to slaughter,
But he was afraid of water,
The great whale feared that he might strand
If he ventured on the dry land.
So at last great Russia Bear
Went back again to his own lair,
And British whale content to be
Greatest monarch of the sea.
When the Chinese did rebel,
Gordon alone he could them quell,
With justice they his name revere,
The man who bullets did not fear.
It seemed as if his life had charm
That spear or lance could never harm,
He went alone this wondrous man
To fight false prophet of Sudan.
Assistance it arrives too late,
And traitors they have oped the gate,
To meet the foe he doth advance,
But fatal wound receives from lance.
And Britons all they do take pride
In Burnaby’s Asiatic ride,
Russian mysteries to discover,
He crossed many a plain and river.
And his brave spirit led the van
To relieve Gordon in Sudan,
With his strong arm every blow
Laid at his feet some Arab foe.
But strong brave man who knew no fear,
He was transfixed by Arab spear,
And thus brave men their lives have lost,
Of war let nations never boast.
Unless it is in self defence,
Then they have glorious recompense,
But arts of peace they should be prized
By nations truly Christianized.
Poets and Philosophers
Bacon, Hogg, Lamb and Shakespeare
Bacon, philosopher profound,
With mighty thoughts his works abound,
Reflections did his mind engage
Were in advance of his own age.
And Hogg the Ettrick shepherd bard,
High honors all do him award,
Great fame and glory he did reap
While tending to his flock of sheep.
And Lamb, the gentle and the good,
His works all show a happy mood;
About these names there is no waste,
Pleasing to fancy and to taste.
Some critics think they do make clear
The fact that Bacon wrote Shakespeare,
But a gent lives in New York
Asks what effect will it have on pork.
Of course it would quick awaken
A higher estimate of Bacon,
But it is folly for to rear
His fame on ruins of Shakespeare.
Though Will was not college bred,
With Greek they did not cram his head,
But he well knew by translations
The history of the ancient nations.
And mingled daily in the strife
With people in all walks of life,
His plays they are to nature true
Because he wrote of what he knew.
“Alas that I have wandered here and there”
He does cry out in his despair,
While he did lead a wandering life
And left alone his loving wife.
James Hogg
The wondrous shepherd James Hogg
Was happy with his good sheep dog,
Meditating o’er his sweet lays
While his fleecy flocks did graze.
His education it came late
After he reached to man’s estate,
While his flocks were busy feeding
His favourite authors he was reading.
Wondrous tales he did rehearse
Of witches both in prose and verse,
And he in fairy tales did glory
Traditions of each shepherd’s story.
The shepherd he sang late and early
Of the deeds of bold Prince Charley,
And how the charming bonnie Flora
Soothed the Prince when in his sorrow.
Few songs possess so much vigor
As his gathering of McGregor,
The lover’s heart is all aflame
To meet lassie when the kye comes hame.
But one who loved the shepherd’s songs
And sang them unto countless throngs,
Great Kennedy has passed away
Now mournful is our Scottish lay.
Highland Sketches
The Romans, Saxons and the Danes
Did oft o’er run the Scottish plains.
So daring were those mauraders
And skilful too were invaders.
The lowland man enjoyed his farm,
But oft he was in great alarm,
When Highlanders o’er plain would sweep
And drive to hills his steers and sheep.
For highlandmen were taught in song
The lowlands to them did belong,
Each highland chief he ruled like king
And Bards they did his praises sing,
In war the chief he led the van,
Marching to battle with his clan,
And when the foe attacked their chief
The clansmen rushed to his relief.
When they King William’s forces mass
In Killicrankie’s famous pass,
The highlanders with joy and glee
Rushed on them led by bold Dundee.
Lowland troops they would not tarry
But they strove to ford the Garry,
Soon many on the field lay dead,
In river floated many a head.
For clansmen with the good broad sword
Of battlefield they soon were Lord,
And historians will rank the
Chief highland victory of Killicrankie.
Again there sweeps the highland clans,
Victorious at Preston Pans,
Under Prince Charlie full of hope,
They drove the troops were led by Cope.
But from Culloden Charlie flies
While Highland blood the heather dyes,
For months he wandered ’mong the hills
Young Flora strove to soothe his ills.
While he was hunted by blood hounds,
For sake of thirty thousand pounds,
But Highlanders the gold despise,
And honor only each doth prize.
At last to Charlie’s great delight,
From France a vessel hove in sight,
And safely bore the gallant Prince
To the sunny shores of France.
And may once more each hill and glen
Be filled with hardy Highland men,
Who love bagpipes and bonnets blue
And give to Britain soldiers true.
Castle Gordon
In youth we spent a pleasant day
Round Castle Gordon on the Spey,
There is no Clan can gird the sword on,
Can compare with the Clan Gordon,
In India, China and Sudan,
They manfully have led the van.
River Clyde
The Glasgow people do take pride
In their river both deep and wide,
In early times the youth and maid
Did o’er its shallow waters wade.
But city money did not grudge,
And dug it deep with the steam dredge,
And now proudly on its bosom floats
The mighty ships and great steamboats.
No wonder citizens take pride
For they themselves have made the Clyde,
Great and navigable river,
Where huge fleets will float forever.
Dunbarton’s lofty castle rock29
Which oft’ has stood the battle’s shock,
The river it doth boldly guard,
So industry may reap reward.
But more protection still they deem
Is yet required so down the stream
Strong batteries are erected,
So commerce may be safe protected.
Old ocean now he doth take pride
To see upon his bosom ride
The commerce of his youngest bride,
The fair and lovely charming Clyde.
Lofty Actors Withdraw
As one by one the lofty actors of the age
Withdraw from clianging play on history’s page,
The act of war and peace of old and new contending
For it is long ere there’s harmonious blending.
And many a noble actor brave and bold
Hath perished in the fight between the new and old,
The victor and the vanquished Lincoln and Lee,
The former he four
