BOOK Iir. CHAP. IV. 4?j 



Yet may you deign accept this humble fong, 



Tho' wrapt in gloom, and from a falt'ring tongue; 



Tho' dark the flream on which the tribute flows, 



Not from the Jkin, but from the &eart it rofe. 



To all of human kind, benignant heaven 



{Since nought forbids) one common foul has giveti. 



This rule was 'ftablifli'd by th' Eternal Mind; 



Nor virtue's felf, nor prudence are confin'd 



To colour; none imbues the honeft heart ; 



To fcience none belongs, and none to art. 



Oh! Mufe, of blackefl: tint, why (brinks thy breaft, 



Why fears t' approach the drfar of the IFefll 



Difpel thy doubts, with confidence afcend 



The regal dome, and hail him for thy friend : 



Nor blufli, altho' in garb funereal dreft, 



Thy body's whitCt tho^ clad in fable vejl. 



Manners unfullied, and the radiant glow 



Of genius, burning with defire to know. 



And learned fpeech, with modeft accent worn. 



Shall beft the footy African adorn. 



An heart with wifdom fraught, a patriot flame, 



A love of virtue ; thefe (hall lift his name 



Confpicuous, far beyond his kindred race, 



Diftinguifh'd from them by the foremoft place. 



In this prolific ille I drew my birth, 



And Britain nurs'd, illuurious through the earth; 



This, my lov'd ifle, which never more (hall grieve, 



"VVhilft you our common friend, our father live. 



Then this my pray'r — " May earth and heaven furvey 



*' A people ever bkft;, beneath your fway!" 



FRANCIS WILLIAMS. 



There is, In this performance, a flrain of fuperlative panegyric, 

 which is fcarcely allowable even to a poet, Buchanan is compared 

 with Virgil, and Mr. Haldane made equal to Achilles; nay, exalted 

 ftill higher, for he is hailed the Ccefar or emperor of America. The 

 author has taken care, whilft he is dealing about his adulation, not 

 to forget himfelf. His fpeech is reprefented erudite and modefl; 



Q q q 2 liis 



