< Page:Scotish Descriptive Poems - Leyden (1803).djvu
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ALBANIA;
In Teviotdale, where many a shepherd dwells,
By lovely-winding Tweed, or Cheviot brown:
Nor ween I now, in Durham's lofty spire
To seek thee, though thy loved St. David's work;
Nor where Newcastle opes her jetty mines
Of coal; nor in strong Berwick; nor in Man, 20
That never dreaded plague; nor in the wilds
Of stony Westmoreland: All once thy own.
Hail, land of bow-men! seed of those who scorned
To stoop the neck to wide imperial Rome.
O dearest half of Albion sea-walled!
Hail! state unconquered by the fire of war,
Red war, that twenty ages round thee burned;
To thee, for whom my purest raptures glow,
Kneeling with filial homage, I devote
My life, my strength, my first and latest song. 30
Shall I forget thy tenderness? Shall I
Thy bounty, thy parental cares forget,
Hissing with viper's tongue? Who born of thee,
Now twice twelve years, have drawn thy vital air,
And eat thy fruit, protected with thy sons:
Though stronger far, and holier is the tie,
By which are knit my heart-strings to thy love:
Thou gav'st me, yet an infant unbaptised,
By lovely-winding Tweed, or Cheviot brown:
Nor ween I now, in Durham's lofty spire
To seek thee, though thy loved St. David's work;
Nor where Newcastle opes her jetty mines
Of coal; nor in strong Berwick; nor in Man, 20
That never dreaded plague; nor in the wilds
Of stony Westmoreland: All once thy own.
Hail, land of bow-men! seed of those who scorned
To stoop the neck to wide imperial Rome.
O dearest half of Albion sea-walled!
Hail! state unconquered by the fire of war,
Red war, that twenty ages round thee burned;
To thee, for whom my purest raptures glow,
Kneeling with filial homage, I devote
My life, my strength, my first and latest song. 30
Shall I forget thy tenderness? Shall I
Thy bounty, thy parental cares forget,
Hissing with viper's tongue? Who born of thee,
Now twice twelve years, have drawn thy vital air,
And eat thy fruit, protected with thy sons:
Though stronger far, and holier is the tie,
By which are knit my heart-strings to thy love:
Thou gav'st me, yet an infant unbaptised,
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