The works of Allan Ramsay :: :: University of Virginia Library

What chearful Sounds from ev'ry Side I hear,
How beauteous on their Banks my Nymphs appear,
Got throw these massy Mountains at my Source,
O'er Rocks stupendous of my upper Course.
To these fair Plains where I more smoothly move,
Throw verdant Vales to meet Evana's Love.
Yonder she comes beneath Dodona's Shade,
How blyth she looks! how sweet and gaylie clade;
Her flowry Bounds bears all the Pride of May,
While round her soft Meanders Shepherd's play.
Hail lovely Naid to my Bosom large,
Amidst my Stores commit thy chrystal Charge,
And speak these Joys all thy Deportment shews,
That to old Ocean I may have good News.
With solemn Voice, thus spoke Majestick Clyde,
In softer Notes lov'd Evan thus reply'd.

Great Glotta, long have I had Cause to mourn,
While my forsaken Stream gusht from my Urn.
Since my late Lord his Nation's just Delight,
Greatly lamented sunk in endless Night.

234

His hopeful Stem our chief Desire and Boast,
Expos'd to Danger on some foreign Coast,
Lonely for Years, I've murmur'd on my Way,
When dark I wept, and sight in shining Day.

The Sire return'd, just Reasons for thy Pains,
So long to wind through solitary Plains:
Thy Loss was mine, I sympathiz'd with thee,
Since one our Griefs, then share thy Joys with me.

Then hear me, liquid Chiftain of the Dale,
Hush all your Cat'racts, till I tell my Tale,
Then rise and rore, and kiss your bord'ring Flowers,
And sound our Joys around yon lordly Towers;
Yon lordly Towers, which happy now contain,
Our brave and youthful Prince return'd again.

Welcome, in loudest Raptures cry'd the Flood,
His Welcome echo'd from each Hill and Wood;
Enough Evana, long may they contain
The noble Youth safely return'd again.
From the green Mountain where I lift my Head,
With my twin Brothers Annan and the Tweed,
To those high Arches where, as Culdees sing,
The pious Mungo fish'd the Trout and Ring.
My fairest Nymphs shall on my Margin play,
And make ev'n all the Year one holy Day.
The Sylvan Powers and Watches of each Hight,
Where Fleecy Flocks and climbing Goats delight,
Shall from their Groves and rocky Mountains roam,
To join with us, and sing his Welcome home.

235

With lofty Notes we'll sound his high Descent,
His dawning Merits and heroick Bent.
These early Rays which stedfastly shall shine,
And add new Glories to his ancient Line.
A Line ay loyal, and fir'd with generous Zeal
The bravest Patrons of the Common-weal.
From him who plung'd his Sword (so Muses sing)
Deep in his Breast, who durst defame our King.
We'll sing the Fire, which in his Bosom glows
To warm his Friends, and scorch his daring Foes;
Endow'd with all these sweet, yet manly Charms,
As fits him for the Fields of Love, or Arms.
Fixt in an high and independant State,
Above to act, what's little to be great.

Guard him, first Power, whose Hand directs the Sun,
And teaches me throw Caverns dark to run,
Long may he on his own fair Plains reside,
And Slight my Rival Thames, and love his Clyde.

The River falls over several high Precipices, such as Corrah's Lin, Stane-Byre Lin, &c.

The small River Evan which joins Clyde near Hamilton.

From the same Hill the Rivers Clyde, Tweed and Annan have their Rise, yet run to three different Seas, viz. the Northern Ocean, the German Ocean, and the Irish Sea.

The Bridge of Glasgow, where as its reported, St. Mungo the Patron of that City, drew up a Fish that brought him a Ring, which had been dropt; which Miracle Glasgow retains the Memory of in their Arms.

Vide the ingenious Mr. Patrick Gordon's Account of this Illustrious Family in his Poem on the valiant Atchievements of our great King Robert. sirnamed the Bruce, Page 45. beginning at this Stanza, the Prophet speaks to our Monarch.

Now is thy Time, quoth he, there shall arrive
A worthy Knight, that from his native Land
Shall fly, because he bravely shall deprive,
In glorious Fight, a Knight that shall withstand
Thy Praises due, while he doth thee descrive,
Yea even, this Knight shall with victorious Hand
Come here, whose Name his Seed shall eternize,
And still thy virt'ous Line shall sympathize.