-CLAUDIAN.

THE following Poem is founded upon a Spanish Tradition, particularly detailed in the Notes; but bearing, in general, that Don Roderick, the last Gothic King of Spain, when the InVasion of the Moors was impending, had the temerity to descend into an ancient vault, near Toledo, the opening of which had been denounced as fatal to the Spanish Monarchy. The legend adds, that his rash curiosity was mortified by an emblematical representation of those Saracens who, in the year 714, defeated him in battle, and reduced Spain under their dominion. I have presumed to prolong the Vision of the Revolutions of Spain down to the present eventful crisis of the Peninsula; and to divide it, by a supposed change of scene, into THREE PERIODS. The FIRST of these represents the Invasion of the Moors, the Defeat and Death of Roderick, and closes with the peaceful occupation of the country

by the Victors. The SECOND PERIOD embraces the state of the Peninsula, when the conquests of the Spaniards and Portuguese in the East and West Indies had raised to the highest pitch the renown of their arms; sullied, however, by superstition and cruelty. An allusion to the inhumanities of the Inquisition terminates this picture. The LAST PART of the Poem opens with the state of Spain previous to the unparalleled treachery of BONAPARTE ; gives a sketch of the usurpation attempted upon that unsuspicious and friendly kingdom, and terminates with the arrival of the British succours. It may be farther proper to mention, that the object of the Poem is less to commemorate or detail particular incidents, than to exhibit a general and impressive picture of the several periods brought upon the stage.

I am too sensible of the respect due to the Public, especially by one who has already experienced more than ordinary indulgence, to offer any apology for the inferiority of the poetry to the subject it is chiefly designed to commemorate. Yet I think it proper to mention, that while I was hastily executing a work, written for a temporary purpose, and on passing events, the task was most cruelly interrupted by the successive deaths of LORD PRESIDENT BLAIR, and LORD VISCOUNT MEL

VILLE.

had not only to regret persons whose lives In those distinguished characters, I were most important to Scotland, but also whose notice and patronage honoured my entrance upon active life; and, I may add, with melancholy pride, who permitted my more advanced age to claim no common share in their friendship. Under such interruptions, the following verses, which my best and hap piest efforts must have left far unworthy of their theme, have, I am myself sensible, an which, in other circumstances, I might have appearance of negligence and incoherence, been able to remove.

EDINBURGH, June 24, 1811.

This locality inay startle those readers who do not recollect, that much of the ancient poetry preserved in Wales refers less to the history of the Principality to which that name is now limited, than to events which happened in the north-west of England, and south-west of Scotland, where the Britons for a long time made a lamented by the celebrated Aneurin, is supposed by the The battle of Cattraeth, stand against the Saxons.

learned Dr. Leyden to have been fought ou the skirts of Ettrick Forest. It is known to the English reader by the paraphrase of Gray, beginning,

"Had I but the torrent's might,

With headlong rage and wild affright," &c.

But it is not so generally known that the champions, mourned in this beautiful dirge, were the British inhabi tants of Edinburgh, who were cut off by the Saxous of Deiria, or Northumberland, about the latter part of the Sixth century.-TURNER'S History of the Anglo Saxons, edition 1799, vol. 1. p. 222.-Llywarch, the celebrated bard and monarch, was Prince of Argood, in Cumberland and although in his age he was driven into Powys by the suc his youthful exploits were performed upon the Border, cesses of the Anglo-Saxons. As for Merlin Wyllt, or the Savage, his name of Caledonia, and his retreat into the Caledonian wood, appropriate him to Scotland. Fordun dedicates the thirty-first chapter of the third book of his Scoto-Chronicon, to a narration of the death of this celebrated bard and prophet near Drumelzier, a village upon Tweed, which is supposed to have derived its name (quasi Tumulus Merlini) from the event. The particular spot in which he is buried is still shown, and appears, from the following quotation, to have partaken of his prophetio qualities: There is one thing remarkable here, which is, that the burn called Pausayl runs by the east side of

this churchyard into the Tweed; at the side of which barn,

a little below the churchyard, the famous prophet Merlin is said to be buried. The particular place of his grave, at the root of a thorn-tree, was shown ine, many years ago, by the old and reverend minister of the place, Mr. Richard Brown; and here was the old prophecy fulfilled, delivered in Scots rhyme, to this purpose:

'When Tweed and Pansayl meet at Merlin's grave, Scotland and England shall one Monarch have.' "For, the same day that our King James the Sixth was crowned King of England, the river Tweed, by au extra ordinary flood, so far overflowed its banks, that it met and Joined with the Pausayl at the said grave, which was never before observed to fall out."-PENNYCUICK'S Description of Treeeddale, Edin. 1715, iv. p. 26.

1 A belief in the existence and nocturnal revels of the farries still lingers among the vulgar in Selkirkshire. A apas fountain upon the ridge of Minchmore, called the Chernewell, is supposed to be sacred to these fanciful spirite, and it was customary to propitiate them by throwing in something upon passing it. A pin was the usual otiation; and the ceremony is still sometimes practised, the gh rather in jest than earnest.

The flexibility of the Italian and Spanish languages, and perhaps the liveliness of their genius, renders these countries distinguished for the talent of improvvisation, which is found even among the lowest of the people. It is mentioned by Baretti and other travellers.

Over a name sacred for ages to berole verse, a poet may Te allowed to exercise some power. I have used the freedom, here and elsewhere, to alter the orthography of the name of my gallant countryman, in order to apprize the Southern reader of its legitimate sound:-Grahame being on the other side of the Tweed, usually pronounced as a dissyllable.

1 Almost all the Spanish historians, as well as the voice of tradition, ascribe the invasion of the Moors to the forcible violation committed by Roderick upon Florinda, called by the Moors, Caba or Cava. She was the daughter of Count Julian, one of the Gothic monarch's principal lieutenants, who, when the crime was perpetrated, was engaged in the defence of Ceuta against the Moors. In his indignation at the ingratitude of his sovereign, and the dishonour of his daughter, Count Julian forgot the duties of a Christian and a patriot, and, forming an alliance with Musa, then the Caliph's lieutenant in Africa, he countenanced the invasion of Spain by body of Saracens and Africans, commanded by the celebrated Tarik; the issue of which was the defeat and death of Roderick, and the occupation of almost the whole peninsula by the Moors. Voltairo, in his General History, expresses his doubts of this popular story, and Gibbon gives him some countenance; but the universal tradition is quite sufficient for the purposes of poetry. The Spaniards, in detestation of Florinda's memory, are said, by Cervantes, never to bestow that name upon any human female, reserving it for their dogs. Nor is the tradition Jess inveterate among the Moors, since the same author mentions & promontory on the coast of Barbary, called "The Cape of the Cala Rumia, which, in our tongue, is the Cape of the Wicked Christian Woman; and it is a tradition among the Moors, that Caba, the daughter of Oount Julian, who was the cause of the loss of Spain, lies buried there, and they think it ominous to be forced into that bay, for they never go in otherwise than by neces, sity."

And here, as erst upon the antique stage Pass'd forth the band of masquers trimly led,

In various forms, and various equipage, While fitting strains the hearer's fancy fed;