The Emigrant (Erskine, 1800)/The emigrant

Fast by the margin of a moſſy rill,
That wandered, gurgling, down a heath-clad hill,
An ancient ſhepherd ſtood, oppreſs'd with woe,
And ey'd the ocean's flood that foam'd below;
Where, gently rocking on the riſing tide,
A ſhip's unwonted form was ſeen to ride.
Unwonted, well I ween; for ne'er before,
Had touch'd one keel, the ſolitary ſhore;
Nor had the ſwain's rude footſteps ever ſtray'd,
Beyond the ſhelter of his native ſhade.
His few remaining hairs were ſilver grey,
And his rough face had ſeen a better day.
Around him, bleating, ſtray'd a ſcanty flock,
And a few goats o'erhung the neighbouring rock.
One faithful dog his ſorrows ſeem'd to ſhare,
And ſtrove, with many a trick to eaſe his care.
While o'er his furrow'd cheeks, the ſalt drops ran,
He tun'd his ruſtic reed, and thus began:
​"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?

"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'd 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.
​"Another lord now rules thoſe wide domains,
"The avaricious tyrant of the plains,
"Far, far from hence he revels life away,
"In guilty pleaſures, our poor means muſt pay.
"The moſſy plains, the mountain's barren brow,
"Muſt now be tortur'd by the rearing plough,
"And, ſpite of nature, crops be taught to riſe,
"Which to theſe northern climes wiſe Heav'n denies.
"In vain, with ſweating brow and weary hands,
"We ſtrive to earn the gold our lord demands,
"While cold and hunger, and the dungeon's gloom,
"Await our failure as its ccrtain doom.

"To ſhun theſe ills that threat my hoary head,
"I ſeek in foreign lands precarious bread;
"Forc'd, tho' my helpleſs age from guilt be pure,
"The pangs of baniſh'd felons to endure;
"And all becauſe theſe hands have vainly try'd
"To force from art what nature has deny'd;
"Becauſe my little all will not ſuffice
"To pay th' inſatiate claims of Avaricc.

"In vain, of richer climates I am told,
"Whoſe hills are rich in gems, whoſe ſtreams are gold,
"I am contented here, I ne'er have feen
"A valc morc fertile, nor a hill more green,
"Nor would I leave this ſweet, though humble cot,
"To ſhare the richeſt monarch's envied lot.
"O! would to Heavcn the alternative were mine,
"Abroad to thrive, or here in want to pine,
​"Soon would I chuſe: but ere to-morrow's ſun
"Has o'er my head his radiant journey run,
"I ſhall be robb'd, by what they JUSTICE call,
"By legal ruffians, of my little all:
"Driv'n out to Hunger, Nakedneſs and Grief,
"Without one pitying hand to bring relief.
"Then come oh! ſad alternative to chuſe,
"Come, Baniſhment, I will no more refuſe.
"Go where I may, nor billows, rocks, nor wind,
"Can add of horror to my tortur'd mind;
"On whatſoever coaſt I may be thrown,
"No lord can uſe me harder than my own;
"Even they who tear the limbs and drink the gore,
"Of helpleſs ſtrangers, what can they do more?

"For thee, inſatiate chief! whoſe ruthleſs hand
"For ever drives me from my native land:
"For thee I leave no greater curſe behind,
"Than the fell bodings of a guilty mind;
"Or what were harder to a ſoul like thine,
"To find from avarice thy wealth decline.

"For you, my friends and neighbours, of the vale,
"Who now with kindly tears my fate bewail,
"Soon may your king, whoſe breaſt paternal glows,
"With tendereſt feelings for his peoples woes,
"Soon may the rulers of this mighty land,
"To eaſe your ſorrows ſtretch the helping hand,
​"Elſe ſoon, too ſoon, your hapleſs fate ſhall be,
"Like me to ſuffer, to depart like me.

"On your dear native land, from whenee I part,
"Reſt the beſt bleſſing of a broken heart.
"If in ſome future hour, the foe ſhould land
"His hoſtile legions on Britannia's ſtrand,
"May ſhe not then th' alarum found in vain,
"Nor miſs her baniſhed thouſands on the plain.

"Feed on, my ſheep, for though depriv'd of me,
"My cruel foes ſhall your protectors be,
"For their own ſakes, ſhall pen your ſtraggling flocks,
"And ſave your lambkins from the rav'ning fox.

"Feed on, my goats, another now ſhall drain
"Your ſtreams that heal diſeaſe and ſoften pain;
"No ſtreams, alas! can ever, ever flow,
"To heal your maſter's heart, or ſoothe his woe.

"Feed on, my flocks, ye harmleſs people, feed,
"The worſt that ye can ſuffer is to bleed.
"O! that the murderer's ſteel were all my fear!
"How fondly would I ſtay to periſh here-
"But, hark! My ſons loud call me from the vale,
"And, lo! the veſſel ſpreads the ſwelling ſail.
"Farewel! Farewel!"-A while his hands he wrung,
And o'er his cook in ſpeechleſs ſorrow hung,
Then caſting many a ling'ring look behind,
Down the ſteep mountain's brow began to wind.