and retirement, animated alone by the love of his art, and sustained through many long years of trial and of toil by the distant gleam of posthumous fame, it will not be disputed that his motives to action were exalted, and his exertions in the cause of human improvement disinterested. Ossa quieta, precor, tuta requiescite in urna ; GLASGOW, DEC. 23, 1846. J. M'C. POEMS. I. THE BATTLE-FLAG OF SIGURD. I. THE eagle hearts of all the North Have left their stormy strand; The warriors of the world are forth To choose another land! Again, their long keels sheer the wave, Again, the reckless and the brave, Nor swifter from the well-bent bow Can feathered shaft be sped, Than o'er the ocean's flood of snow Their snoring galleys tread. Then lift the can to bearded lip, And smite each sounding shield, Wassaile! to every darked-ribbed ship, So proudly the Skalds raise their voices of triumph, As the Northmen ride over the broad-bosom'd billow. II. Aloft, Sigurdir's battle-flag Well may the taint of slaughter lag On yonder glorious strand. The waters of the mighty deep, The wild birds of the sky, Hear it like vengeance shoreward sweep, Where moody men must die. The waves wax wroth beneath our keel The clouds above us lower, They know the battle sign, and feel All its resistless power! Who now uprears Sigurdir's flag, Nor shuns an early tomb? Who shoreward through the swelling surge, Shall bear the scroll of doom? So shout the Skalds as the long ships are nearing The low-lying shores of a beautiful land. III. Silent the Self-devoted stood Beside the massive tree; His image mirror'd in the flood Was terrible to see! As leaning on his gleaming axe, And gazing on the wave, His fearless soul was churning up, The words of fire rushed out, And thundering through that martial crew It is Harald the dauntless that lifteth his great voice, IV. "I bear Sigurdir's battle-flag Through sunshine or through gloom; I plant the scroll of doom! On Scandia's lonest, bleakest waste, The shadowy Three like meteors passed, And bade young Harald die ;— They sang the war-deeds of his sires, And pointed to their tomb; They told him that this glory-flag Was his by right of doom. Since then, where hath young Harald been, But where Jarl's son should be ? 'Mid war and waves-the combat keen That raged on land or sea!" So sings the fierce Harald, the thirster for glory, V. "Mine own death's in this clenched hand! I know the noble trust; These limbs must rot on yonder strand— These lips must lick its dust, But shall this dusky standard quail In the red slaughter day; Or shall this heart its purpose fail This arm forget to slay? I trample down such idle doubt; Harald's high blood hath sprung From sires whose hands in martial bout Nor keener from their castled rock Rush eagles on their prey, Than, panting for the battle-shock, It is thus that tall Harald, in terrible beauty, VI. "The ship-borne warriors of the North, The sons of Woden's race, To battle as to feast go forth, With stern, and changeless face; And I, the last of a great line- To lift on high the Runic sign In battle-field young Harald falls But backward never bears this flag, While streams to ocean flow; On, on above the crowded dead This Runic scroll shall flare, And round it shall the lightnings spread,* From swords that never spare." So rush the hero-words from the Death-doomed one, While Skalds harp aloud the renown of his fathers. VII. "Flag! from your folds, and fiercely wake War-music on the wind, Lest tenderest thoughts should rise to shake The sternness of my mind; Brynhilda, maiden meek and fair, Pale watcher by the sea, *And round it shall PALE lightnings spread.-MS. copy. |