1C6 TO SIR JOHN SINCLAIR. May 15, 



To Sir John Sinclair ofUlbJler. 



Sinclair ! Thou phcenix of the frozen Thule ! 



O fliape thy courfe toTweda's lovely ftieaiw, 



Whofe lucid, fparkling, gently flowing courfe, 



Winds like Iliflus through a land of fong : 



Not as of old, when like the Theban twins 



Her rival children tore each others breafts, 



And ftained her filver wave with kindsed blood. 



But proudly glitt'ring through a happy land, 



The yellow harvefts bend along her fields ; 



T he golden orchards glow with blufhlng fruits ; 



Green are her pall'ral banks, white are her flocks. 



That fafely ftray, where harb'rous Edward rag'd 



And where the din of clafhing arms was heard, 



Wc hear the carrols of the happy fwains ; 



Free as their lords, and with the purring looms, — 



Mark ! hark the weaver's merry roundelay ! 



The charming fong of Scotland's better day. 



'Tis liberty, fweet liberty alone. 



Can give a luftre to the northern fun. 



" Come when the virgin gives the beauteous days, 



" And Libra weighs in equal fcale* the year :" 



Come, and to Thomfon's gentle fliade repair. 



And pour libations to his virtuous mufe, 



Where firfl he drew the flame of vital air ; 



'• Where firfl his feet did prels the virgin fnow ; 



" And where he tun'd his charming Doric reed.'" 



Perhaps where Thomfon fired the foul of fi^ng, 



Some rays divine may flicker round his haunts. 



Some voice may whifper in Eolian (trains 



To him, who wand'ring near his parent flream, 



Shall o'er the placid blue profound of air, 



Receive the genius of his palling fhade. 



Come then, my Sinclair, leave empiric Pitt, 



And raging Burke, and all the hodgc podge fry 



Of Tory whigs, and whigifh Tory knaves, 



And bathe thy genius in thy country's fame. 



Let Burke write pamphlets, and let Pitt declaim; 



Let us feek honour iu our countries weal. 



Albanic»js% 



k 



