DUGALD MOORE
The sky in beauty arch’d
The wide and weltering flood,
While the winds in triumph march’d
Through their pathless solitude—
Rousing up the plume on ocean’s hoary crest,
That like space in darkness slept,
When his watch old Silence kept,
Ere the earliest planet leapt
From its breast.
A speck is on the deeps,
Like a spirit in her flight;
How beautiful she keeps
Her stately path in light!
She sweeps the shining wilderness in glee—
The sun has on her smiled,
And the waves, no longer wild,
Sing in glory round that child
Of the sea.
’Twas at the set of sun
That she tilted o’er the flood,
Moving like God alone
O’er the glorious solitude—
The billows crouch around her as her slaves
How exulting are her crew!—
Each sight to them is new,
As they sweep along the blue
Of the waves.
Fair herald of the fleets
That yet shall cross the waves,
Till the earth with ocean meets
One universal grave,
What armaments shall follow thee in joy!
Linking each distant land
With trade’s harmonious band,
Or bearing havoc’s brand
To destroy!
The Land o’ the Leal.
LADY CAROLINE NAIRNE
I’m wearin’ awa, John,
Like snaw-wreaths in thaw, John,
I’m wearin’ awa
To the land o’ the leal.
There’s nae sorrow there, John,
There’s neither cauld nor care, John,
The day is aye fair
In the land o’ the leal.
Our bonnie bairn’s there, John,
She was baith gude and fair, John,
And, oh, we grudged her sair
To the land o’ the leal.