To Warkworth cell the echoes roll'd, Then couch'd him down beside the hind, ["The sound of the knell that was rung for the parting soul of this victim of seduction, is described with great force and solemnity.”—JEFFREY. "The whole of this trial and doom presents a high-wrought scene of horror, which, at the close, rises almost to too great a pitch."-Scots Mag. March, 1808.] TO WILLIAM ERSKINE, ESQ.1 Ashestiel, Ettrick Forest. LIKE April morning clouds, that pass, Now in a torrent racing forth, Now winding slow its silver train, 1 [William Erskine, Esq., advocate, Sheriff-depute of the Orkneys, became a Judge of the Court of Session by the title of Lord Kinnedder, and died at Edinburgh in August, 1822, He had been from early youth the most intimate of the Poet's friends, and his chief confidant and adviser as to all literary matters. See a notice of his life and character by the late Mr. Hay Donaldson, to which Sir Walter Scott contributed several paragraphs.-ED.] And ever swells again as fast, And pleased, we listen as the breeze Flow on, flow unconfined, my Tale ! Need I to thee, dear Erskine, tell In sounds now lowly, and now strong, 1 [MS." With sound now lowly, and now higher, Irregular to wake the lyre."] 2 [MS.-"Thine hours to thriftless rhyme are lent.”] |