But, Swain forfworn! whoe'er thou art,

This hallow'd fpot forbear;

Remember Colin's dreadful fate,

And fear to meet him there.

AN IMITATION

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OF

THE PROPHECY OF NEREUS,

FROM HOR. BOOK III. ODE XXV.

Dicam infigne, recens, adhuc

Indium ore alio: non fecus in jugis
Ex fomnis fupet Evias

Hebrum profpiciens, et nive candidam
Thracen, as pede barbaro
Luftratam Rhodopen. HOR.

As Marr his round one morning took,

(Whom fome call Earl and fome call Duke)
And his new brethren of the blade

Shiv'ring with fear and frost furvey'd,
On Perth's bleak hills he chanc'd to spy
An aged wizard fix feet high,
With bristled hair and vifage blighted,
Walley'd, barehaunch'd, and fecondsighted.
The grifly fage in thought profound
Beheld the chief with back fo round,

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Then roll'd his eyeballs to and fro

O'er his paternal hills of snow,
And into thefe tremendous fpeeches

Broke forth the prophet without breeches:
"Into what ills betray'd by thee
"This ancient kingdom do I fee!
"Her realms unpeopled and forlorn;
"Wae's me that ever thou wert born!
"Proud English loons (our Clans o'ercome)
"On Scottish pads fhall amble home;

"I fee them drcft in bonnets blue,

་་

(The fpoils of thy rebellious crew) "I fee the target cast away,

"And checker'd plaid become their prey;
"The checker'd plaid, to make a gown

"For many a lafs in London town.
"In vain thy hungry mountaineers
"Come forth in all thy warlike geers,
"The shield, the pistol, durk, and dagger,
"In which they daily wont to swagger,
"And oft' have faily'd out to pillage
"The henroofts of fome peaceful village,
"Or while their neighbours were asleep
"Have carry'd off a lowland sheep.

"What boots thy highborn hoft of beggars, 35 "Macleans, Mackenzies, and Macgregors, "With Popish cutthroats, perjur'd ruffians, "And Forster's troop of ragamuffins?

"In vain thy lads around thee bandy, "Inflam'd with bagpipe and with brandy. "Doth not bold Sutherland the trusly, "With heart fo true and voice fo rusty,

(A loyal foul!) thy troops affright, "While hoarfely he demands the fight? "Doft thou not gen'rous Ilay dread, "The braveft hand, the wifest head? "Undaunted doft thou hear th' alarms"Of hoary Athol fheath'd in arms?

Douglas, who draws his lineage down "From thanes and peers of high renown,

Fiery and young, and uncontroll'd,

"With knights and fquires, and barons bold,

(His noble household band) advances,

"And on the milkwhite courfer prances.
"Thee Forfar to the combat dares,
"Grown fwarthy in Iberian wars;

"And Monro kindled into rage
"Sourly defies thee to engage;

"He'll rout thy foot tho' ne'er fo many, "And horfe to boot-if thou hadst any.

"But fee Argyle with watchful eyes

'Lodg'd in his deep entrenchments lies; "Couch'd like a lion in thy way "ile waits to fpring upon his prey, "While like a herd of timʼrous deer

"Thy army fhakes and pants with fear,

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"Led by their doughty gen'ral's skill
"From frith to frith, from hill to hill.
"Is thus thy haughty promise paid
"That to the Chevalier was made,
"When thou didst oaths and duty barter
"For dukedom, gen'ralship, and garter?

"Three moons thy Jemmy shall command
"With Highland fceptre in his hand,
"Too good for his pretended birth,-
"Then down fhall fall the King of Perth.

""Tis fo decreed; for George fhall reign,

"And traitors be forfworn in vain ;

"Heav'n fhall for ever on him smile,

"And blefs him still with an Argyle; "While thou pursu'd by vengeful foes,

"Condemn'd to barren rocks and fnows,

"And hinder'd paffing Inverlocky,

"Shall burn thy clan and curfe poor Jocky."

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EPISTLES.

TO THE SUPPOSED

AUTHOR OF THE SPECTATOR.

IN

courts licentious and a shameless stage How long the war shall wit with virtue wage? Enchanted by this prostituted fair

II

Our youth run headlong in the fatal snare,
In height of rapture clasp unheeded pains,
And fuck pollution thro' their tingling veins.
Thyfpotlefs thoughts unshock'd the priest may hear,
And the pure Vestal in her bofom wear.
To confcious blushes and diminish'd pride
Thy glafs betrays what treach'rous love would hide;
Nor harsh thy precepts, but infus'd by stealth,
Pleas'd while they cure and cheat us into health.
Thy works in Chloe's toilet gain a part,
And with his tailor fhare the foppling's heart.
Lash'd in thy fatire the penurious Cit
Laughs at himself and finds no harm in wit.
From felon gamefters the raw fquire is free,
And Britain owes her refcu'd oaks to thee.
His mifs the frolick Vifcount dreads to toast,
Or his third cure the fhallow Templar boast;

K

20.