Biggar and the House of Fleming

110 BIGGAR AND THE HOUSE OF FLEMING.
Cheer'd by the setting sun's inspiring beam,
Oft wandering, I enjoy the peaceful hour.
" The solemn scenes dispose the tranquil breast
To serious musing, and to thought refined ;
And contemplation comes, a heavenly guest,
And pours out all her blessings on the mind."
His patriotism and loyalty found vent in a noble ode to the
King on his birthday, 1756. We give one or two stanzas : —
" Industrious Commerce swells her train
With all the treasures which the main
And distant lands can boast ;
While glittering gems and golden ore,
The wealth of every foreign shore,
She pours on Albion's coast.
" Here gentle love, with roses crowned,
And peace, with olive garlands bound,
Their mingling charms unite ;
While art and science, hand in hand,
Conspire to bless the happy land
With honour and delight.
" Fair Liberty, high o'er the rest,
Exalted dwells in every breast,
By Britons still adored ;
For her the angry god of war,
Impatient, mounts his iron car,
And waves his flaming sword.
" See there her potent navy ride,
Exulting o'er the foaming tide,
The tyrant's constant dread.
Soon may her awful thunder roar
O'er faithless Gallia's hostile shore,
Kuin and terror spread.
Favoured of Heaven, assert the cause
Of Britain, liberty, and laws ;
And when with glory crowned,
Bid the fell rage of battle cease,
And, with the bands of love and peace,
Embrace the nations round."
The Scottish language, his native vernacular, was then con-
sidered rude and vulgar. It had not yet been raised to classic
dignity by the genius of Burns and Scott. Hence he sedu-
lously avoids the use of it in any of his productions. Neither