Page:Emigrant (2).pdf/4

 " Farewel! farewel! dear Caledonia's ſtrand,

" Rough though thou be, yet ſtill my native land,

" Exil'd from thee I ſeek a foreign ſhore,

" Friends, kindred, country, to behold no more:

" By hard Oppreſſion driv'n, my helpleſs age,

" That ſhould ere now have left Life's buſtling ſtage,

" Is forc'd the ocean's boiſt'rous breaſt to brave,

" In a far foreign land to ſeek a grave.

" And muſt I leave thee then, my little cot!

" Mine and my father's poor, but happy, lot,

" Where I have paſs'd in innocence away,

" Year after year, till Age has turn'd me grey?

{[em}}" Thou, dear companion of my happier life,

" Now to the grave gone down, my virtuous wife,

" 'Twas here you rear'd with fond maternal pride,

" Five comely ſons: three for their country died!

" Two ſtill remain, ſad remnant of the wars,

" Without one mark of honour but their ſcars;

" They live to ſee their fire denied a grave,

" In lands his much lov'd children died to ſave:

" Yet ſtill in peace and ſafety did we live,

" In peace and ſafety more than wealth can give,

" My two remaining boys, with ſturdy hands,

" Rcar'dRear'd [sic] the ſcant produce of our niggard lands:

" Scant as it was, no more our hearts deſir'd,

" No more from us our gen'rous lord requir'd.

" But ah, ſad chang ! thoſe bleſſed days are o'er,

" And Peace, Content, and Safety charm no more.