SAPPHO REDIVIVUS Ev'n the poor support of my wretched life, To those my family's once large bounty fed; My griefs, my woes, my sighs, my tears they share : In vain would Prudence, with decorous sneer, Mild zephyrs waft thee to life's farthest shore, "I burn, I burn, as when thro' ripen'd corn Chain'd at Love's feet, they groan, his vanquish'd foes. I dare not combat, but I turn and fly: Conscience in vain upbraids th' unhallow'd fire, LINES ON CAPTAIN RIDDELL a fool. By all on high adoring mortals know! SHE'S fair and fause that causes my smart, She's broken her vow, she's broken my heart, A coofa cam in wi' routh o' gear,b Whae'er ye be that woman love, O Woman lovely, Woman fair! An angel form's faun to thy share, Impromptu Lines to Captain Riddell, On Returning a Newspaper.3 YOUR News and Review, sir, I've read through and through, sir, b plenty of wealth. Thine and thine only I must live and die. 2 Miss Stewart had not married Mr Cunningham, but another. 3 Mr Riddell used to send Burns the newspapers. LINES TO JOHN M'MURDO Of home-news or foreign, No murders or rapes worth the naming. Our friends, the Reviewers, In a fabric complete, I'll boldly pronounce they are none, sir; My goose-quill too rude is Bestow'd on your servant, the Poet; Would to God I had one Like a beam of the sun, And then all the world, sir, should know it! Lines to John M'Murdo, Esq. of Drumlanrig.1 Sent with some of the Author's Poems. O COULD I give thee India's wealth, But golden sands did never grace The Heliconian stream; Then take what gold could never buy- 1 One of the local gentry. CALEDONIA Rhyming Reply to a Note from DEAR SIR, at ony time or tide, Though 'twere wi' royal Geordie: And trowth, your kindness, soon and late, The Lord in Heav'n reward ye! R. BURNS. ELLISLAND. Caledonia—A Ballad. Tune—“ Caledonian Hunts' Delight” of Mr Gow. THERE was once a time, but old Time was then young, (Who knows not that brave Caledonia's divine?) From Tweed to the Orcades was her domain, To hunt, or to pasture, or do what she would: Her heav'nly relations there fixèd her reign, And pledg'd her their godheads to warrant it good. A lambkin in peace, but a lion in war, The pride of her kindred, the heroine grew: Her grandsire, old Odin, triumphantly swore, "Whoe'er shall provoke thee, th' encounter shall rue!" With tillage or pasture at times she would sport, To feed her fair flocks by her green rustling corn; But chiefly the woods were her fav'rite resort, Her darling amusement, the hounds and the horn. ⚫ bashful. 1 Written on the back of a rhyming invitation by Mr Riddell. The mathematical figure in the last verse is the most remarkable thing about the ballad. CALEDONIA Long quiet she reigned; till thitherward steers They darken'd the air, and they plunder'd the land : The Cameleon-Savage disturb'd her repose, Oft prowling, ensanguin'd the Tweed's silver flood; He learned to fear in his own native wood. The fell Harpy-raven took wing from the north, To wanton in carnage and wallow in gore: As Largs well can witness, and Loncartie tell. Thus bold, independent, unconquer'd, and free, I'll prove it from Euclid as clear as the sun: The upright is Chance, and old Time is the base; But brave Caledonia's the hypothenuse; Then, ergo, she'll match them, and match them always. |