Poems (Campbell)/Address to Zetland
AN ADDRESS TO ZETLAND.
"The land of Cakes[1]" has oft been sung,
In many a poet's strain;
But never might "the land of Fish"
Such proud distinction gain.
In many a poet's strain;
But never might "the land of Fish"
Such proud distinction gain.
Then I will lift the voice of praise;
To thee my strains belong;—
Thy misty hills, and humid vales,
First woke my infant song.
To thee my strains belong;—
Thy misty hills, and humid vales,
First woke my infant song.
Oft wand'ring by thy sea-beat shore
I woo'd the pensive Muse;
Nor will the Genii of thy rocks
This votive lay refuse.
I woo'd the pensive Muse;
Nor will the Genii of thy rocks
This votive lay refuse.
Long be thy banks, romantic Sound[2]!
Industry's happy seat;
And long thy fame remember'd be;—
First trod by princely feet!
Industry's happy seat;
And long thy fame remember'd be;—
First trod by princely feet!
May commerce oft with spreading sail,
To Lerwick's coast repair;
And gentle peace, on halcyon plume,
For ever linger there.
To Lerwick's coast repair;
And gentle peace, on halcyon plume,
For ever linger there.
And long the nymphs of Lerwick shine,
Devoid of modish art:
With beauty deck'd, and ev'ry charm
That wins the gallant heart.
Devoid of modish art:
With beauty deck'd, and ev'ry charm
That wins the gallant heart.
And fertile prove your barren fields,
Adorn'd with waving grain,
Where nought was seen but noisome weeds,
And dreary desert plain.
Adorn'd with waving grain,
Where nought was seen but noisome weeds,
And dreary desert plain.
And may that source of half your wealth,
The ocean's finny race,
Reward the honest fisher's toil,
And long your tables grace.
The ocean's finny race,
Reward the honest fisher's toil,
And long your tables grace.
And, oh! ye Zetland lairds be kind,
And shield th' industrious poor
From hard oppression's iron rod,
And tyranny of pow'r.
And shield th' industrious poor
From hard oppression's iron rod,
And tyranny of pow'r.
Oh! think how noble 'tis to smooth
The couch of want and care;
To bid the honest tenant smile,
And sweet contentment share.
The couch of want and care;
To bid the honest tenant smile,
And sweet contentment share.
Oh! think what fond and fervent zeal
Shall sanctify your cause,
When never forc'd by pining want
To break your rigid laws.
Shall sanctify your cause,
When never forc'd by pining want
To break your rigid laws.
How sweet the meed of conscious worth,
More dear than public fame!
How sweet the blessings that repose
Upon a good man's name!
More dear than public fame!
How sweet the blessings that repose
Upon a good man's name!
Then rule with mercy—so shall Heav'n
Your fondest wishes speed;
And joy, and peace, and plenty reign
From Scaw[3] to Sumburghead[4].
Your fondest wishes speed;
And joy, and peace, and plenty reign
From Scaw[3] to Sumburghead[4].
Oh! Laxford, dear! thy barren hills
Fond mem'ry still must love;
To thee my wand'ring fancy turns,
Where'er my footsteps rove.
Fond mem'ry still must love;
To thee my wand'ring fancy turns,
Where'er my footsteps rove.
Oh! scenes by happy childhood bless'd,
When grief was all unknown—
But dearer now, and treasur'd more,
Your joys for ever flown.
When grief was all unknown—
But dearer now, and treasur'd more,
Your joys for ever flown.
'Twas there, oh, Scott! thy presence cheer'd
Thine hospitable hall;
'Twas there thou gav'st with friendly smile
A welcome unto all.
Thine hospitable hall;
'Twas there thou gav'st with friendly smile
A welcome unto all.
Beneath thy roof each wand'rer found
A refuge from the storm;
And frequent hast thou shelter'd there
The orphan's trembling form.
A refuge from the storm;
And frequent hast thou shelter'd there
The orphan's trembling form.
Now in the cold and silent tomb
Thy mould'ring dust is laid,
And yet no marble stone is rear'd
To point thy lowly bed.
Thy mould'ring dust is laid,
And yet no marble stone is rear'd
To point thy lowly bed.
But, oh! within the grateful breast
Thy mem'ry long shall dwell;
Nor ask of art its feeble aid,
Thy honour'd name to tell.
Thy mem'ry long shall dwell;
Nor ask of art its feeble aid,
Thy honour'd name to tell.
And thou whom sorrow's chilling breath
Destroy'd in beauty's bloom,
How oft shall friendship's sacred tear
Bedew thy early tomb!
Destroy'd in beauty's bloom,
How oft shall friendship's sacred tear
Bedew thy early tomb!
Oh, Isabella! ever dear,
How oft has fancy rov'd
With thee by Laxford's moonlight stream,
And all the haunts we lov'd!
How oft has fancy rov'd
With thee by Laxford's moonlight stream,
And all the haunts we lov'd!
With thee I never more shall rove
By Laxford's bounding wave—
Thy spirit sought its kindred skies,
Thy form its peaceful grave.
By Laxford's bounding wave—
Thy spirit sought its kindred skies,
Thy form its peaceful grave.
When o'er thy bed a husband hung,
And dropt the fruitless tear;
When thy lov'd infant's feeble voice
Rung on thy dying ear;
And dropt the fruitless tear;
When thy lov'd infant's feeble voice
Rung on thy dying ear;
With all the eloquence of sighs,
And all the warmth of pray'r,
The kneeling friends around thy bed
Besought of Heav'n to spare.—
And all the warmth of pray'r,
The kneeling friends around thy bed
Besought of Heav'n to spare.—
'Twas vain—thy blameless course was run,
The blow of death was giv'n;
And angels hover'd o'er thy head,
To waft thy soul to heav'n.
The blow of death was giv'n;
And angels hover'd o'er thy head,
To waft thy soul to heav'n.
Adieu to thee, and all the friends
That happy childhood knew;—
By absence some, yet more by death,
Snatch'd sudden from my view!
That happy childhood knew;—
By absence some, yet more by death,
Snatch'd sudden from my view!
And Laxford's winding stream, adieu!
Adieu, thy sea-beach wild,
Where oft I've rov'd with careless feet,
Untutor'd nature's child!
Adieu, thy sea-beach wild,
Where oft I've rov'd with careless feet,
Untutor'd nature's child!
I dream'd not that a fairer spot
On earth's broad bosom lay;
Nor ever wish'd my wand'ring feet
Beyond its bounds to stray.
On earth's broad bosom lay;
Nor ever wish'd my wand'ring feet
Beyond its bounds to stray.
And when I read of fairer fields
Beyond the northern main;
And tow'ring trees, whose leafy arms
Spread o'er the flow'ry plain;
Beyond the northern main;
And tow'ring trees, whose leafy arms
Spread o'er the flow'ry plain;
Of rivers, through the verdant vale
Meandering smooth and clear;
Or where cascades their torrents dash
O'er precipices drear:
Meandering smooth and clear;
Or where cascades their torrents dash
O'er precipices drear:
I read—and fancy cloth'd thy steps
With darkling groves of pine;
Bright bloom'd thy flow'rs, smooth flow'd thy streams,
And ev'ry charm was thine.
With darkling groves of pine;
Bright bloom'd thy flow'rs, smooth flow'd thy streams,
And ev'ry charm was thine.
Soft on the weedy sea-beach stole
The wave with murmur low;
And o'er the undulating tide
Serener zephyrs blow.
The wave with murmur low;
And o'er the undulating tide
Serener zephyrs blow.
And there the moon, in radiance pale,
Her mildest lustre threw;
Silv'ring the rocks of Tuinna-taing,
And Ocean's bosom blue.
Her mildest lustre threw;
Silv'ring the rocks of Tuinna-taing,
And Ocean's bosom blue.
The fields of Hammerslain were gay
With flow'rs of simple dye;
And primrose there and daisy bloom'd
Beneath a brighter sky.
With flow'rs of simple dye;
And primrose there and daisy bloom'd
Beneath a brighter sky.
Oh, Laxford! once my happy home,
Farewell thy rocky shore!
The wand'rer that has fled from thee
Returns, alas! no more.
Farewell thy rocky shore!
The wand'rer that has fled from thee
Returns, alas! no more.
Oh! Hammerslain's romantic fields,
Take, take my last farewell!—
Another now shall rove your banks,
And in Scott's-Hall shall dwell;
Take, take my last farewell!—
Another now shall rove your banks,
And in Scott's-Hall shall dwell;
Another now shall nurse the flow'rs
I rear'd with anxious care;
Another range the sandy beach,
And cull the sea-shells there.
I rear'd with anxious care;
Another range the sandy beach,
And cull the sea-shells there.
Another, by the burn reclin'd,
O'er some sad tale shall weep;
Or list'ning to its murm'ring voice,
Be softly lull'd to sleep.
O'er some sad tale shall weep;
Or list'ning to its murm'ring voice,
Be softly lull'd to sleep.
Another now by Severspool
At purple dawn shall stray,
And on the mossy ward-hill[5] mark
The sportive lambkins play.
At purple dawn shall stray,
And on the mossy ward-hill[5] mark
The sportive lambkins play.
Farewell, ye scenes of dear delight,
A long, a last adieu!
For never more your distant charms
These aching eyes shall view.
A long, a last adieu!
For never more your distant charms
These aching eyes shall view.
And, Laxford! thou my once lov'd home,
A long farewell to thee—
The blissful hour of sweet return
Shall never smile on me!
A long farewell to thee—
The blissful hour of sweet return
Shall never smile on me!
Yet mem'ry oft with pious tear,
As changing seasons roll,
Shall consecrate thy parted joys,
And bind thee to my soul.
As changing seasons roll,
Shall consecrate thy parted joys,
And bind thee to my soul.
- ↑ A name frequently applied to Scotland
- ↑ A beautiful spot, near the town of Lerwick; the property of Mr. Nicholson, of Lochend. It was here, according to tradition, that some Norwegian prince, of high celebrity, formerly landed.
- ↑ Scaw, in Urst, the most northern of the Zetland isles.
- ↑ Sumburghead, the southernmost point of Zetland.
- ↑ Many of the high hills in Zetland, upon which are yet to be seen the ruins of ancient watch towers, are thus denominated by the inhabitants.