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Of the green earth, to distant barbarous climes, Rivers unknown to song; where first the sun Gilds Indian mountains, or his setting beam Flames on th' Atlantic isles; 'tis naught to me: Since GOD is ever present, ever felt,

In the void waste as in the city full;

And where HE vital breathes there must be joy.
When e'en at last the solemn hour shall come,
And wing my mystic flight to future worlds,
I cheerful will obey; there, with new powers,
Will rising wonders sing: I cannot go
Where Universal Love not smiles around,
Sustaining all your orbs, and all their suns;
From seeming Evil still educing Good,
And better thence again, and better still,
In infinite progression. But I lose

Myself in Him, in Light ineffable!

Come then, expressive Silence muse HIS praise.

I NDO LE VEE.

"It was not by vile loitering in ease
That Greece obtain'd the brighter palm of art,
That soft ye ardent Athens learnt to please,
To keen the wit, and to sublime the heart,

In all supreme! complete in every part!
It was not thence majestic Rome arose,

And o'er the nations shook her conquering dart:
For sluggard's brow the laurel never grows;
Renown is not the child of indolent repose.

"Had unambitious mortals minded nought,
But in loose joy their time to wear away;
Had they alone the lap of dalliance sought,
Pleas'd on her pillow their dull heads to lay,
Rude Nature's state had been our state to-day;
No cities e'er their towery fronts had rais'd,

No arts had made us opulent and gay;

With brother-brutes the human race had graz'd;

None e'er had soar'd to fame, none honor'd been, none prais'd.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

1686-1758.

ALLAN RAMSAY was born in the village of Leadhills, Lanarkshire, where his father held the situation of manager of Lord Hopeton's mines. At fifteen he was put apprentice to a wig-maker in Edinburgh. In 1712 he married and commenced the more congenial business of book-selling. In 1725 appeared his pastoral drama of the Gentle Shepherd. It was received with universal approbation, and was republished both in London and Dublin. It is by far the best of Ramsay's works, and perhaps the finest pastoral drama in the world. It is a genuine picture of Scottish life, but of life passed in simple, rural employments, apart from the guilt and fever of large towns, and reflecting only the pure and unsophisticated emotions of our nature.

PATIE AUD ROGER.

(FROM THE GENTLE SHEPHERD.)

BENEATH the south side of a craigy beild.

Where crystal springs their halesome waters yield,
Twa youthfu' Shepherds on the gowans lay,

Tenting their flocks ae bonny morn of May.

Poor Roger granes, till hollow echoes ring;

But blyther Patie likes to laugh an' sing

Patie. This sunny morning, Roger, cheers my blood, And puts all nature in a jovial mood.

How heartsome it's to see the rising plants!

To hear the birds chirm o'er their pleasing rants!
How halesome it's to snuff the cauler air,

And a' the sweets it bears, when void o' care!
What ails ye, Roger, then? what gars ye grane?
Tell me the cause o' thy ill-season'd pain.

Roger. I'm born, O Patie, to a thrawart fate!
I'm born to strive wi' hardships sad and great.
Tempests may cease to jaw the rowan flood,
Corbies an' tods to grien for lambkin's blood;
But I, opprest wi' never-ending grief,
Maun ay despair o' lighting on relief.

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