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XVII.

See Stumnah, who, the bier beside.
His master's corpse with wonder eyed,
Poor Stumah! whom his least halloo
Could send like lightning o'er the dew
Bristles his crest, and points his ears.
As if some stranger step he hears.
'Tis not a mourner's muffled tread,
Who comes to sorrow o'er the dead,
But headlong haste, or deadly fear,
Urge the precipitate career.

All stand aghast :-unheeding all,
The henchman bursts into the hall;
Before the dead man's bier he stood;
Held forth the Cross besmear'd with blood;
"The muster place is Lanrick mead;
Speed forth the signal! clansmen, speed!"

excitement to his attention, and not unfrequently suggest to him new and unexpected graces of expression. If a careless rhyme, or an ill-constructed phrase occasionally escape him amidst the irregular torrent of his stanza, the blemish is often imperceptible by the hurried eye of the reader; but when the short lines are yoked in pairs, any dissonance in the jingle, or interruption of the construction, cannot fail to give offence. We learn from Horace, that in the course of a long work, a poet may legitimately indulge in a momentary slumber; but we do not wish to hear him snore."— -Quarterly Review.]

Faithful. The name of a dog.

XVIII.

Angus, the heir of Duncan's line,1

Sprung forth and seized the fatal sign.
In haste the stripling to his side
His father's dirk and broadsword tied;
But when he saw his mother's eye
Watch him in speechless agony,
Back to her open'd arms he flew,
Press'd on her lips a fond adieu—
"Alas!" she sobb'd,—“ and yet, be gone,
And speed thee forth, like Duncan's son !"
One look he cast upon the bier,

Dash'd from his eye the gathering tear,
Breathed deep to clear his labouring breast,
And toss'd aloft his bonnet crest,
Then, like the high-bred colt, when, freed,
First he essays his fire and speed,
He vanish'd, and o'er moor and moss
Sped forward with the Fiery Cross.
Suspended was the widow's tear,
While yet his footsteps she could hear;
And when she mark'd the henchman's eye
Wet with unwonted sympathy,

! [MS." Angus, the first of Duncan's line, Sprung forth and seized the fatal sign, And then upon his kinsman's bier

Fell Malise's suspended tear.

In haste the stripling to his side

His father's targe and falchion tied."]

66 Kinsman,"

" she said,

"his race is run,

That should have sped thine errand on;
The oak has fall'n-the sapling bough
Is all Duncraggan's shelter now.
Yet trust I well, his duty done,

The orphan's God will guard my son—
And you, in many a danger true,
At Duncan's hest your blades that drew,
To arms, and guard that orphan's head!
Let babes and women wail the dead."
Then weapon-clang, and martial call,
Resounded through the funeral hall,
While from the walls the attendant band
Snatch'd sword and targe, with hurried hand;
And short and flitting energy

Glanced from the mourner's sunken eye,
As if the sounds to warrior dear

Might rouse her Duncan from his bier.

But faded soon that borrow'd force;
Grief claim'd his right, and tears their course.

XIX.

Benledi saw the Cross of Fire,

It glanced like lightning up Strath-Ire.1

1 Inspection of the provincial map of Perthshire, or any large map of Scotland, will trace the progress of the signal through the small districts of lakes and mountains, which, in exercise of my poetical privilege, I have subjected to the authority of my imaginary chieftain, and which, at the period of my romance,

O'er dale and hill the summons flew,

Nor rest nor pause young Angus knew;
The tear that gather'd in his eye

He left the mountain breeze to dry;
Until, where Teith's young waters roll,
Betwixt him and a wooded knoll,1
That graced the sable strath with green,
The chapel of St Bride was seen.
Swoln was the stream, remote the bridge,
But Angus paused not on the edge;
Though the dark waves danced dizzily,
Though reel'd his sympathetic eye,

was really occupied by a clan who claimed a descent from Alpine a clan the most unfortunate, and most persecuted, but neither the least distinguished, least powerful, nor least brave, of the tribes of the Gael.

"Slioch non rioghridh duchaisach
Bha-shios an Dun-Staiobhinish

Aig an roubh crun na Halba othus

'Stag a cheil duchas fast ris."

The first stage of the Fiery Cross is to Duncraggan, a place near the Brigg of Turk, where a short stream divides Loch Achray from Loch Vennachar. From thence, it passes towards Callender, and then, turning to the left up the pass of Leny, is consigned to Norman at the chapel of Saint Bride, which stood on a small and romantic knoll in the middle of the valley, called Strath-Ire. Tombea and Arnandave, or Ardmandave, are names of places in the vicinity. The alarm is then supposed to pass along the lake of Lubnaig, and through the various glens in the district of Balquidder, including the neighbouring tracts of Glenfinlas and Strathgartney.

1 [MS." And where a steep and wooded knoll

Graced the dark strath with emerald green."]

He dash'd amid the torrent's roar:

His right hand high the crosslet bore,
His left the pole-axe grasp'd, to guide
And stay his footing in the tide.

He stumbled twice-the foam splash'd high,
With hoarser swell the stream raced by;
And had he fall'n,-for ever there,
Farewell Duncraggan's orphan heir!
But still, as if in parting life,
Firmer he grasp'd the Cross of strife,
Until the opposing bank he gain'd,
And up the chapel pathway strain'd.

XX.

A blithesome rout, that morning tide,
Had sought the chapel of St Bride.
Her troth Tombea's Mary gave
To Norman, heir of Armandave,
And, issuing from the Gothic arch,
The bridal now resumed their march.
In rude, but glad procession, came
Bonneted sire and coif-clad dame;
And plaided youth, with jest and jeer,
Which snooded maiden would not hear;
And children, that, unwitting why,
Lent the gay shout their shrilly cry;
And minstrels, that in measures vied
Before the young and bonny bride,

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