, in the third volume of his Differtation on the Prophecies.

1

DUN

1

D

DUNNOTTER CASTLE.

BY MISS SCOTT.

UNNOTTER's ruin'd pride, and falling towers,
I O * !

sing, Walker and the fong is yours.

With you I wander'd o'er the moss-grown domes;
Still o'er the scene with you my fancy roams;
Still the idea rifes to my view,

With gloomy grandeur, pleasure ever new!
The rolling main, the rock's ftupendous height,
A ftriking prospect! fwim before my fight.
In flowing verfe now be the scene display'd,
Mufe, Fancy, Memory, I crave your aid!
High on a rock, projecting from the land,
The caftle stood, and still it's ruins ftand;
Wide o'er the German main the profpect bent,
Steep is the path, and rugged the afcent;
And when with labour climb'd the narrow way,
Long founding-vaults receive you from the day.
There hung the huge port-cullis, there the bar,
Drawn on the iron-gate, defy'd the war.
Ah, great Dunnotter! once of ftrength the feat!
Once deem'd impregnable! thou yield'st to Fate!
Nor rocks, nor feas, nor arms, thy gates defend
Thy pride is fallen, thy ancient glories end!
Up from the gate we climb the flipp'ry way,
Still falling turrets, mould'ring towers, furvey;
The walls and caves with various mofs o'ergrown,
And threat'ning nods on high the loofen'd ftone.
Slowly we mount, thro' broken arches creep,
And gain at last the fummit of the steep;

;

The Rev. Mr. Walker, minister of the parish of Dunnotter.

Curious

Curious around the airy height we gaze,
There the great well it's ample round displays,
A vaft circumference, and depth profound,
Now fill'd with ruins of the falling mound.
There ftood the palace, rais'd in air fublime,

On rows of vaults that feem'd to mock at Time;

Yet he afferts his power, and claims his
prey
They break, they fall! what can refift his fway!
Here, thro' innumerable vaults we run,
Cold, dreary, damp, impervious to the fun,
Brown with the ruft of years; and from their tops
Inceffantly the oozing moisture drops.

We leave the gloom, the wheeling steps afcend,
Our walk along the rooflefs palace bend;
Here, thro' the long apartments as we pass,
The foft wind whistles thro' the waving grafs,
That cloaths the pavement, crowns the naked walls,
Of broken turrets and deferted halls.

Here, once the feat of many a mighty name,
The jack-daws chatter, and the fea-fowl scream!
Here dwelt great Ogilvie, and held the tower,
The laft that yielded to th' ufurper's power;
By honeft craft from hence the crown convey'd,
And Caledonia's gems in fafety laid :
Nor hopes of favour, nor the threats of power,
Could fhake his foul, or his fix'd heart allure.
Firm as the rocks, he and his daring wife
Endur'd the torture, fcorning fhameful life;
And kept the charge, till Heav'n their king restor'd
Then fent, uninjur'd, to their rightful lord.

Glorious defenders of the regal gold,
Illuftrious Caledonians, patriots bold !
With joy your heroifm I rehearse,
And give your mem'ry all I can-a verse.
0 may this land your guardian care engage,
Your great example fire with gen'rous rage,
And rouze to glorious deeds each future age!

Сс

}

Thou,

Thou, Barras, hear! and deign t' approve the lays,
That aim thy valiant ancestors to praise!

Now turning from the walls, high o'er the steep
Impending cliff, we view the boundless deep;
All round the winding coaft, black rocks arise,
And with uncouth variety furprize :

The waves roll flow and filent to the fhore,
Then lash the craggy beach, and fullen roar;
From rock to rock the breaking furge rebounds,
While endless echoes catch and swell the founds.
The green fea here with ceaseless fury raves,
And toffes high in air her raging waves;
Bursting they fall with loud repeated fhock,
And in white torrents pour along the rock;
Whilft oft from shore in peace the ocean lies,
Ting'd with the colour of the glowing skies,
The gentle breezes fport upon the deep,
And, murm'ring foft, the vast expanfion fweep;
Refulgent Phoebus, in meridian height,
Enrobes the lacid waves with mellow light;
The fparkling beams on the fmall furface play,
And ftreams of foam float on the wat'ry way.
Here let defcription ceafe; but ftill prolong
Thy tafk, O Muse! and moralize the song.
Think, all who gaze on fam'd Dunnotter's wall,
Like it fhall all terreftrial glories fall!

Youth flies apace, frail beauty meets decay;
The mighty's ftrength, like ice, fhall melt away.
Riches take wings; and Fame's far-founding boaft,
Shall die away-the pride of pow'r be loft.
Health, pleasure, life, fhall pafs, a fading flow'r,
Sport of a day, and pageant of an hour!
Fix not on these thy heart; but rise sublime,
And feek a blifs, unmov'd by fate or time:
Virtue alone can give eternal joy,

No chance can alter, no poffeffion cloy

Virtue,