One of the most admired of Livingston’s poems is that on the achievements of the Highland regiments under Sir Colin Campbell in the Crimean War. As much of its beauty consists in a sort of proverbial form of expression, of which the bard was a consummate master, and in a rhythm of consonantal rhymes, much of what is powerful in the original becomes quite prosaic when rendered literally into English. Here is the first half of the poem, which may indicate something of its manner:— ALMA. Tidings of awe came to my ear— An ominous threat that war was near; I sought out Albin’s central height, To view the distant scene of fight. I saw beneath one standard there— The figure of the Northern Bear. There thousands in their armèd might Panted for battle’s fierce delight. O’er Alma’s heights the Russians rolled, Defiant, warlike, keen, and bold; In war-array the hostile force Stood there in ranks of foot and horse; Then came the order for the Gael Those scarpy brows of death to scale. Down from that hoary rocky crest Poured showers of fire into their breast; Forward the fearless heroes leapt; Mid clouds of slaughter on they swept; “For Victory” the Lion roared; The Finian clans unsheathed the sword, Like rapid swollen floods in Clyde; Grand, swift as Es-linn’s silver tide; So rushed the heroes in their might Of ardour to the field of fight, Beneath that proud, unconquered shred Of ancient fame the Gaels were led;— With those broad brands ye did unsheathe Ye left destruction, groans, and death;— Ye from the land of hill and flood Heroic thus the foe withstood; And from those rocky heights of woe, Ye swept disgraced that host of snow. They trembled as they saw with dread The lion, rousing, raging, red, To scatter with resistless force And ire their columns, man and horse; Deeds sure to kindle our emotion While earth remaineth wed to ocean. BALACLAVA. ’Mid thund’ring guns and clash of arms I saw amass the Russian swarms On Balaclava’s dusky plain; There waved the eagle fierce and fell To widen more its ravenous reign, Like a foul bird of restless hell. Thousands responding bent on prey, And gorging blood her power obey; The hoarse-voiced horn began to bray; The steeds of war began to neigh, &c.