The songs and poems of Robert Tannahill With biography, illustrations, and music |
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EPISTLE TO JAMES SCADLOCK.
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 | The songs and poems of Robert Tannahill |  |
EPISTLE TO JAMES SCADLOCK.
THEN AT PERTH.
June, 1804.
Let those who never felt its flame
Say friendship is an empty name;
Such selfish, cold philosophy
For ever I disclaim:
Say friendship is an empty name;
Such selfish, cold philosophy
For ever I disclaim:
It soothes the soul with grief opprest,
Half cures the care-distemper'd breast,
And in the jocund happy hour
Gives joy a higher zest.
Half cures the care-distemper'd breast,
And in the jocund happy hour
Gives joy a higher zest.
All nature sadden'd at our parting hour,
Winds plaintive howl'd, clouds, weeping, dropt a show'r;
Our fields look'd dead—as if they 'd said,
“We ne'er shall see him more.”
Winds plaintive howl'd, clouds, weeping, dropt a show'r;
Our fields look'd dead—as if they 'd said,
“We ne'er shall see him more.”
111
Though fate and fortune threw their darts,
Envying us your high deserts,
They well might tear you from our arms,
But never from our hearts.
Envying us your high deserts,
They well might tear you from our arms,
But never from our hearts.
When spring buds forth in vernal show'rs,
When summer comes array'd in flow'rs,
Or autumn kind, from Ceres' horn,
Her grateful bounty pours;
When summer comes array'd in flow'rs,
Or autumn kind, from Ceres' horn,
Her grateful bounty pours;
Or bearded winter curls his brow—
I 'll often fondly think on you,
And on our happy days and nights,
With pleasing backcast view.
I 'll often fondly think on you,
And on our happy days and nights,
With pleasing backcast view.
If e'er in musing mood you stray
Alang the banks of classic Tay,
Think on our walks by Stanely Tower,
And steep Gleniffer brae;
Alang the banks of classic Tay,
Think on our walks by Stanely Tower,
And steep Gleniffer brae;
Think on our langsyne happy hours,
Spent where the burn wild, rapid, pours,
And o'er the horrid dizzy steep
Dashes her mountain stores;
Spent where the burn wild, rapid, pours,
And o'er the horrid dizzy steep
Dashes her mountain stores;
Think on our walks by sweet Greenlaw,
By woody hill and birken shaw,
Where nature strews her choicest sweets
To make the landscape braw;
By woody hill and birken shaw,
Where nature strews her choicest sweets
To make the landscape braw;
And think on rural Ferguslie,
Its plantings green, and flow'ry lee:
Such fairy scenes, though distant far,
May please the mental e'e.
Its plantings green, and flow'ry lee:
Such fairy scenes, though distant far,
May please the mental e'e.
112
Yon mentor, Geordie Zimmerman,
Agrees exactly with our plan,
That partial hours of solitude
Exalt the soul of man.
Agrees exactly with our plan,
That partial hours of solitude
Exalt the soul of man.
So, oft retir'd from strife and din,
Let 's shun the jarring ways of men,
And seek serenity and peace
By stream and woody glen.
Let 's shun the jarring ways of men,
And seek serenity and peace
By stream and woody glen.
But ere a few short summers gae
Your friend will mix his kindred clay,
For fell disease tugs at my breast,
To hurry me away.
Your friend will mix his kindred clay,
For fell disease tugs at my breast,
To hurry me away.
Yet while life's bellows bear to blaw,
Till life's last lang-fetch'd breath I draw,
I 'll often fondly think on you,
And mind your kindness a'.
Till life's last lang-fetch'd breath I draw,
I 'll often fondly think on you,
And mind your kindness a'.
Now, fare-ye-weel! still may ye find
A friend congenial to your mind,
To share your joys, and half your woes—
Warm, sympathising, kind.
A friend congenial to your mind,
To share your joys, and half your woes—
Warm, sympathising, kind.
| The songs and poems of Robert Tannahill | |