shall sweetly join the choir;

the blackbird strong, the lintwhite clear,

the mavis mild and mellow;

the robin pensive autumn cheer,

in all her locks of yellow.

this, too, a covert shall ensure,

to shield them from the storm;

and coward maukin sleep secure,

low in her grassy form:

here shall the shepherd make his seat,

to weave his crown of flow'rs;

or find a shelt'ring, safe retreat,

from prone-descending show'rs.

and here, by sweet, endearing stealth,

shall meet the loving pair,

despising worlds, with all their wealth,

as empty idle care;

the flow'rs shall vie in all their charms,

the hour of heav'n to grace;

and birks extend their fragrant arms

to screen the dear embrace.

here haply too, at vernal dawn,

some musing bard may stray,

and eye the smoking, dewy lawn,

and misty mountain grey;

or, by the reaper's nightly beam,

mild-chequering thro' the trees,

rave to my darkly dashing stream,

hoarse-swelling on the breeze.

let lofty firs, and ashes cool,

my lowly banks o'erspread,

and view, deep-bending in the pool,

their shadow's wat'ry bed:

let fragrant birks, in woodbines drest,

my craggy cliffs adorn;

and, for the little songster's nest,

the close embow'ring thorn.

so may old scotia's darling hope,

your little angel band

spring, like their fathers, up to prop

their honour'd native land!

so may, thro' albion's farthest ken,

to social-flowing glasses,

the grace be—“athole's honest men,

and athole's bonie lasses!