thevision duanfirst thesunhadclos'dthewinterday, thecurlessquattheirroarinplay, andhunger'dmaukintaenherway, tokail-yardsgreen, whilefaithlesssnawsilkstepbetray whareshehasbeen. thethresher'swearyflingin-tree, thelee-langdayhadtiredme andwhenthedayhadclos'dhise'e, fari'thewest, beni'thespence,rightpensivelie, igaedtorest. there,lanelybytheingle-cheek, isatandey'dthespewingreek, thatfill'd,wi'hoast-provokingsmeek, theauldclaybiggin an'heardtherestlessrattonssqueak abouttheriggin. allinthismottie,mistyclime, ibackwardmus'donwastedtime, howihadspentmyyouthfu'prime, an'donenaething, butstringingblethersupinrhyme, forfoolstosing. haditoguidadvicebutharkit, imight,bythis,haeledamarket, orstruttedinabankandclarkit mycash-account whilehere,half-mad,half-fed,half-sarkit. isa'th'amount. istarted,mutt'ring,“blockhead!coof!” andheav'donhighmywaukitloof, toswearbya'yonstarryroof, orsomerashaith, thatihenceforthwadberhyme-proof tillmylastbreath— whenclick!thestringthesnickdiddraw an'jee!thedoorgaedtothewa' an'bymyingle-loweisaw, nowbleezinbright, atight,outlandishhizzie,braw, comefullinsight. yeneednadoubt,iheldmywhisht theinfantaith,half-form'd,wascrusht iglowr'daseerie'si'dbeendusht insomewildglen whensweet,likehonestworth,sheblusht, an'steppedben. green,slender,leaf-cladholly-boughs weretwisted,gracefu',roundherbrows itookherforsomescottishmuse, bythatsametoken andcometostopthoserecklessvows, wouldsoonbeenbroken. a“hair-brain'd,sentimentarace” wasstronglymarkedinherface awildly-witty,rusticgrace shonefulluponher hereye,ev'nturn'donemptyspace, beam'dkeenwithhonour. downflow'dherrobe,atartansheen, tillhalfalegwasscrimplyseen an'suchaleg!myboniejean couldonlypeerit saestraught,saetaper,tightan'clean— naneelsecamenearit. hermantlelarge,ofgreenishhue, mygazingwonderchieflydrew: deeplightsandshades,bold-mingling,threw alustregrand andseem'd,tomyastonish'dview, awell-knownland. here,riversintheseawerelost there,mountainstotheskiesweretoss't: here,tumblingbillowsmark'dthecoast, withsurgingfoam there,distantshoneart'sloftyboast, thelordlydome. here,doonpour'ddownhisfar-fetch'dfloods there,well-fedirwinestatelythuds: auldhermitayrstawthro'hiswoods, ontotheshore andmanyalessertorrentscuds, withseemingroar. low,inasandyvalleyspread, anancientboroughrear'dherhead still,asinscottishstoryread, sheboastsarace toev'rynoblervirtuebred, andpolish'dgrace. bystatelytow'r,orpalacefair, orruinspendentintheair, boldstemsofheroes,hereandthere, icoulddiscern someseem'dtomuse,someseem'dtodare, withfeaturestern. myheartdidglowingtransportfeel, toseearaceheroicwheel, andbrandishroundthedeep-dyedsteel, insturdyblows while,back-recoiling,seem'dtoreel theirsuthronfoes. hiscountry'ssaviour,markhimwell! boldrichardton'sheroicswell thechief,onsarkwhogloriousfell, inhighcommand andhewhomruthlessfatesexpel hisnativeland. there,whereasceptr'dpictishshade stalk'droundhisasheslowlylaid, imark'damartialrace,pourtray'd incoloursstrong: bold,soldier-featur'd,undismay'd, theystrodealong. thro'manyawild,romanticgrove, nearmanyahermit-fanciedcove (fithauntsforfriendshiporforlove, inmusingmood), anagedjudge,isawhimrove, dispensinggood. withdeep-struck,reverentialawe, thelearnedsireandsonisaw: tonature'sgod,andnature'slaw, theygavetheirlore this,allitssourceandendtodraw, that,toadore. brydon'sbravewardiwellcouldspy, beneatholdscotia'ssmilingeye: whocall'donfame,lowstandingby, tohandhimon, wheremanyapatriot-nameonhigh, andheroshone. duansecond withmusing-deep,astonish'dstare, iview'dtheheavenly-seemingfair awhisperingthrobdidwitnessbear ofkindredsweet, whenwithaneldersister'sair shedidmegreet. “allhail!myowninspiredbard! inmethynativemuseregard norlongermournthyfateishard, thuspoorlylow icometogivetheesuchreward, aswebestow! “know,thegreatgeniusofthisland hasmanyalightaerialband, who,allbeneathhishighcommand, harmoniously, asartsorarmstheyunderstand, theirlaboursply. “theyscotia'sraceamongthemshare: somefirethesoldierontodare somerousethepatriotuptobare corruption'sheart: someteachthebard—adarlingcare— thetunefulart. “'mongswellingfloodsofreekinggore, they,ardent,kindlingspiritspour or,'midthevenalsenate'sroar, they,sightless,stand, tomendthehonestpatriot-lore, andgracethehand. “andwhenthebard,orhoarysage, charmorinstructthefutureage, theybindthewildpoetricrage inenergy, orpointtheinconclusivepage fullontheeye. “hence,fullarton,thebraveandyoung hence,dempster'szeal-inspiredtongue hence,sweet,harmoniousbeattiesung his'minstrellays' ortore,withnobleardourstung, thesceptic'sbays. “tolowerordersareassign'd thehumblerranksofhuman-kind, therusticbard,thelab'ringhind, theartisan allchoose,asvariousthey'reinclin'd, thevariousman. “whenyellowwavestheheavygrain, thethreat'ningstormsomestronglyrein someteachtomelioratetheplain withtillage-skill andsomeinstructtheshepherd-train, blytheo'erthehill. “somehintthelover'sharmlesswile somegracethemaiden'sartlesssmile somesoothethelab'rer'swearytoil forhumblegains, andmakehiscottage-scenesbeguile hiscaresandpains. “some,boundedtoadistrict-space exploreatlargeman'sinfantrace, tomarktheembryotictrace ofrusticbard andcarefulnoteeachopeninggrace, aguideandguard. “oftheseami—coilamyname: andthisdistrictasmineiclaim, whereoncethecampbells,chiefsoffame, heldrulingpower: imark'dthyembryo-tunefulflame, thynatalhour. “withfuturehopeioftwouldgaze fond,onthylittleearlyways, thyrudely,caroll'd,chimingphrase, inuncouthrhymes fir'datthesimple,artlesslays ofothertimes. “isawtheeseekthesoundingshore, delightedwiththedashingroar orwhenthenorthhisfleecystore drovethro'thesky, isawgrimnature'svisagehoar struckthyyoungeye. “orwhenthedeepgreen-mantledearth warmcherish'dev'ryfloweret'sbirth, andjoyandmusicpouringforth inev'rygrove isawtheeeyethegeneralmirth withboundlesslove. “whenripen'dfieldsandazureskies call'dforththereapers'rustlingnoise, isawtheeleavetheirev'ningjoys, andlonelystalk, toventthybosom'sswellingrise, inpensivewalk. “whenyouthfullove,warm-blushing,strong, keen-shivering,shotthynervesalong, thoseaccentsgratefuothytongue, th'adoredname, itaughttheehowtopourinsong, tosoothethyflame. “isawthypulse'smaddeningplay, wildsendtheepleasure'sdeviousway, misledbyfancy'smeteor-ray, bypassiondriven butyetthelightthatledastray waslightfromheaven. “itaughtthymanners-paintingstrains, theloves,thewaysofsimpleswains, tillnow,o'erallmywidedomains thyfameextends andsome,theprideofcoila'splains, becomethyfriends. “thoucanstnotlearn,noricanshow, topaintwiththomson'slandscapeglow orwakethebosom-meingthroe, withshenstone'sart orpour,withgray,themovingflow warmontheheart. “yet,allbeneathth'unrivall'drose, telowlydaisysweetlyblows tho'largetheforest'smonarchthrows hisarmyshade, yetgreenthejuicyhawthorngrows, adowntheglade. “thennevermurmurnorrepine striveinthyhumblespheretoshine andtrustme,notpotosi'smine, norking'sregard, cangiveablisso'ermatchingthine, arusticbard. “togivemycounselsallinone, thytunefulflamestillcarefulfan: preservethedignityofman, withsoulerect andtrusttheuniversalplan willallprotect. “andwearthouthis”—shesolemnsaid, andboundthehollyroundmyhead: thepolish'dleavesandberriesred didrustlingplay and,likeapassingthought,shefled inlightaway. [tomrs.stewartofstair,burnspresentedamanuscriptcopyof thevision.thatcopyembracesabouttwentystanzasattheendof duanfirst,whichhecancelledwhenhecametoprintthepricein hiskilmarnockvolume.sevenoftheseherestoredinprintinghis secondedition,asnotedonp.174.thefollowingaretheverses whichheleftunpublished.]