Not easily, my friend, can I recount
Why and how much endeared to me the mount,
Sir David Lindsay's hill; the very name
Is an attraction, and secures its fame.
History records his pauky cutting rhymes,
His quaint conceits, and pictures of the times.
'Twas here he lived, and where exists a Scot
Regards it not a venerated spot?
With the admirers fond of the sublime
And beautiful, the favourite hill I climb;
With willing feet ascending with delight,
New, varying, opening scenes regale the sight.
The vale is traced, the enraptured eye now roams
O'er fertile fields, o'er venerable domes,
Mansions of kings and many a baron bold,
And soldiers too, and saints renowned of old,
And modern elegance, on every side,
Where taste and hospitality abide.
As we ascend, new objects in the north, South, east, and west-the sea, the Tay, the Forth, Mountains, and shires, the wide expanded sky,
The wondering mind delightfully employ.
But lo! the Mount endeared is dearer still,
Peculiar honours draw us to the bill.
In the projected structure, see its claims
On our regards, and the inviting themes
Of sweet communion. First let humble verse
The first stone laid with honours due rehearse.
The common-place distinctions of the day,
Pomp and eclat, I do not stop to say,
Procession, architectural rites and glee,
Of every similar festivity-
These finished, let me bring you to the inn,
With many a guest, no listless crowd I ween.
The dinner o'er, and thanks to God returned,
In solemn silence the bereavement mourned,
* Uprose his friend, his feelings to declare
On the blest day, and thus addressed the chair:
My Lord of Kellie, Gentlemen of Fife,
And friends of Hopetoun, never in
A task more difficult, and yet more dear,
Has been assigned me, for at once the tear
Of grief and exultation warm my cheek,
While of his virtues and our loss I speak ;
* Colonel Lindsay.
Yet will I speak, nor will I shrink to say
How much I glory in this festive day.
It is a day of mourning, yet delight
Predominates, contemplated aright.
Not now I think of military fame,
And all that decorates the soldier's name.
Britannia's lauding senates, nay, the
Admire the hero, and revere the sage:
Nor diplomatic excellences yield
To military glories of the field.
The structure of memorial I prize,
'Tis philanthropic, dutiful, and wise,
For all around the monument well know
What to his generosity they owe,
And frequently and fully will proclaim
From age to age the honours of his name.
My Lord and Gentlemen! To his loved Fife Of gain and loss what was his precious life! · Much have we to recount, and time would fail Of social and domestic to detail:
The cares and duties and the bliss sincere
Exhibited to us- -and every where,
And imitated every where insure
Enjoyments rational, exalted, pure.'
And had not time prevented, I had said, (The echo I to all the honours paid
By his admiring friend) his pastor I
Gladly would add to the just eulogy,
And raise my voice to celebrate his praise
As heretofore in eulogical lays *.
With what delight might I the days review,
With what emotion and applauses due,
Of amity, of piety, of bliss,
Diffused, diffusing genuine happiness!
Not without sighs in days of former years Scene after scene delightfully appears
To vivid recollections, while I see
At once philanthropy and piety
Displayed. God's word and house to him were dear;
His worship solemn, regular, sincere.
Not drizzling rain, I ween, or slimy road
Detained the votary from the house of God.
His was the love of human kind. He shares
Amply in all its feelings, plans, and cares :
His ear, his heart is open to distress;
The aged, the widow and the fatherless,
The weak, the indigent of every name,
His pitying benevolence proclaim.
In patriot, in friend, we saw combined
The dignity of a superior mind,
* Referring to the preceding poem.
With condescension--and in scenes more dear
How precious does amity appear!
But themes so tender left, with streaming eyes
Silence the faultering utterance supplies.
Such was my meditated speech-But lo!
The work projected then, completed now.
And shall we say, it's every object gained,
Anticipation's fondest wish obtained,
Perhaps exceeded? Here the man of taste
Admires the work, magnificent and chaste,
And makes comparisons, and boldly tells
How much this Hopetoun Monument excels.
But of the sober folks, I'd rather hear
The sentiments unfeigned, with greedy ear.
Answer to question naturally succeeds;
And gratitude dwells much on generous deeds.
Let admiration, says another, dwell
On deeds of fame, let us, let all excel
Like him in worth; for imitation best
Of love and admiration is the test.
Excelling virtues every where insure
Excelling bliss-and ever to endure.
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