OnTheDeathOfRobertDundas,Esq.,OfArniston,

onthedeathofrobertdundas,esq.,ofarniston,

latelordpresidentofthecourtofsession.

loneonthebleakyhillsthestrayingflocks

shunthefiercestormsamongtheshelteringrocks;

downfromtherivulets,redwithdashingrains,

thegatheringfloodsbursto'erthedistantplains;

beneaththeblasttheleaflessforestsgroan;

thehollowcavesreturnahollowmoan.

yehills,yeplains,yeforests,andyecaves,

yehowlingwinds,andwintryswellingwaves!

unheard,unseen,byhumanearoreye,

sadtoyoursympatheticgloomsifly;

where,tothewhistlingblastandwater'sroar,

palescotia'srecentwoundimaydeplore.

oheavyloss,thycountryillcouldbear!

alosstheseevildayscanne'errepair!

justice,thehighvicegerentofhergod,

herdoubtfulbalanceeyed,andsway'dherrod:

hearingthetidingsofthefatalblow,

shesank,abandon'dtothewildestwoe.

wrongs,injuries,frommanyadarksomeden,

now,gayinhope,explorethepathsofmen:

seefromhiscaverngrimoppressionrise,

andthrowonpovertyhiscrueleyes;

keenonthehelplessvictimseehimfly,

andstifle,dark,thefeebly-burstingcry:

markruffianviolence,distainedwithcrimes,

rousingelateinthesedegeneratetimes,

viewunsuspectinginnocenceaprey,

asguilefulfraudpointsouttheerringway:

whilesubtlelitigation'splianttongue

thelife-bloodequalsucksofrightandwrong:

hark,injur'dwantrecountsth'unlisten'dtale,

andmuch-wrong'dmis'rypourstheunpitiedwail!

yedarkwastehills,yebrownunsightlyplains,

congenialscenes,yesoothemymournfulstrains:

yetempests,rage!yeturbidtorrents,roll!

yesuitthejoylesstenorofmysoul.

life'ssocialhauntsandpleasuresiresign;

benamelesswildsandlonelywanderingsmine,

tomournthewoesmycountrymustendure—

thatwoulddegenerateagescannotcure.