CHARACTERS. 



771 



Defond the best of kings, your rights 

 assert, 



And let the faithless find their just de- 

 sert. 



Ilawke :uid Boscawcn ! clad in terrors, 



And hurl red vengeance on the Ireacli'- 



rous foe. 

 Tar as the sea extends his wat'ry reign, 

 Tell to tlie world Britannia rules the 



main; 

 Proclaim th.it by the fix'd decree of 



Heav'ii, 

 To her the empire of the sea was giv'n : 

 This send in thunder to each hostile ear, 

 Let hauglity nations tremble when they 



hear. 



It concludes thus : 



O thou Supreme ! whose hand the thun- 

 der forms. 



Wings the red hghtning, and awakes the 

 storms; 



Whose word or lays the peaceful waves 

 asleep, 



Or in wild mountains heaves the roaring 

 deep ; 



At whose command the kingdoms rise 

 and fall. 



Whose awful nod o'erturns the trembling 

 ball ; 



Makes horrid war and boist'rous tumult 

 cease, 



And glads the nations with the sweets of 

 peace ! 



WitI) joyful success crovvn our just de- 

 sign. 



And let thy face upon our armies shine ; 



In the dread day of dimger and dismay, 



Propitious point to victory the way, 



Still war's alarms once more, and let thy 

 smile 



With peace and plenty crovvn Britannia's 

 isle. 



Scots Mag. Aug. 1756. 



On the 7th of October, 1757, 

 two brothers batliing in the West- 

 water, a river at no great distance 

 from Fordoun, Avere unfortunately 

 drowned. They were found soon 

 after, fast locked in each other's 

 arms. Mr. licattie was requested 



to write an epitaph. It Is to be 

 seen, engraved on a tomb-stone, ia 

 the church yard of Lethnet, in Au- 

 gusshire, the parish in which the ac- 

 cident happened. I have inserted 

 it at full length, as few have an op- 

 portunitj' of seeing it. 



To this grave is committed 



All that the grave can claim 



Of two brothers. D^vid and John leitch, 



Who,onthe\TI.ofOctobcr,i\IDCCLVII. 



Both unfortunately perished in the 



\^'estv^■ater, 



The one in his XXII. the other in his 



XVTII. year. 

 Their disconsolate father, John Leitch, 



tenant in Bonnington, 



Erects this monument to the memory of 



These amiable youths; 



Whose early virtues promised 



Uncommon comfort to his declining 



years. 



And singular emolument to society. 



thou ! whose steps in sacred reverence 



tread 

 These lone dominions of the silent dead, 

 On this sad stone a pious look bestow, 

 Nor uninstructcd read this tale of woe; 

 And while the sigh of sorrow heaves thy 



breast, 

 Let each rebellious murmur be supprest; 

 Heav'u's hidden ways to trace, for us how 



vain ! 

 Heaven's wide decrees how impious to 



arraign ! 

 Pure from the stains of a polluted age. 

 In early bloom of life, tfiey left the st.ige ; 

 Not doom'd in liug'ring woe to waste 



their breath. 

 One moment snatch'd tiiem from th# 



povv'r of death. 

 They liv'd united, and united died; 

 Happy the friends whom deaili cannot 



divide! 

 Nov. UC, 1757. 



Though not altogether discontent- 

 ed with his situation, Mr. licattie 

 hail, for a considerable time, looked 

 out for some preferment which 

 would contribute to his comfort, 



3D? and 



