To ancient usage, privilege, or right. (10)
-Now to the world's wide range, a mournful sight,
Our native race of tenants doom'd to go
In quest of bread, are sunk in hopeless woe!
"Among the wanderers KENNETH takes his way; In sorrow keen his family, late so gay,
Pour forth their mingling griefs as onward driven,
With upcast streaming eyes to pitying heaven,
Though deep despondency usurps the while,
Still dubious rays of hope their griefs beguile;
They sojourn often,-oft enquire how far
The City thence their faithless leading-star!
Gilt in the glory of departing rays,
At length the city's towers arrest their gaze:
Wearied and faint, they search, and find at last
A wretched hovel-share a poor repast; (11)
Anon, in balmy sleep their eye-lids close,
(The soothing comforter of all their woes!)
While, scenes they left behind, and days of joy,
To fancy seen, their airy dreams employ ;-
Dawn, glimmering through the loathsome hovel's gloom,
Awakes the wanderers in their living tomb!
They burst forth thence, all panting for fresh air,
And in amazement lost they wildly stare,
As through each lane, and length'ning street they roam,
Still gazing, sigh and weep, and think of home!
But home-to them no home!—is distant far !—
Resign'd they follow their malignant star,
Unfriended, poor, lorn, languid, thus sunk low,
Still wandering onward, know not where to go.
Meanwhile, the City's pale-faced sons arose :
Some ply th' unhealthy calling, some disclose
The gaudy splendour of their tempting wares,
The airy nothings of their anxious cares !—
How alter'd now the scene! The tranquil joys
Of rural life chang'd thus to deafening noise ;
Changed from the calm serene of distant hills,
To ceaseless bustle, and a thousand ills!
But something must be done :-for KENNETH knows
The sluggard has few friends, but many foes.
And soon, himself and son employment found
Amongst the labourers of the cultur'd ground:
His daughters mild, still in their maiden-bloom,
Well-placed in service, household cares resume;
But soon, alas! dishonour'd and betray'd,
The dupe of easy virtue both are made !
Diseas'd, deserted, soon they droop, decay,
And sink, unheeded, in life's early day !—
Heart-rending grief distends the father's breast;
The frantic mother sinks to endless rest;
Th' afflicted brother seeks a kinder shore
Beyond the wide Atlantic's distant roar.
Unknown, unfriended, on the swampy plain
He toils from day to day his bread to gain.—
To gain a pittance, ah! how hard the toil,
Midst dank Savanna's loamy, loathsome soil;
Or clear the woodlands, fell the forests vast,
Which since Creation stood each stormy blast ;
Where scaly monsters lurk, and hiss unseen,
Uprear the crest, or rattle in dire spleen.
Perchance the Pard, in couchant watch, fierce springs
To seize the Woodman careless, as he sings,
But, mark-a shaft shot from an Indian's bow
Keen through the heart, quick lays the prowler low!
The fiercer savage, Man, thus, Man will spare,
At times, when other game attracts his care.
So doth the rampant monarch of the wood,
Respect, when sated with less noble blood,
Creation's Lord-aw'd by his godlike mein,
Swift to his den retires unheard, unseen.
Ye CHILDREN OF THE GAËL, though hard your fate! You little dream what poignant woes await
Those Trans-Atlantic schemes of which you hear,
They're quicksands dire, which you have most to fear! (12)
Be not too rash-abide the coming day,
When all your grievances shall fade away ;
As baneful weeds, obnoxious, cease to grow,
When herbs salubrious in due season blow,
Diffusing fragrance o'er the cultured field,
An earnest of the fruits anon they yield.
-That day's at hand. With calm endurance still
Support with dignity the present ill,
As rocks amid the storm serenely stand,
And leave not rashly thus your native land.
Your evils real, or your fancied wrongs
To right, in justice to the STATE belongs.
IV. A BRITISH SENATE will espouse your cause,
Conform to reason, justice, and our Laws.
For 'tis a maxim sacred, good as great,
"All interests are subservient to the State." (13)
-The State's an Unite Grand, a Perfect Whole,
The General Weal must wisely all controul.
'Tis meet that ORDER strictly be maintain❜d,
Lest Order, thro' Oppression, should be stain'd
By deeds disgraceful to the human kind :
The ties of Mutual Interest all must bind. (14)
Then motives selfish, that in secret sway
The greedy Great (who squander wealth away,
Who still, relentless, grind the labouring poor,
Exacting Rack-rent, Fines, and thirst for more),
Must be suppress'd :-'Tis Justice that demands !
TO ALL belong the Produce of our Lands. (15)
-Be cautious then, ye Great !—nor vainly move
Midst circles splendid, which can merely prove
Your high condition-Vain and empty shew!
'Tis thus, the needy great ones sink so low.
Ah! little wot they how th' industrious strive
To barely keep their families alive!
If, haply, from their gains should somewhat more
Afford a pittance to lay by in store
For some lov'd daughter, mild in early bloom,
That soon the matron's cares is to assume:
For some unseen distress, lest want extreme,
Should plunge them deeply into dis-esteem; (16)
When-(wo to greediness !)-a lease expires;
The Landlord's thirst of gold, how soon it fires!
And, lo! some secret offers tempt the wretch,
To let his land at rack-rent's utmost stretch! (17)
With joy rapacious sees the gold brought forth!
-'Tis thus some Great Ones desolate the North.
It must not-shall not be-industrious GAËL !
Things will be altered-Justice shall prevail !
Your humble sheds forsaken, shall again
Enliven every hill and narrow plain;
Your heath-clad mountains and your sea-girt shore
Shall be restored, to quit them never more:
Then joyful will ye climb the hoary steep,
To tend your breeds of kine and native sheep;
While stores in common, shall your wants supply, (18) In quest of finny myriads swift ye fly,
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