Ye mountains stern! within whose rugged breast

          The friends of Scottish freedom found repose;

        Ye torrents! whose hoarse sounds have soothed their rest,

          Returning from the field of vanquished foes;

        Say, have ye lost each wild majestic close

          That erst the choir of Bards or Druids flung,

        What time their hymn of victory arose,

          And Cattraeth’s glens with voice of triumph rung,

      And mystic Merlin harped, and grey-haired Llywarch sung?

        Oh! if your wilds such minstrelsy retain,

          As sure your changeful gales seem oft to say,

        When sweeping wild and sinking soft again,

          Like trumpet-jubilee, or harp’s wild sway;

        If ye can echo such triumphant lay,

          Then lend the note to him has loved you long!

        Who pious gathered each tradition grey

          That floats your solitary wastes along,

      And with affection vain gave them new voice in song.

        For not till now, how oft soe’er the task

          Of truant verse hath lightened graver care,

        From Muse or Sylvan was he wont to ask,

          In phrase poetic, inspiration fair;

        Careless he gave his numbers to the air,

          They came unsought for, if applauses came:

        Nor for himself prefers he now the prayer;

          Let but his verse befit a hero’s fame,

      Immortal be the verse! – forgot the poet’s name!

        Hark, from yon misty cairn their answer tost:

          “Minstrel! the fame of whose romantic lyre,

        Capricious-swelling now, may soon be lost,

          Like the light flickering of a cottage fire;

        If to such task presumptuous thou aspire,

          Seek not from us the meed to warrior due:

        Age after age has gathered son to sire

          Since our grey cliffs the din of conflict knew,

      Or, pealing through our vales, victorious bugles blew.

        “Decayed our old traditionary lore,

          Save where the lingering fays renew their ring,

        By milkmaid seen beneath the hawthorn hoar,

          Or round the marge of Minchmore’s haunted spring;

        Save where their legends grey-haired shepherds sing,

          That now scarce win a listening ear but thine,

        Of feuds obscure, and Border ravaging,

          And rugged deeds recount in rugged line,

      Of moonlight foray made on Teviot, Tweed, or Tyne.

        “No! search romantic lands, where the near Sun

          Gives with unstinted boon ethereal flame,

        Where the rude villager, his labour done,

          In verse spontaneous chants some favoured name,

        Whether Olalia’s charms his tribute claim,

          Her eye of diamond, and her locks of jet;

        Or whether, kindling at the deeds of Græme,

          He sing, to wild Morisco measure set,

      Old Albin’s red claymore, green Erin’s bayonet!

        “Explore those regions, where the flinty crest

          Of wild Nevada ever gleams with snows,

        Where in the proud Alhambra’s ruined breast

          Barbaric monuments of pomp repose;

        Or where the banners of more ruthless foes

          Than the fierce Moor, float o’er Toledo’s fane,

        From whose tall towers even now the patriot throws

          An anxious glance, to spy upon the plain

      The blended ranks of England, Portugal, and Spain.

        “There, of Numantian fire a swarthy spark

          Still lightens in the sunburnt native’s eye;

        The stately port, slow step, and visage dark,

          Still mark enduring pride and constancy.

        And, if the glow of feudal chivalry

          Beam not, as once, thy nobles’ dearest pride,

        Iberia! oft thy crestless peasantry

          Have seen the plumed Hidalgo quit their side,

      Have seen, yet dauntless stood – ’gainst fortune fought and died.

        “And cherished still by that unchanging race,

          Are themes for minstrelsy more high than thine;

        Of strange tradition many a mystic trace,

          Legend and vision, prophecy and sign;

        Where wonders wild of Arabesque combine

          With Gothic imagery of darker shade,

        Forming a model meet for minstrel line.

          Go, seek such theme!” – the Mountain Spirit said.

      With filial awe I heard – I heard, and I obeyed.

        Rearing their crests amid the cloudless skies,

          And darkly clustering in the pale moonlight,

        Toledo’s holy towers and spires arise,

          As from a trembling lake of silver white.

        Their mingled shadows intercept the sight

          Of the broad burial-ground outstretched below,

        And nought disturbs the silence of the night;

          All sleeps in sullen shade, or silver glow,

      All save the heavy swell of Teio’s ceaseless flow.

        All save the rushing swell of Teio’s tide,

          Or, distant heard, a courser’s neigh or tramp;

        Their