Feels cruel joys in all his fibres rise,
And gathers all his fury to his eyes.
Young HACO, on the left, the battle rears, And moves majestic thro' a wood of spears; With martial skill the rifing ranks he forms, No novice in the iron-trade of arms.
Thus form'd, the DANES, in unconfus'd array, Stretch their long lines along the murm❜ring fea. Their anchor'd ships, a fable wood, behind, Nod on the wave and whistle to the wind.
On either fide, thus ftretch'd the manly line,
With darting gleam the steel-clad ridges shine:
On either fide the gloomy lines incede,
Foot rose with foot, and head advanc'd with head.
Thus when two winds defcend upon the main,
To fight their battles on the wat'ry plain;
In two black lines the equal waters croud,
On either fide the white-top'd ridges nod.
At length they break, and raise a bubbling found, While echo rumbles from the rocks around.
Thus march the DANES with fpreading wings
Thus moves the horror of the Scottish war;
While drowsy filence droops her mournful head,
Whose calm repose the clanking arms invade.
The Mountain-youth with unaffected pride,
Twice thirty warriors rifing by his fide,
His native band, precedes the Scottish forms,
A fhining column in the day of arms.
In act to throw, he holds the pond'rous spear,
And views, with awful smiles, the face of war.
Nodding along, his polifh'd helmet fhines,
And looks, fuperior, o'er the fubject lines.
On either fide, devour'd the narrow ground
The moving troops.---The hoftile ridges frown'd.
From either hoft the HERALD'S awful breath
Rung, in the trumpet's throat, the peal of death.
The martial found foments their kindling rage;
Onward they rush, and in a fhout engage.
The fwords thro' air their gleaming journeys fly,
Crash on the helms and tremble in the sky.
Groan follows groan, and wound fucceeds on wound,
While dying bodies quiver on the ground.
Thus when devouring hatchet-men invade,
With founding fteel, the foreft's leavy head,
The mountains ring with their repeated ftrokes ;
The tap'ring firs, the elms, the aged oaks,
Quake at each gash; then nod the head and yield;
Groan as they fall, and tremble on the field.
Thus fell the men; blood forms a lake around,
While groans and fpears hoarse harmony refound.
The mountains hear, and thunder back the noise,
And eccho stammers with unequal voice.
As yet the battle hung in doubtful scales;
Each bravely fought, in death or only fails.
All, all are bent on death or victory,
Refolv'd to conquer, or with glory die.
Fierce DENMARK's honour kindles fire in thefe;
On these pale ALBION bends her parent-eyes.
This fternly fays, "fhall DENMARK's children fly?"
But that," or fave, or with your country die."
The Scots,a Stream, wou'd sweep the DANES away,
The DANES, a Rock, repell'd the Scots array.
They fight alternate, and alternate fly,
Both wound, both conquer, both with glory die.
Thrice HACO ftrove to break DUMBAR's array,
And thrice DUMBAR impell'd him to the fea.
The fiery MAGNUS, foaming on the right,
Pours on the Mountain-chiefs his warrior-might.
The Mountain-youths the furious chief restrain,
And turn the battle back upon the DANE.
The ranks of SUENO ftand in firm array,
As hoary rocks repel the raging fea.
The HERO to the phalanx crouds his might,
And calmly manages the standing fight;
Not idly madd'ning in the bloody fray,
He wears delib'rately the foe away.
Straight on his fpear the godlike ALPIN food, His flaming armour 'fmear'd with Danish blood: He cafts behind an awe-commanding look,
And to his few, but valiant, followers spoke.
The cautious DANES, O friends, in firm array,
With perfeverance may secure the day ;
Our people fall.----Let us their force divide;
Invade with flame their tranfports on the tide.
They will defend, the Scors reftore the day;
Follow, my friends, your ALPIN leads the way."
He faid, and rufh'd upon the phalanx'd DANE,
The bending ranks beneath his sword complain.
Arms, groans of men, beat time to ev'ry wound,
Nod at each blow, and thunder on the ground.
Behind his friends advance with martial care,
Move step for step, and fpread the lane of war.
He low'rs before, and clears the rugged road;
¤y rush behind, a rough and headlong flood.
Thus on fome eminence, the lab'ring swain Unlocks his fluice to drench the thirsty plain: With mattock arm'd he shapes the water's course, The liquid flows behind, with rapid force.
Thus valiant ALPIN hews his bloody way,
And thus his friends force thro' their firm array;
With great effort he feizes on the strand,
Turns to his friends, and iffues his command.
"Thicken your lines, the battle's shock sustain,
And gall with vigour the recoiling Dane.
Brave CALEDONIANS! face your country's foe;
Your lives are hers, her own on her bestów."
He added not.The valiant youths obey:
The HERO fhap'd along his rapid way;
Rush'd to the camp, and feiz'd a flaming brand,
Then took his lofty feat upon the ftrand.
Swift, from his arm, the crackling ember flies,
Whizzes along, and kindles in the fkies:
The pitchy hull receives the sparkling fire ;
The kindling ship the fanning winds infpire.
Black smoke afcends: at length the flames arife,
Hifs thro' the shrouds, and crackle in the fkies.
The riding fleet is all in darkness loft,
Its wreathy wings the flame fpreads on the blaft.
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