What transports shall they to thy soul impart, (The conscious transports of a parent's heart) When thou behold'st them of each grace possest, And sighing youths imploring to be blest! After thy image form'd, with charms like thine, Or in the visit, or the dance to shine: Thrice happy! who succeed their mother's praise, The lovely EGLINTOUNS of future days. Meanwhile peruse the following tender scenes, And listen to thy native Poet's strains: In ancient garb the home-bred muse appears, The garb our Muses wore in former years: As in a glass reflected, here behold How smiling goodness look'd in days of old: Nor blush to read where beauty's praise is shown, And virtuous love, the likeness of thy own; While, 'midst the various gifts that gracious Heaven, Bounteous to thee, with righteous hand has given, Let this, O EGLINTOUN! delight thee most, T' enjoy that Innocence the world has lost. W. H. TO JOSIAH BURCHET, ESQ., SECRETARY OF THE ADMIRALTY, WITH THE FIRST SCENE OF THE GENTLE SHEPHERD. The nipping frosts, the driving snaw, Are o'er the hills and far awa'; Bauld Boreas sleeps, the Zephyres blaw, And ilka thing Sae dainty, youthfou, gay, and bra', Invites to sing. Then let's begin by creek of day, Kind muse skiff to the bent away, To try anes mair the landart lay, With a' thy speed, Since BURCHET awns that thou can play Upon the reed. Anes, anes again beneath some tree Exert thy skill and nat'ral glee, To him wha has sae courteously, To weaker sight, Set these[57] rude sonnets sung by me In truest light. [Footnote 57: _To weaker sight, set these_, &c.] Having done me the honour of turning some of my pastoral poems into English, justly and elegantly.] In truest light may a' that's fine In his fair character still shine, Sma' need he has of sangs like mine To beet his name; For frae the north to southern line, Wide gangs his fame. His fame, which ever shall abide, Whilst hist'ries tell of tyrants pride, Wha vainly strave upon the tide T' invade these lands, Where Britain's royal fleet doth ride, Which still commands. These doughty actions frae his pen,[58] Our age, and these to come, shall ken, How stubborn navies did contend Upon the waves, How free-born Britons faught like men, Their faes like slaves. [Footnote 58: _Frae his pen._] His valuable Naval History.]