ElegyOnTheDeathOfSirJamesHunterBlair

elegyonthedeathofsirjameshunterblair

thelampofday,with—illpresagingglare,

dim,cloudy,sankbeneaththewesternwave;

th'inconstantblasthowl'dthro'thedark'ningair,

andhollowwhistledintherockycave.

loneasiwander'dbyeachcliffanddell,

oncethelov'dhauntsofscotia'sroyaltrain;

ormus'dwherelimpidstreams,oncehallow'dwell,

ormould'ringruinsmarkthesacredfane.

th'increasingblastroar'droundthebeetlingrocks,

thecloudsswift-wing'dflewo'erthestarrysky,

thegroaningtreesuntimelyshedtheirlocks,

andshootingmeteorscaughtthestartledeye.

thepalymoonroseinthelivideast.

and'mongthecliffsdisclos'dastatelyform

inweedsofwoe,thatfranticbeatherbreast,

andmix'dherwailingswiththeravingstorm

wildtomyheartthefilialpulsesglow,

'twascaledonia'strophiedshieldiview'd:

herformmajesticdroop'dinpensivewoe,

thelightningofhereyeintearsimbued.

revers'dthatspear,redoubtableinwar,

reclinedthatbanner,erstinfieldsunfurl'd,

thatlikeadeathfulmeteorgleam'dafar,

andbrav'dthemightymonarchsoftheworld.

“mypatriotsonfillsanuntimelygrave!”

withaccentswildandliftedarmsshecried;

“lowliesthehandoftwasstretch'dtosave,

lowliestheheartthatswell'dwithhonestpride.

“aweepingcountryjoinsawidow'stear;

thehelplesspoormixwiththeorphan'scry;

thedroopingartssurroundtheirpatron'sbier;

andgratefulscienceheavestheheartfeltsigh!

“isawmysonsresumetheirancientfire;

isawfairfreedom'sblossomsrichlyblow:

butah!howhopeisbornbuttoexpire!

relentlessfatehaslaidtheirguardianlow.

“mypatriotfalls:butshallhelieunsung,

whileemptygreatnesssavesaworthlessname?

no;everymuseshalljoinhertunefultongue,

andfutureageshearhisgrowingfame.

“andiwilljoinamother'stendercares,

thro'futuretimestomakehisvirtueslast;

thatdistantyearsmayboastofotherblairs!”—

shesaid,andvanish'dwiththesweepingblast.