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Every lover of Poetry muft confider himfelf as indebted to you for inferting Collins's admirable Ode on the Superftitions in the Highla ds of Scotland. It has been obferved, with regret, that there are several fuperftitions which he has omitted; and it may, perhips, be regarded as daring that a namelcis rhymfter thould endeavour to fupply the deficiency. This, however, I have attempted in the following ftanzas, which may be read after the Villth of Collins's. None can be more confcious, than I am, how much the Verfes I fend are inferior to the original; but, let it be remembered, that if I have failed, I have failed in an attempt, which, to execute with propriety, required the genius of a Mackenzie. I am, Sir,

Yours, &c. 1.

E. W.

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Let thefe fad ftrains to lighter founds give place;

Bid thy brik viol warble measures gay: For fee, recall'd by thy refiftlefs lay,

Once more the Brownie fhews his honeft face.

Hail from thy wanderings long, my muchlov'd fprite,

Thou friend, thou lover of the lowly, hail! Tell in what realms thou sport'st thy merry night,

Trailt the long mop, or whirlft the mimic fail.

Where doit thou range the much-disorder'd hall,

While the tir'd damfel in Elyfium fleeps ; With early voice to drowfy workman call, Or lull the dame, while mirth his vigile keeps?

'Twas thus in Caledonia's domes, 'tis said, Thou ply'dft the kindly task in years of

yore:

At laft, in lucklefs hour, fome pitying maid, Spread in thy nightly cell of viands itore. Ne'er was thy form beheld among their mountains more.

III.

Then wake (for well thou canft) that wondrous lay,

How, when around the thoughtless matrons fleep,

HY mufe may tell, how, when at la- Soft o'er the floor the treach'rous Faeries bor's clofe,

TH

To meet her love, beneath the twilight fnade,

D'er many a broom-clade brae, and heathy glade,

In merry mood the village maiden goes. There, on a streamlet's margin as she lies,

Chanting fome carrol till her fwain ap

pears;

With vifage deadly pale, in penfive guise Beneath a wither'd fir his form he rears. Shricking and fad, the bends her fpeedy flight,

When mid dire heaths, where flits a taper bluc,

The whilft the moon fheds dim a fickly light,

The folemn funeral meets her blafted view.

When trembling, weak, fhe gains her cottage low,

Where Magpies fcatter notes of horror wide,

Some one fhall tell, while tears in torrents flow,

That juft when twilight dimm'd the green hill's fide,

Sunk in his airy fhiel, her hapless fhepherd died.

creep,

And bear the finiling infant far away.

How ftarts the nurse, when, for her lovely

child,

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expressly designed against the politics of Count Struenfee, the unfortunate Danish minifter. It appeared in the year 1771, foon after the Norwegian lifeguard was difbanded, and when the liberty of the Prefs was introduced into the Danish dominions. It was, and still is a favourite in Norway; and breathes fuch a spirit of liberty as is, now-a-days, purely ideal in that quarter of the world.

OR Norfke kiempes föd e land,

FOR fodera

Og naar vi först faa'r blud paa tand,

Vi föd om frihed drömmer :
Men vaagner vi kun op een gang,
Vi bryder lænkers vold og tvang.
Hver tapper helt, blant klipper föd,
Vi fynger nu til ære:
Hver ærlig Nork, som lænker bryd,
Skal evig ælket være.
De Norske liv-vagts vaabens brag
Forklarte truelig Normands fag.

Een fkaal for dig, min kiække ven, '
Og for de Norfke piger :
Har du kun een, faa kaai for den,

Og fkam for dem for fviger!
Ia, fkam for dem der taaler tvang,
Som hader piger, viin, og fang!
Endnu een skaal for Norske field,
For gran, for fnee, og bakker:
Hör! Dovres echo raaber held,

For fkaalen tre gang takker. la, tre gang tre skal alle fi ld Udraabe Norske fonners held.

Tranflation.

To Norway's healthy clime, tho' cold,

A glafs we drink, with pleasure : Reflecting on the days of old,

We pant for freedom's treasure. But, fhould we roufe at freedom's call, We'll burst thro' curft defpotic thrall. And, fill to Norway's rocky ground,

Her woods, her dales, her mountains; Hark! Dofrine hills this toaft rebound,

And add her friths and fountains. This truth fhould tyrants' hearts difmay, Old Norway ne'er could brook their sway. Health to Norwegian heroes brave,

On rocks and mountains fofter'd!
Eternal fame their names fhall fave,

Who tyrants' schemes have crofs'd hard.
The brave Norwegian lifeguard's * lot
Forefhow'd the fate we fince have got.
And health to each Norwegian fair!
Thy health, my friend, inclufive:

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year.

When no bean flower fmells fweetly, no tu
lip is gay,

No linnet tings briskly, to welcome the May,
No cuckoo laborious, repeats her harsh note,
No love-warbling thruth tunes his musical
throat!

Yes, verfes, tho' nature no longer is gay,
Tho' no woodland fongfters now fing from
each Spray;

Tho' no meadows, no gardens, enrapture the fight,

And the woods tempt our steps to no groves of delight.

Charms, brighter than those which the Sum mer adorn,

And graces, more fresh than the mid-fum

mer morn,

Now infpire my fong, and excite my dull mufe,

When of these she's to fing, pray, how can fhe refuse?

To you, ye fair maids, I my Verses would raife,

Not with low adulation, nor unmeaning praife.

"Tis not the bright eyes, nor the fine flow-
ing hair,

The exquifite fhape, or the elegant air,
The cheeks which difplay the full bloem of
the rofe,

Or the lily's more delicate beauties difclofe;
Though yours are these charms, yet these
prompt not my fo g,

To you, ftill more powerful attractions be long;

"Tis your converfe so sprightly, your manners fo mild,

Which Winter's drear frown have fo fweetly beguil'd;

That of being disbanded.

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In your eyes, that 'fair fenfe and benevolence fhine,

Improve all your charms, and complete them divine;

From your lips, that no torrents of scandal have pour'd,

That no whim, no caprice your good nature have four'd;

"Tis of these I would fing, O, accept of the lay,

Tho' the verses no brightness of fancy difplay,

Refuse not these lines from a youth without art,

Uncouth his appearance, and fimple his heart;

Unfkill'd any flatt'ring attentions to pay, Untaught what he thinks not, or feels not, to fay;

Who, or chearful, or merry, or grave, fince a child,

Has oft courted the Mufe, and has thought

that she smil'd.

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To fcourge at length tranfgreffion from the land;

And dormant ftatutes, rous'd by proclama tion,

Bred among thofe, who would not fear to own 'em,

Had there been vices there, the must have known 'em ;

Some trifling faults, perhaps, as drinking, gaming,

Pride and the like, may want a little fhaming!

'Gainst these she aims, in aid of law, to use The fupplemental fanctions of the mufe; Affift, ye fair, she fighs for you and Virtue: Ye great, fupport her, for the cannot hurt you;

Ye rich-ye poor-above-below the laws,
Applaud her, and promote the common
caufe:

And if there live who ftill difgrace the age,
Bid them revere the vengeance of the stage.
Epilogue to the fame.. Written by Capt.
Morrice, and faken by Mrs Wells.

S

the fall the Epilogue be heard at laft?

form over?-Is the thunder past?

'Tis our laft word; a word, you know, of old,

That's always ready, when you rave and

fcold.

But where befeech-where beft beftow my breath?

[To the Pit.]

I can't prefs you, already prefs'd to death-
No, there's no room your anger to bewitch;
You can't he mov'd, you're ferew'd to fuch
a pitch.

Affright the petty finners of the nation,
Who fhall prefume the rule of right to draw,"
For those who make, enforce, and break the
-law?

The Country Juftice, with terrific frown,
May fear a diftrict, or appal a town;
May hurl dire vengeance on a guilty elf,
Who dares to do—just what he does himself;
But who fhall rule the Justice?-Who fhall
dare

To tell his Worthip that He must not fwear?
Drive him to church, prohibit his diverfions,
O fine him well for Sabbath-days excurfions?
In London happily our zeal's more warm;
Here live the great examples of reform:
With pure difint'reft each devoutly labours
To mend-if not himself-at leaft his neigh-
bours./

No fecret canker now corrupts the state;
The name of Vice is loft among the Great.
The Virtues in St Jame's Street that-
dwell,

Spread thro' the Square, and all along
Pall-mall,
Are fuch!- 'tis quite impoffible to tell.
However, with great fearch and ftudious

care,

A female bard has glean'd fome follies there;

Methinks I hear fome prompting spirit cry, Look up in your diftrefs-Hope lives on high

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Shall I there find her? Sure you won't fupprefs

Your nobleft power, ye Gods! your power to blefs.

[To the Boxes.]

For you, fair Nymphs, who melt in appro-
bation,

This play, I truft, you'll call a relaxation:
And fure our author's gallant thirst of fame
Deferves, from polifh'd hearts, a fhelter'd

name.

"For brave it was, thus fairly, on the flage, To meet the coxcomb's and the gambler's

rage;

Fearless in virtue's caufe to draw her pen,
And prove what Women dare, against you

Men."

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A

Rose bud by my early walk,
Adown a corn-inclofed bawk,
Sae gently bent its thorny ftalk,

All on a dewy morning;
Ere twice the fhades o' dawn are filed,
In a' its crimson glory fpread,
And drooping rich the dewy head,

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It fcents the early morning. Within the bufh her covert neft A little linnet fondly preft,

The dew fat chilly on her breast

Sae early in the morning.

She foon fhall fee her tender brood,
The pride, the pleafure o' the wood,
Amang the fresh green leaves bedew'd,
Awauk the early morning

So thou, dear bird, young Jenny fair,
On trembling firing or vocal air,
Shalt fweetly pay the tender care

That tents thy early morning.
So thou sweet rofe-bud young and gay.
Shalt beauteous blaze upon the day,
And blefs the Parent's evening ray
That watch'd thy early morning.

Another.

AUSING on the roaring ocean,

MWhich divides my love and me;

Wearying Heav'n in warm devotion,
For his weal whei e'er he be,
Hope and Fear's alternate billow
Yielding late to Nature's law,
Whifp'ring fpirits round my pillow
Talk of him that's far awa.
Ye whom Sorrow never wounded,
Ye who never shed a tear,
Care untroubled, joy furrounded,
Gaudy Day to you is dear.

Gentle Night, do you befriend me;
Downy Sleep, the curtain draw; }

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Spirits kind, again attend me,
Talk of him that's far awa.
Another.

WHERE braving angry Winter's formt,
The lofty Ochels rite,

Far in their fhade, my Peggy's charms
First bieft my wondering eyes.
As one who by some savage ftream
A lonely gem furveys,
Afenish'd doubly marks its beam,
With arts moft polifh'd blaze.
Bleft be the wild, fequefrer'd fhade,
And bleft the day and hour,
Where Peggy's charms I first furvey'd,
When first I felt their pow'r!

The tyrant death with grin controul

May feize my fleeting breath,

But tearing Peggy from my foul
Must be a stronger death.

TH

Tranflations from Boethius de Confola
tione Philofophia. By Dr Johnion.
HOUGH countless as the grains of fand
That roll at Eurus' loud command;
Though countlefs as the lamps of night
That glad us with vicarious light,
Fair Plenty, gracious queen, fhou'd pour
The bleifings of a golden fhow'r;
Not all the gifts of Fate combin'd
Would cafe the hunger of the mind,
But fwallowing all the mighty ftore,
Rapacity would call for more;
For ftill where wishes most abound,
Unquench'd the thirst of gain is found;
In vain the fhining gifts are fent,
For none are rich without content.

By Dr Johnfon and Mrs Piozzi **.
ALL men, throughout the peopled earth,
From one fublime beginning fpring;
All from one fource derive their bir h,
The fame their parent and their king.
At his command proud Titan glows,

And Luna lifts her horn on high;
His hand this earth on man beflows,
And ftrews with stars the fpangled fky.
From her high seats he drew the foul,
And in this earthly cage. confin'd;
To wond'ring worlds produc'd the whole,
Effence divine with matter join'd.
Since then alike all men derive

From God himself their noble race,
Why would the witless mortals frive
For vulgar ancestry and place?

Why boast their birth before his eyes,

Who holds no human creature mean; Save him whofe foul, enflav'd to Vice, Deferts her nobler origin?

The lines printed in Italics were written by Mrs Piozzi.

THE

Monthly Regider

FOR APRIL 1788.

TURKEY.

HE Muftapha Swinburne, or, in plain English Benjamin Swinburne, of Staffordshire, has been of infinite fervit to the Turks in inftructing them in the art of gunnery, and on account of his fervices has been diftinguished and rewarded by the Grand Signor. On his roumeing Chriftianity, and becoming a Maffulman, he had a medal given him, and a commiffion in the artillery. Hence the enterprifing Englishman rofe to the dignity of Muftapha. His opinion is confulted on almost every military fubject; for not an officer in Turkey is better ac quainted with the art of difpofing forces in form of battle, or of performing the military evolutions. The batteries d'enfilade at Belgrade, fweeping a right line, are defcribed as doing fignal credit to the fkill and genius which conftructed them; as do the polygon, and other noble works.

RUSSIA.

The Emprefs of Ruffia, notwithstanding her prefent warlike engagements, pays particular attention to a Society ehablished on the principles of the French Academy, for obferving philofophically the ftate and difpofition of the Atmofphere, as to its heat, cold, denfity, purity, &c. and as the great principle of moft animal and vegetable productions. This fociety have an apparatus of inftru ments for indicating and measuring the ftate and alterations of the weather, and determining the directions, breadth, bounds, &c. of the winds. The utility of fuch a fociety is evident.

The fabric of many of the Ruffian .fhip-cannon has been changed; that is, from 24 pounders downwards; to have lefs weight and a larger bore.

We are credibly informed, that Admiral Greig, the commander of the Ruffian fleet deftined for the Mediterranean, has declared, that should Great Britain, by any chance during the present war, happen to be engaged on the oppofite Lide, he will rather refign his command, than act hoflikely againft her; that he will always exert himfelf to the utmost against any other Power who may take part with the enemy; but that he will APPEND: to VOL. VII.

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Letters from the continent by the laft mail, affure us, that the famous Paul Jones, who is at prefent at Copenhagen, has made an offer of his fervices to the Empreis of Ruffia, which has been accepted. He is engaged on a very advan tageous footing, and, it is fuppofed, will command a divifion of the Ruffian fleet. Admiral Greig has not been confulted in this matter; and if he fhould be dif gufted with his affociate, the Ruffian feet will atchieve no great exploits in the Levant. The French Ambaffador at the court of Denmark has taken great notice of Paul. He introduced him to all the foreign Minifters at Copenhagen but wher he brought him to Mr Elliot, the British Envoy, Mr Elliot refused to fee him. Mr Elliot met the French Am.. baffador the next day, and faid, "When "6 your Excellency will honour me with "a vifit in good company, I fhall be "proud to receive it; but with fuch a companion, you must ever expect to "be denied."

66

SPAIN and PORTUGAL. Madrid. The naval preparations making in the ports of Spain, are not near fo great as reprefented in the English news-papers; but fuch as they are, they are not intended to difturb the peace of Europe; their object is more to protect the rich Spanish fhips coming from America, and its trade in the Mediterranean, from any attempt which any of the many States of Africa might be induced to make; for there has not been for a long time fo vaft naval equip ments as are now making on their coafts to fupport the Turks; and it is wellknown there is no trufting these Barbary States, fhouid any tempting object come in their way. Spain, you may rest affured, is as much inclined to peace as any kingdom in Europe; fhe has much to lofe and little to gain by going to war, and will keep a ftrict neutrality in the difpute between the Turks and Ruffians.

The Turkish Ambassador has left our court loaded with rich prefents: the King has prefented him with a ring fet F

with

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