The Union: Or, Select Scots and English Poems.

by Various.

PREFACE.

As the mind of man is ever fond of variety, nothing seems better calculated to entertain, than a judicious collection of the smaller, though not on that account less laboured, productions of eminent poets: an entertainment, not unlike that which we receive from surveying a finished landschape, or well disposed piece of sh.e.l.l-work: where each particular object, tho' singly beautiful, and sufficiently striking by itself, receives an additional charm, thus, as Milton expresses it, SWEETLY INTERCHANGED.

The first miscellaneous collection of poems, that ever appeared in Great-Britain with any reputation, is that published by Dryden: which was afterwards continued by Tonson. There are many pieces of the highest merit in this collection, by Dryden, Denham, Creech, Drayton, Garth, Marvell, and many others; yet the compilers, it is evident, were not always sufficiently scrupulous and cautious in their choice, as several pieces are admitted, among the rest, which would otherwise utterly have perished, and which had no other recommendation, than that they served to swell the volume. Since this, many miscellanies have been published both in Scotland and England: to enumerate which would be no less tedious than useless. It will be sufficient to remark, that through want of care or judgment in their respective editors, they are all forgotten or neglected. From these the miscellany known by the name of Mr. Pope perhaps ought to be excepted; tho' that, indeed, cannot properly be styled a collection of poems by different hands, which is such a one as we are speaking of at present, the greater part consisting of pieces by Mr. Pope only. The best miscellany at this day extant in our language, and the first complete one of the kind which we have seen, is that lately published by R. Dodsley, which boasts the greatest names of the present age among its contributors.

As to the poetical collection here exhibited to the public, we apprehend it challenges no small degree of regard, as it was made under the immediate inspection and conduct of several very ingenious gentlemen, whose names it would do us the highest honour to mention; and as it contains a variety not to be found even in the admirable collection last spoken of; I mean the Intermixture of poems both Scotch and English. Nor is this variety less agreeable than useful; as from it we have an opportunity of forming a comparison and estimate of the taste and genius of the two different nations, in their poetical compositions.

It will be necessary to take notice, that our chief care has been to furnish out the following miscellany with those pieces, regard being first had to real merit, which have laid unknown and un.o.bserved from their MANNER of publication; several of them having been printed by themselves, and so perished as it were for want of bulk, and others lost amid the rubbish of collections injudiciously made, and perhaps not easily to be met with. Nor will it be improper to mention, that in order to render our volume still more compleat, we have had the favour of some original poems, written by a late member of the university of Aberdeen, whose modesty would not permit us to prefix his name: one of which in this edition is printed with many improvements, from a corrected copy.

And from these ingenious essays, the public may be enabled to form some judgment beforehand of a poem of a n.o.bler and more important nature, which he is now preparing. Nor must we forget to return our public thanks to this gentleman, for the service he has been to us, not only in making this collection more excellent by his own contributions, but in selecting such pieces of others as were suitable to our design.

It is hoped that the ancient Scottish poems (amongst which THE THISTLE AND THE ROSE, and HARDYKNUTE are more particularly distinguished) will make no disagreeable figure amongst those of modern date; and that they will produce the same effect here, as Mr. Pope observes a moderate use of old words may have in a poem; which, adds he, is like working old abbey-stones into a modern building, and which I have sometimes seen practised with good success.

Upon the whole, as we have been favoured with the best a.s.sistance in compiling this volume, no further apology is necessary; and as the approbation of the public has been already secured to these poems separately, we hope they have no less reason to claim it, when thus published together.

A POEM IN HONOUR OF

MARGARET

DAUGHTER TO

HENRY VII. OF ENGLAND,

QUEEN TO

JAMES IV. KING OF SCOTS.

BY WILLIAM DUNBAR.

The Thistle and the Rose, O'er flowers and herbage green, By Lady Nature chose, Brave King and lovely Queen.

I.

When March with varying winds was overpast, And sweet April had with his silver showers Ta'n leave of Nature with an orient blast, And l.u.s.ty May, that mother is of flowers, Had made the birds begin by tymous hours; Among the tender odours red and white, Whose harmony to her was great delight.

II.

In bed at morrow, sleeping as I lay, Methought Aurora with her ruby ene, In at my window looked by the day, And halsit me with visage pale and green; Upon her hand a lark sang frae the spleen, "Lovers, awake out of your slumbering.

"See how the l.u.s.ty morning does upspring."

III.

Methought fresh May before my bed upstood, In weed depainted of ilk diverse hue, Sober, benign, and full of mansuetude, In bright attire of flowers, all forged new, Of heavenly colour, white, red, brown and blue, Balmit in dew, and gilt with Phebus' beams, While all the house illumin'd with her leams.

IV.

Sluggard, she said, awake anon for shame, And in mine honour something thou go write; The lark has done, the merry day proclaim, Lovers to raise with comfort and delight; Will nought increase thy courage to indite, Whose heart sometime has glad and blissful been, Songs oft to make, under the branches green?

V.

Whereto, quoth I, shall I uprise at morrow, For in thy month few birds have I heard sing, They have mare cause to weep and plain their sorrow: Thy air it is not wholsome nor benign, Lord Eolus does in thy season ring, So bousteous are the blasts of his shrill horn, Among thy boughs to walk I have forborn.

VI.

With that the lady soberly did smile, And said, uprise and do thy observance: Thou did promise in May's l.u.s.ty while, Then to describe the ROSE of most pleasance Go see the birdis how they sing and dance, And how the skies illumined are bright, Enamell'd richly with new azure light.

VII.

When this was said, away then went the Queen, And enter'd in a l.u.s.ty garden gent; And then methought, full hastily beseen, In sark and mantle after her I went Into this garth most dulce and redolent, Of herb and flower, and tender plants most sweet, And the green leaves doing of dew down fleit.

VIII.

The purple sun, with tender rayis red, In orient bright as angel did appear, Through golden skies advancing up his head, Whose gilded tresses shone so wondrous clear, That all the world took comfort far and near, To look upon his fresh and blissful face, Doing all sable frae the Heavens chace.

IX.

And as the blissful sun drove up the sky, All nature sang through comfort of the light, The minstrels wing'd, with open voices cry, "O Lovers now is fled the dully night, "Come welcome day, that comforts ev'ry wight; "Hail May! hail Flora! hail Aurora sheen, "Hail Princess Nature! hail love's hartsome Queen!

X.

Dame Nature gave an inhibition there, To Neptune fierce, and Eolus the bold, Not to perturb the water or the air, That neither blashy shower, nor blasts more cold Should flowers affray nor fowls upon the fold.

She bade eke Juno, G.o.ddess of the sky, That she the heaven should keep amene and dry.

XI.

Also ordain'd that every bird and beast Before her Highness should anon compear; And every flower of virtue most and least, And every herb of fair field far and near, As they had wont in May from year to year; To her their Queen to make obedience, Full low inclining with due reverence.

XII.