Firm stood the foe, nor made they flight their care, But hand to hand return'd the equal war :

Man close to man, and shield conjoin'd to shield,

They with the stable phalanx keep the field.
With pointed spear I mark'd the ftoutest foe,.
And heav'n directed home the happy blow:
He tumbles backward to the groaning flood:
TAY circles round, and mingles with his blood.
My kindred-youth their useful weapons wield,
Fomenting the confufion of the field.

DANE fell on DANE, and man transfix'd his man,
Till bloody torrents fmoak'd along the plain.
At length they fly along the banks of TAY;
Their guilty leader points th' inglorious way.

Eager we follow ftill the foe with art

Wound as they fly, and shoot th' inverted dart.

RYNOLD is wounded. Still he urg'd the foe;

While down his limbs the crimson torrents flow: With eager voice he ftill foments the ftrife, Preferring ALBION's liberty to life.

"An antient pile uprear'd its rev'rent head,. And from its lofty feat furvey'd a mead:

The mould'ring walls confefs'd their beauty paft; A fragment falls with each invading blast..

Old arms above the gate time's empire own ;-
The rampant lion moulders in the stone:
Tall elms around, an old and fhatter'd band,
Their naked arms erect, like centries stand.
"Within the ruin'd walls their fear inclofe
The defp'rate squadrons of the flying foes.
An antient plane, whofe leaf-dismantled weight
Rude winds o'erturn'd, fecures the fhapeless gate..
On ev'ry fide my quick array I form,

Prepar'd at once the muniment to storm..
Miffing my fire, I fly to find the chief,

And give the wounded all a fon's relief.

"Far on the plain the wounded warrior creeps,. And fcarcely moves along his tott❜ring steps; But ftill, far as his feeble voice cou'd bear,

He kindles with his words the diftant war.

Quick I approach'd: He first the filence broke;

--

And leaning on his launce, the warrior spoke."

"Say, why returns young ALPIN from the fight? Pursue the foe, and urge the DANISH flight. I fink, my fon, I fink into the grave;

You cannot me, your country, ALPIN, fave."

No more he said. --- I, mournful, thus reply, Compaffion melting in my filial eye,

O

O fire, the DANES, within yon walls fecur'd,
Will share our pity, or must feel our fword:
Of filial duty what his wants require,
I come to offer for a dying fire.".

"He thus returns: ftill good, ftill gen❜rous mind! My wants are, ALPIN, of no earthly kind: The world, the fading world, retires from view; Earth cloys me now, and all it has, but you. Go, ALPIN, go; within that lofty wood A hermit lives, a holy man and good! Relieve, my fon, relieve me of my cares, And for the dying RYNOLD raise his pray'rs."

"Thus faid ;---himself the wounded warrior laid, Within the coolness of a birchen fhade :

Some youths around employ their friendly care,
And o'er the dying fhed the mournful tear.
Around the antient faftness guards I fent;
And to the lofty wood my journey bent.
Two rifing hills, whofe brows tall pop'lars grace,
With ftretching arms a woody plain embrace;

Along the tree-fet vale a riv'let flow'd,
And murmur'd foftly thro' the under-wood:
Along the purling ftream my steps I bear,
And seek the lonely manfions of the feer.

Irreg'lar files of tow'ring elms embrace,
In their calm bofom, an enamel'd space.
Full at the end a rock with fable arms,

Stretch'd o'er a mofs-grown cave, a grotto forms.
A filver stream, clear-iffuing from the stones,
In winding mazes thro' the meadow runs ;
Depending flow'rs their vary'd colours bind,
Hang o'er the entrance, and defend the wind.
On a green bank the holy feer is laid,

Where weaving branches cloud the chequer'd shade;
In folemn thought his hoary head's inclin'd,
And his white locks wave in the fanning wind.
"With rev'rent steps approaching, I began.

"O bleft with all that dignifies the man!
Who far from life, and all its noisy care,
Enjoy'st the aim of all that wander there :
Let, holy father, thy propitious aid

Guide dying RYNOLD thro' the deathful shade.”
I faid the prophet heav'n-ward lifts his eyes,

:---

Long fix'd in folemn thought, and thus replies; "Vain mortals! worms of earth! How can ye dare To deem your deeds not providence's care? Heav'n looks on all below with equal eye : hey long escape, but yet the wicked die.

With distant time, O youth!

my

foul's impreft;

Futurity is lab'ring in my breast:

Thy blood, which rolling down from FERGUS came,

Passes thro' time, a pure untainted stream.

ALBION hall in her priftine glory fhine,

And, bleft herself, blefs the FERGUSIAN line.
"But ah! I see grim treason rear its head,
Pale ALBION trembling, and her monarch dead;
The tyrant wield his fcepter 'fmear'd with blood;
O base return! but ftill great heav'n is good:
He falls, he falls fee how the tyrant lies!
And SCOTLAND brightens up her weeping eyes:
The banish'd race, again, refume their own;
Nor SYRIA boasts her royal faint alone.
Its gloomy front the low'ring feafon clears,
And gently rolls a happy round of years.
"Again I fee contending chiefs come on,
And, as they strive to mount, they tear the throne;
To civil arms the horrid trumpet calls,

And CALEDONIA by her children falls.

The ftorm fubfides to the calm flood of peace;

The throne returns to FERGUS' antient race.

Glad CALEDONIA owns their lawful sway;

Happy in them, in her unhappy they!