At either's feet a trusty squire, Under the blossom'd bough, than we. And blithesome nights, too, have been ours. The wild blast sighing deep and drear, And he was held a laggard soul, Who shunn'd to quaff the sparkling bowl. Camp was a favourite dog of the Poet's, a bull terrier of exIraordinary sagacity. He is introduced in Raeburn's portrait of Sir Walter Scott, now at Dalkeith Palace.] 2 [MS.-"Till oft our voice suppress'd the feud."] 3 [MS.-" When light we heard what now I hear."] 4 [Colin Mackenzie, Esq. of Portmore. See Border Minstrelsy, vol. iv. p. 351.] 5 [Sir William Rae of St. Catherine's Bart. subsequently Lord Advocate of Scotland, was a distinguished member of the volunteer corps to which Sir Walter Scott belonged; and he, the Poet, Mr. Skene, Mr. Mackenzie, and a few other friends, had formed themselves into a little semi-military club, the meetings of which were held at their family supper-tables in rotation.] 6 The late Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, Bart. son of the author of the "Life of Beattie."1 For not Mimosa's tender tree Shrinks sooner from the touch than he,-- With laughter drown'd the whistling wind. And though the field-day, or the drill, 1 See King Lear. ? [MS.-"Such nights we've had; and though. our game Advance of years nay something tame."] MARMION. CANTO FOURTH. The Camp. I. EUSTACE, I said, did blithely mark Some clamour'd loud for armour lost; 66 By Becket's bones," cried one," I fear,' That some false Scot has stolen my spear!" [MS.-"By Becket's bones,' cried one, I swear. " Young Blount, Lord Marmion's second squire, Last night he dress'd him sleek and fair. While chafed the impatient squire like thunder, To Marmion who the plight dare tell, II. Fitz-Eustace, who the cause but guess'd 1 [MS.-"The good horse panting on the straw." 2 Alias "Will o' the Wisp." This personage is a strolling demon, or esprit follet, who, once upon a time, got admittance into a monastery as a scullion, and played the monks many pranks. He was also a sort of Robin Goodfellow, and Jack o' Lanthern. It is in allusion to this mischievous demon that Milton's clown speaks, "She was pinched, and pulled, she said, And he by Friar's lanthern led." "The History of Friar Rush" is of extreme rarity, and, for some time, even the existence of such a book was doubted, although it is expressly alluded to by Reginald Scot, in his "Discovery of Witchcraft. I have perused a copy in the valuable library of my friend Mr. Heber; and I observe, from Mr. Beloe's "Anecdotes of Literature," that there is one in the excellent collection of the Marquis of Stafford His comrades' clamorous plaints suppress'd; He knew Lord Marmion's mood. Him, ere he issued forth, he sought, And found deep plunged in gloomy thought, And did his tale display Simply, as if he knew of nought To cause such disarray. Lord Marmion gave attention coid, III. Young Henry Blount, meanwhile, the cost I trust that soon a conjuring band, For in this haunted den, I trow, MS.-"With bloody cross and fiery brand."] |