V.

if your wilds such minstrelsy retain, As sure your changeful gales seem oft to say,

When sweeping wild and sinking soft again, Like trumpet-jubilee, or harp's wild sway; If ye can echo such triumphant lay,

Then lend the note to him has loved you long!

Who pious gather'd each tradition grey,

That floats your solitary wastes along, And with affection vain gave them new voice in song.

VI.

OR, not till now, how oft soe'er the task
Of truant verse hath lighten'd
graver care,

From Muse or Sylvan was he wont to ask
In phrase poetic, inspiration fair ;
Careless he gave his numbers to the air,
They came unsought for, if applauses

came;

Nor for himself prefers he now the prayer;

Let but his verse befit a hero's fame, Immortal be the verse-forgot the poet's

name !

VII.

ARK, from yon misty cairn their

answer tost:

"Minstrel the fame of whose romantic

lyre,

Capricious-swelling now, may soon be lost,

Like the light flickering of a cottage fire; If to such task presumptuous thou aspire, Seek not from us the meed to warrior due: Age after age has gather'd son to sire, Since our grey cliffs the din of conflict knew,

Or, pealing through our vales, victorious bugles blew.

VIII.

ECAY'D our old traditionary lore,

Save where the lingering fays renew their ring,

By milk-maid seen beneath the hawthorn

hoar,

Or round the marge of Minchmore's haunted spring ;†

Save where their legends grey-hair'd shep

herds sing,

[thine,

That now scarce win a listening ear but Of feuds obscure, and Border ravaging, And rugged deeds recount in rugged line, Of moonlight foray made on Teviot, Tweed, or Tyne.

་་

IX.

O! search romantic lands, where the near Sun

Gives with unstinted boon ethereal flame, Where the rude villager, his labour done, In verse spontaneous chants some

favour'd name,

Whether Olalia's charms his tribute claim, Her eye of diamond, and her locks of jet ; Or whether, kindling at the deeds of Græme,+

He sing, to wild Morisco measure set, Old Albin's red claymore, green Erin's bayonet !

X.

EXPLORE those regions, where the flinty crest

Of wild Nevada ever gleams with snows, Where in the proud Alhambra's ruin'd breast Barbaric monuments of pomp repose; Or where the banners of more ruthless foes Than the fierce Moor, float o'er Toledo's fane,

From whose tall towers even now the patriot throws

An anxious glance, to spy upon the plain The blended ranks of England, Portugal, and

Spain.

XI.

HERE, of Numantian fire a swarthy

spark

Still lightens in the sunburnt native's eye; The stately port, slow step, and visage dark, Still mark enduring pride and constancy.

And, if the glow of feudal chivalry

Beam not, as once, thy nobles' dearest pride,

Iberia! oft thy crestless peasantry

Have seen the plumed Hidalgo quit their

side,

Have seen, yet dauntless stood — 'gainst fortune fought and died.

XII.

ND cherish'd still by that unchanging race,

Are themes for minstrelsy more high than thine;

Of strange tradition many a mystic trace, Legend and vision, prophecy and sign; Where wonders wild of Arabesque combine With Gothic imagery of darker shade, Forming a model meet for minstrel line. Go, seek such theme !"-The Mountain Spirit said:

With filial awe I heard—I heard, and I obey'd.