They spur'd their steeds, and furious flew
Like lightning o'er the lea :

They reach'd Lord Buchan's lofty tow'rs
By dawning of the day.

Matilda stood without the gate
Upon a rising ground,

And watch'd each object in the dawn,
All ear to every sound.

• Where sleeps the Ross? (began the Græme) Or has the felon fled?

This hand shall lay the wretch on earth
By whom my brother bled.'

And now the valiant knight awoke,
The virgin shrieking heard:
Straight up he rose, and drew his sword,
When the fierce band appear'd.

Your sword last night my brother slew,
His blood yet dims its shine;
And, ere the sun shall gild the morn,
Your blood shall reek on mine.'

* Your words are brave,' the chief return'd; But deeds approve the man:

166

Set by your men, and hand to hand
We'll try what valour can.'

With dauntless step he forward strode,
And dar'd him to the fight:

The Græme gave back, and fear'd his arm,
For well he knew his might.

Four of his men, the bravest four,

Sunk down beneath his sword;
But still he scorn'd the poor revenge,
And sought their haughty lord.

Behind him basely came the Græme,
And pierc'd him in the side :
Out spouting came the purple stream,
And all his tartans dy'd.

But yet his hand not drop'd the sword,
Nor sunk he to the ground,

Till through his enemy's heart his steel
Had forc'd a mortal wound.

Græme, like a tree by winds o'erthrown,
Fell breathless on the clay;

And down beside him sunk the Ross,
And faint and dying lay.

Matilda saw, and fast she ran :

O spare his life! (she cried)
Lord Buchan's daughter begs his life,
Let her not be denied.'

Her well-known voice the hero heard;
He rais'd his death-clos'd eyes;
He fix'd them on the weeping maid,
And weakly thus replies :

In vain Matilda begs a life,
By death's arrest denied;
My race is run-adieu my love!'
Then clos'd his eyes, and died.

The sword, yet warm, from his left side, With frantic hand she drew:

'I' come, Sir James the Ross, (she cried) I come to follow you.'

The hilt she lean'd against the ground,
And bar'd her snowy breast;
Then fell upon her lover's face,
And sunk to endless rest.

THE CONSULTATION OF PHYSICIANS.

AN EPISTLE FROM BATH.

[ANSTEY.]

DEAR mother, my time has been wretchedly spent,
With a gripe or a hickup wherever I went,
My stomach all swell'd, till I thought it would burst,
Sure never poor mortal with wind was so curst!
If ever I ate a good supper at night,

I dream'd of the devil, and wak'd in a fright:
And so, as I grew every day worse and worse,
The doctor advis'd me to send for a nurse,
And the nurse was so willing my health to restore,
She beg'd me to send for a few doctors more;
For when any difficult work's to be done,
Many heads can dispatch it much sooner than one ;
And I find there are doctors enough at this place,
If you want to consult in a dangerous case !
So they all met together, and thus began talking :

Good doctor, I'm your's-'tis a fine day for walking

Sad news in the papers-G-d knows who's to blame !
The colonies seem to be all in a flame-

This stamp act, no doubt, might be good for the crown,
But I fear tis a pill that will never go down—
What can Portugal mean!-is she going to stir up
Convulsions and heats in the bowels of Europe?
'Twill be fatal if England relapses again,

From the ill blood and humours of Bourbon and Spain.'

Says I- My good doctors, I can't understand Why the deuce ye take so many patients in hand; Ye've a great deal of practice, as far as I find; But since ye're come hither, do pray be so kind To write me out something that's good for the wind. No doubt ye are all of ye great politicians, But at present my bowels have need of physicians : Consider my case in the light it deserves,

And pity the state of my stomach and nerves.'

But a tight little doctor began a dispute About administrations, Newcastle, and Bute, Talk'd much of economy, much of profuseness : Says another-This case, which at first was a looseness,

Is become a Tenesmus, and all we can do

Is to give him a gentle cathartic or two;