The country of the Scotch warrior, described in these two last verses, has a fine romantic situation, and affords a couple of smooth words for verse. If the reader compares the foregoing six lines of the song with the following Latin verses, he will see how much they are written in the spirit of Virgil: _Adversi campo apparent_: _hastasque reductis_ _Protendunt longe dextris_, _et spicula vibrant_:-- _Quique altum Praeneste viri_, _quique arva Gabinae_ _Junonis_, _gelidumque Anienem_, _et roscida rivis_ _Hernica saxa colunt_:--_qui rosea rura Velini_; _Qui Tetricae horrentes rupes_, _montemq ue Severum_, _Casperiamque colunt_, _porulosque et flumen Himellae_: _Qui Tyberim Fabarimque bibunt_. _AEn._ xi. 605, vii. 682, 712. Advancing in a line they couch their spears-- --Praeneste sends a chosen band, With those who plough Saturnia's Gabine land: Besides the succours which cold Anien yields: The rocks of Hernicus--besides a band That followed from Velinum's dewy land-- And mountaineers that from Severus came: And from the craggy cliffs of Tetrica; And those where yellow Tiber takes his way, And where Himella's wanton waters play: Casperia sends her arms, with those that lie By Fabaris, and fruitful Foruli. DRYDEN. But to proceed: Earl Douglas on a milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of the company, Whose armour shone like gold. _Turnus_, _ut antevolans tardum praecesserat agmen_, &c. _Vidisti_, _quo Turnus equo_, _quibus ibat in armis_ _Aurcus_-- _AEn._ ix. 47, 269. Our English archers bent their bows, Their hearts were good and true; At the first flight of arrows sent, Full threescore Scots they slew. They closed full fast on ev'ry side, No slackness there was found; And many a gallant gentleman Lay gasping on the ground. With that there came an arrow keen Out of an English bow, Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart, A deep and deadly blow. AEneas was wounded after the same manner by an unknown hand in the midst of a parley. _Has inter voces_, _media inter talia verba_, _Ecce viro stridens alis allapsa sagitta est_, _Incertum qua pulsa manu_-- _AEn._ xii. 318. Thus, while he spake, unmindful of defence, A winged arrow struck the pious prince; But whether from a human hand it came, Or hostile god, is left unknown by fame. DRYDEN. But of all the descriptive parts of this song, there are none more beautiful than the four following stanzas, which have a great force and spirit in them, and are filled with very natural circumstances. The thought in the third stanza was never touched by any other poet, and is such a one as would have shone in Homer or in Virgil: So thus did both these nobles die, Whose courage none could stain; An English archer then perceived The noble Earl was slain.