Glengarry's Death-Song
For Glengarry Sir Walter Scott wrote the following Lament. It has been in possession of the family ever since:[1]—
Glengarry's Death-Song.
Land of the Gael, thy glory has flown!
For the star of the North from its orbit is thrown;
Dark, dark is thy sorrow, and hopeless thy pain,
For no star e'er shall beam with its lustre again,
Glengarry—Glengarry is gone evermore,
Glengarry—Glengarry we'll ever deplore.
For the star of the North from its orbit is thrown;
Dark, dark is thy sorrow, and hopeless thy pain,
For no star e'er shall beam with its lustre again,
Glengarry—Glengarry is gone evermore,
Glengarry—Glengarry we'll ever deplore.
O tell of the warrior who never did yield,
O tell of the chief who was falchion and shield,
O think of the patriot, most ardent and kind;
Then sigh for Glengarry in whom all were joined.
O tell of the chief who was falchion and shield,
O think of the patriot, most ardent and kind;
Then sigh for Glengarry in whom all were joined.
The chieftains may gather—the combatants call,
One champion is absent—that champion was all;
The bright eye of genius and valour may flame,
But who now shall light it to honour and fame.
One champion is absent—that champion was all;
The bright eye of genius and valour may flame,
But who now shall light it to honour and fame.
See the light bark how toss'd! she's wrecked on the wave!
See dauntless Glengarry on the verge of the grave!
See his leap—see that gash, and that eye now so dim!
And thy heart must be steel'd, if it bleed not for him.
See dauntless Glengarry on the verge of the grave!
See his leap—see that gash, and that eye now so dim!
And thy heart must be steel'd, if it bleed not for him.
Arise thou young branch of so noble a stem,
Obscurity marks not the worth of a gem;
O hear the last wish of thy father for thee:
"Be all to thy country, Glengarry should be."
Obscurity marks not the worth of a gem;
O hear the last wish of thy father for thee:
"Be all to thy country, Glengarry should be."
Why sounds the loud pibroch, why tolls the death bell,
Why crowd our bold clansmen to Garry's green vale?
'Tis to mourn for their chief—for Glengarry the brave,
'Tis to tell that a hero is laid in his grave.
Why crowd our bold clansmen to Garry's green vale?
'Tis to mourn for their chief—for Glengarry the brave,
'Tis to tell that a hero is laid in his grave.
O! heard ye that anthem, slow, pealing on high!
The shades of the valiant are come from the sky,
And the Genii of Gaeldoch are first in the throng,
O list to the theme of their aerial song.
The shades of the valiant are come from the sky,
And the Genii of Gaeldoch are first in the throng,
O list to the theme of their aerial song.
It's "welcome Glengarry, thy clansmen's fast friend."
It's "welcome to joys that shall ne'er have an end,
The halls of great Odin are open to thee,
O welcome Glengarry, the gallant and free."
It's "welcome to joys that shall ne'er have an end,
The halls of great Odin are open to thee,
O welcome Glengarry, the gallant and free."
- ↑ Miss Macdonell writes:—
Mavis Bank, Rothesay, 17th April 1893.
"My father died in January 1828, and my mother came to Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh, where she lived from May 1828 to May 1830. It was there I first saw the 'Death-Song,' and was told by mother that Sir Walter Scott had written it and sent it to her. I believe she got it soon after we all came south in May 1828, and it has always been in whatever houses we lived ever since."
This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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