Be prudent therefore-keep a watchful On all things that regard thine industry, Lest in relaxing, unforeseen events
Give rise to just yet unavailing discontents. (6)
IV. Ye shepherd swains who upland regions range, And rear your stores through all the seasons change, Regard the breeds peculiar to the soil,
Be those the objects of your care and toil.
And ye, who on the strath have toil enow The circling year in labours of the plough, Pursue with hearty zeal your arduous moils, While cheering hope anxiety beguiles.
Go sweep the scythe, or reap the golden grain, Secure the winter fodder from the rain, And turnip, carrot, parsnip, (luscious fare!) For storms protracted hoard with timely care. Go lead a thousand rills adown the hill, To inundate the verdant sward at will; Thus fertilized, the bleak and sterile waste Soon blooms a garden if laid out with taste. Lo, where the moss-mounds dun, now cheerless spread Beneath yon bending mountain's hoary head : The heath-clad graves of mountain forests vast Whose leafly glories long ago have past, Fermenting slowly many a thousand years, Tho' dormant, nay, tho' dead all may appear,
Yet, roused to culture by a skilful hand,
Those barren moors soon prove most fertile land,
Inclose a part, a wood it gaily smiles;
Place lime-stone o'er the waste in lowly piles,
Which, decomposing slowly by the air,
It changes russet wilds to homefields fair. (7)
If near the sea thy grange and pastures are,
Sea-ware spread o'er thy fields with liberal care,
And where it is abundant, with due help,
Convert the precious ware to purest kelp.
Thus every gift of nature turn to use,
For true economy admits not of misuse.
Those rural labours various to ensure
Against encroachments that oppress the poor,
Let plain and simple salutary laws
Respecting store-farms, clear in every clause,
Be framed, and pass'd-and giving full effect
By sanction senatorial to protect
The rights and privileges well defin'd,
Of rural industry of every kind. (8)
V. And then our intercourse to expedite
To parts most distant (whence we might invite
Surrounding nations, and in commerce share
The envy'd plenty of our staple ware)
Let the Atlantic and the German main
Meet hand in hand, and be no longer twain.
Then from our inland-lakes, and sea-stretch'd arms,
From glen, hill, mountain, hastening down in swarms
Our joyous GAËL come with their various stores,
And in exchange get those of distant shores. (9)
SO MALCOLM Sped at Inverlocha's mart;
Ere close of day, when thence he did depart,
As to the hills ascending, on his way
Met beauteous MORNA, blooming, mild and gay,
Of ancient race the lovely charmer came,
of former bards of deathless name;
Of valiant race was Malcolm too, but poor,
Yet rich in love's inestimable store,
Of form most manly, dignified in ease,
Conjoin'd with every grace the fair can please,
A mind enrich'd with plain, yet sterling sense,
An honest, feeling heart, of price immense :
And virtues feminine, angelic grace
Give charms to Morna's form and heavenly face:
He saw he lov'd-she loved him in return,
Their souls in mutual flame now equal burn;
When hearts unite, soon willing hands are join'd,
And thus a pair unmingled raptures find;
Thus sweetest bondage, blissful hours employ
In bland endearments true-love's promised joy :
So pass'd the swift-wing'd months which our fond pair,
First stole from busy scenes, of rural care.
And having heard where farms the sea hard by
On lease were let, of ranges low and high,
For kine of choicest breed, and native sheep
To feed along the shore, or climb the steep,
Where shoals immense float round the neighbouring isles,
Where jolly seamen brave th' advent'rous toils-
Now, thither Malcolm and his fair one speed-
And in their well-form'd plans they soon succeed:
By turns he guides the plough-ascends the hill,
And ranks as rustic-chief in rural skill;
And beauteous Morna, now a mother blest,
Her smiling darling presses to her breast,
She finds the lover in the tender friend,
And feels domestic sweets all other joys transcend!
Thus twice ten summers roll'd serenely on
Since Morna and her Malcolm were made one,
Three sons, two lovely daughters grace their board,
To portion whom of store they can afford
A liberal share, the produce of the fold,
Reserving still enow, should they wax old,
For all the comforts of declining years,
Secure from indigence and all its fears.
Now Malcolm's sons to manhood nearly grown,
An useful employ each has of his own;
One tends the field and fold, one plies the loom,
The third a fisher, train'd at famed Lochbroom.
As each with knowledge industry combines,
Each in his arduous calling foremost shines,
And as beseems them, when their views expand,
With ease they labour to each other's hand;
The fleecy treasure to the loom is sold,
The woof is soon transmuted into gold;
The trim built buss deep-laden ploughs the main,
With staple wares, and soon returns again.
'Twas thus BATAVIA'S sons in times remote,
Braved the rude billows midst th' immense live-float,
The golden mine, whence all their riches sprung,
Which braced the sinews of their state, then young.
Thus CARTHAGE rose, and VENICE spread around;
And famed DAMSLUYS gain'd from the sea her ground—
Noble examples-worthy of renown!
A nation's industry is sure its fairest crown! (10)
VI. Hebridian mariners! of time beware,
Alert the well-mann'd buss ye now prepare
With casks in store, and strong wrought net and line,
Which dropping deep into the heaving brine,
Soon draw, in scaly thousands thus to pack
Alive and flickering on the loaded deck;
Then down anew ye plunge the tackle strong,
And haul a draught miraculous ere long;
Then with due care hoard up the finny store,
And hasten homeward laden to the shore:
|