The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume Vi Part 29

JOHN JEFFREY.

The author of "Lays of the Revolutions," John Jeffrey, was born on the 29th March 1822, at the manse of Girthon, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. His maternal granduncle was the celebrated Dr Thomas Brown of Edinburgh. From his father, who was parish minister of Girthon, and a man of accomplished learning, he received an education sufficient to qualify him for entering, in 1836, the University of Edinburgh. In 1844 he became a licentiate of the Free Church, and after declining several calls, accepted, in 1846, the charge of the Free Church congregation at Douglas, Lanarkshire. Mr Jeffrey was early devoted to poetical studies. In his eighteenth year he printed, for private circulation, a small volume of poems, ent.i.tled "Hymns of a Neophyte." In 1849 appeared his "Lays of the Revolutions," a work which, vindicating in powerful verse the cause of oppressed European nationalities, was received with much favour by the public. To several of the leading periodicals Mr Jeffrey has contributed spirited articles in support of liberal politics. A pamphlet from his pen, on the decay of traditional influence in Parliament, ent.i.tled "The Fall of the Great Factions," has obtained considerable circulation. More recently he has devoted himself to the study of the modern languages, and to inquiries in ethnological science.

WAR-CRY OF THE ROMAN INSURRECTIONISTS.

Rise, Romans, rise at last, Craft's kingdom now is past; Brook no delay!

Lombard blades long ago, Swifter than whirlwinds blow, Swept from Milan the foe: Why should we stay?

Rise, then, for fatherland; In rock-like phalanx stand, Cowards no more.

Rise in colossal might, Rise till the storm of fight Wrap us in lurid light Where cannons roar!

In this great dawn of time, In this great death of crime, Quit us like men; By our deeds, by our words, By our songs, by our swords-- Use all against the hordes, Sabre or pen!

More than fame, duty calls, Trumpet-tongued from the walls Girding great Rome; Battle for truth and faith, Battle lest hostile scathe Crush us, or fetters swathe Free hearth and home!

Hark! how G.o.d's thunders roll, Booming from pole to pole Of the wide world!

"Old lies are crush'd for aye, Now truths a.s.sume their sway, Bright shines the flag of day O'er night unfurl'd!"

Tower, then, the barricades!

Flash forth the lightning blades!

Romans, awake!

Storm as the tempests burst, Down with the brood accursed!

Sparks long in silence nursed Etna-like break; And that volcano's thirst Seas cannot slake!

PATRICK SCOTT.

The author of several meritorious poetical works, Patrick Scott was born at Macao in China, but is eminently of Scottish descent. His father, Helenus Scott, M.D., a cadet of the ducal house of Buccleuch, was a distinguished member of the Medical Board of Bombay, of which he was some time president. Receiving an elementary education at the Charterhouse, London, the subject of this notice entered, in his sixteenth year, the East India College at Haileybury. At the age of eighteen he proceeded to India, to occupy a civil appointment at Bombay.

In 1845, after eleven years' service, he returned to Britain in impaired health, and he has since resided chiefly in London.

Mr Scott first appeared as an author in 1851, by the publication of "Lelio, and other Poems," a volume which was received with warm encomiums by the press. In 1853, he published "Love in the Moon: a Poem," which was followed in the same year by "Thomas a Becket, and other Poems." His latest poetical publication appeared in 1854, under the t.i.tle of "A Poet's Children."

THE EXILE.

With drooping heart he turn'd away To seek a distant clime, Where friends were kind, and life was gay, In early boyhood's time.

And still with years and seas between, To one fond hope he clung-- To see once more, as he had seen, The home he loved when young.

His youthful brow was touch'd with thought, And life had lost its morn, When glad again the wanderer sought The soil where he was born.

Alas! that long expected sh.o.r.e Denied the wonted joy, And the man felt not, as of yore Had felt the happier boy.

For formal friends scarce grasp'd his hand-- The friends he knew of old; What cared he for a sunny land, If human hearts were cold?

Again he cast his alter'd lot 'Mid alien tribes to roam; And fail'd to find another spot So foreign as his home.

His heavy grief no bosom shared, No eye would weep his fall; What matter if _his_ life were spared, Who lived unloved by all!

And when had ceased his earthly toil Upon that distant sh.o.r.e, His bones were gather'd to the soil-- His heart had died before.

JOHN BATHURST d.i.c.kSON.

An able theologian and accomplished writer of verses, John Bathurst d.i.c.kson was born on the 25th December 1823, in the town of Kelso, Roxburghshire. His father was a respectable writer or attorney in that place. Having studied at the University of Edinburgh, and pa.s.sed through a theological curriculum at the New College of that city, he became, in 1851, a licentiate of the Free Church. In June 1852, he was ordained to the ministerial charge of the Free High Church, Paisley.

During the period of his attendance at college, Mr d.i.c.kson was an extensive contributor to _Tait's Magazine_, and different religious periodicals. In 1855, he published "Theodoxia; or, Glory to G.o.d an Evidence for the Truth of Christianity;" and in 1857 appeared from his pen "The Temple Lamp," a periodical publication. He has written verses on a variety of topics. His song, "The American Flag," has been widely published in the United States.

THE AMERICAN FLAG.

Float forth, thou flag of the free; Flash far over land and sea, Proud ensign of Liberty-- Hail, hail to thee!

The blue of the heavens is thine, The stars on thy canvas shine; Thy heraldry tells thee divine-- Hail, hail to thee!

Thy white proclaims thee unstain'd, Thy crimson thy love unfeign'd To man, by despots enchain'd-- Hail, hail to thee!

Under thy G.o.d-given light Our fathers went forth to fight 'Gainst sceptred wrong for the right-- Hail, hail to thee!

The Lion of England no more 'Gainst thy proud Eagle shall roar: Peace strideth from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e-- Hail, hail to thee!

Float forth, thou flag of the free-- Flash far over land and sea, Till the world shout, Liberty-- Hail, hail to thee!

EVAN M'COLL.

A writer both of English and Gaelic songs, Evan M'Coll was born in 1808, at Kenmore, Lochfineside, Argyllshire. His father, Dugald M'Coll, followed an industrial occupation, but contrived to afford his son a somewhat liberal education. The leisure hours of the youthful poet were ardently devoted to literary culture. In 1837, he became a contributor of Gaelic poetry to a Glasgow periodical, and his compositions began to excite an interest in the Highlands. Two influential Highland gentlemen secured him an appointment in the Customs at Liverpool. He subsequently emigrated to America, and is now resident at Kingston.

Besides many fugitive pieces, Mr M'Coll has published a volume of lyrics, ent.i.tled "The Mountain Minstrel," and a volume of Gaelic poetry.

A specimen of his Gaelic minstrelsy will be found among the translations at the end of the present volume.