With awe-struck thought, and pitying tears, I view that noble stately dome, Where Scotia’s kings of other years, Fam’d heroes, had their royal home; Alas, how chang’d the times to come! Their royal name low in the dust, Their hapless race wild-wand’ring roam; Tho’ rigid law cries out ’twas just! Wild beats my heart to trace your steps, Whose ancestors, in days of yore, Thro’ hostile ranks and ruin’d gaps Old Scotia’s bloody lion bore. Ev’n I who sing in rustic lore, Haply my sires have left their shed, And faced grim danger’s loudest roar, Bold-following where your fathers led! Edina! Scotia’s darling seat, All hail thy palaces and tow’rs, Where once beneath a monarch’s feet Sat Legislation’s sov’reign pow’rs! From marking wildly-scatter’d flow’rs, As on the banks of Ayr I stray’d, And singing lone the ling’ring hours, I shelter in thy honour’d shade. [Illustration: Edina! Scotia’s darling seat, All hail thy palaces and tow’rs.] BONNIE LESLEY O saw ye bonnie Lesley As she gaed o’er the border? She’s gane, like Alexander, To spread her conquests farther. To see her is to love her, And love but her for ever; For Nature made her what she is, And never made anither! Thou art a queen, fair Lesley, Thy subjects we, before thee: Thou art divine, fair Lesley, The hearts o’ men adore thee. The Deil he could na scaith thee, Or aught that wad belang thee; He’d look into thy bonnie face, And say, ‘I canna wrang thee.’ The Powers aboon will tent thee; Misfortune sha’na steer thee; Thou’rt like themselves sae lovely, That ill they’ll ne’er let near thee. Return again, fair Lesley, Return to Caledonie! That we may brag we hae a lass There’s nane again sae bonnie. AH, CHLORIS Ah, Chloris, since it may na be, That thou of love wilt hear; If from the lover thou maun flee, Yet let the friend be dear. Altho’ I love my Chloris mair Than ever tongue could tell; My passion I will ne’er declare, I’ll say I wish thee well: Tho’ a’ my daily care thou art, And a’ my nightly dream, I’ll hide the struggle in my heart, And say it is esteem. AE FOND KISS Ae fond kiss, and then we sever! Ae fareweel, alas, for ever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee. Who shall say that fortune grieves him While the star of hope she leaves him? Me, nae cheerfu’ twinkle lights me, Dark despair around benights me.