The poetical works of John Nicholson ... Carefully edited from the original editions, with additional notes and a sketch of his life and writings. By W. G. Hird |
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LINES
SPOKEN AT THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING AT LEEDS,
TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF BURNS,
1826. |
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 | The poetical works of John Nicholson |  |
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LINES SPOKEN AT THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING AT LEEDS, TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF BURNS, 1826.
Learning has many a rhymer made,
To flatter near the throne,
But Scotia's genius has displayed
A poet of her own.
To flatter near the throne,
But Scotia's genius has displayed
A poet of her own.
His lyre he took to vale and glen,
To mountain and to shade;
Cent'ries may pass away, but when
Will such a lyre be play'd?
To mountain and to shade;
Cent'ries may pass away, but when
Will such a lyre be play'd?
His native strains each bard may try,
But who has got his fire?
Why, none—for Nature saw him die,
Then took away his lyre.
But who has got his fire?
Why, none—for Nature saw him die,
Then took away his lyre.
And for that lyre the learned youth
May search the world in vain:
She vowed she ne'er would lend it more
To sound on earth again;
May search the world in vain:
She vowed she ne'er would lend it more
To sound on earth again;
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But called on Fame to hang it by—
She took it with a tear,
Broke all the strings to bind the wreath
That Burns shall ever wear.
She took it with a tear,
Broke all the strings to bind the wreath
That Burns shall ever wear.
| The poetical works of John Nicholson | |