Italy, where he cultivated the muses so successfully as to merit the acquaintance and commendation of the learned wherever he went. On his return to Scotland 1496, having previously taken orders, he was made provost of St. Giles's church, Edinburgh, and in 1515, was elevated to the office of bishop of Dunkeld, to which the rich Abbey of Aberbrothin was soon after added. The purity of his life and character, however, exposed him to the virulent persecutions of the times, and having retired to London he there soon after died, in April 1522, and in the fifty second-year of his age. Douglas shines both as an allegorical and a descriptive poet. He wants the vigorous sense, and also the graphic force of Dunbar; for while the latter is always close and nervous, Douglas is often soft aud verbose. The genius of Dunbar is so powerful that manner sinks beneath it; that of Douglas is so much matter of culture, that manner is frequently its most striking peculiarity. The principal original composition of Douglas is a long poem entitled The Palace of Honor. It was intended as an apology for the conduct of a king, and was therefore addressed to James the Fourth. The poet represents himself as seeing, in a vision, a large company travelling toward the Palace of Honor. He joins them and narrates the particulars of the pilgrimages. The celebrated 'Pilgrim's Progress' bears, in its design, so striking a resemblance to this poem, that we can hardly conceive it possible that Bunyan could have been ignorant of it. King Hart, the only other long poem of Douglas, presents a metaphorical view of human life. But by far the most able production of this author is a translation of Virgil's Æneid into Scottish verse. This work was executed in 1513, and is remarkable for being the first version of a Latin classic into any British tongue. It is generally allowed to be a masterly performance, though in too obsolete a language ever to regain its popularity. The original poems styled Prologues, which the translator prefixes to each book, are esteemed among his happiest pieces. From the Prologue to the twelfth book we select the following passage: MORNING IN MAY. As fresh Aurore, to mighty Tithon spouse In cram'sy clad and grained violate, With sanguine cape, and selvage purpurate, Spread all with roses, and full of balm royal, And eke the heavenly portis chrystalline Unwarps braid, the warld till illumine; The twinkling streamers of the orient Shed purpour spraings with gold and azure ment;3 Above the seas liftis furth his head, 1 Issued from. 3 Purple streaks mingled with gold and azure. 2 Opened. Of colour sore,1 and some deal brown as berry, Furth of his palace royal ishit Phoebus, Dame Nature's menstrals, on that other part, Welcome be thy bricht beamis, gladdand all. SIR DAVID LYNDSAY, another Scottish poet of the period of which we are now treating, and the last that we shall at present notice, was born at the Mount, Fifeshire, 1496, and was educated at the university of St. Andrews. He early entered upon a court life, and during the childhood of James the Fifth, he officiated as his carver, his cupbearer, his purse-master, and even as his nurse, bearing him as an infant upon his back, and dancing antics for his amusement as a boy. When James assumed the reins of government, he amply rewarded the companion of his childish sports, by elevating him to the important office of Lord Lyon King at arms; but after the fatal battle of Flodden-field, Lyndsay went to France, and 1 Yellowish brown. 5 Sultry. 2 Nostrils. 3 Glittering. 4 Ocean. 8 Shelter. greatly distinguished himself at the battle of Pavia. He afterward returned again to Scotland, resumed his position at court, and was employed by his sovereign on various important foreign embassies. He died 1557, in the sixty-first year of his age. Lyndsay chiefly shone as a satirical and humorous writer, and his great fault is a total absence of all refinement. The principal objects of his vituperations were the clergy, whose habits, at this period, were such as to afford ample scope to the pen of the satirist. He, however, with equal freedom exposed the abuses of the court, though at the time he was a state officer of high standing, and much influence. His principal poems are, The Dreme, The Complaynt, The Complaynt of the King's Peacock, The Satire of the Three Estates, Kitteis' Confession, The History of Squire Meldrum, and The Monarchie. "The History of Squire Meldrum' is, perhaps, the most pleasing of all this author's works, and is considered the last British poem that in any degree This poem, together partakes of the character of the metrical romance. with the various other Satires and Burlesques of this author, is said to have contributed greatly to the Reformation in Scotland. "The Monarchie' was the last of his poems. It was written just before his death, and from it we select the following curious passage : : THE BUILDING OF THE TOWER OF BABEL, AND THE CONFUSION OF TONGUES. Their great fortress then did they found, And cast till they gat sure ground. All fell to work both man and child Some howkit clay, some burnt the tyld. Deviser was of that dungeon. Nathing they spared their labours, Or emmets travelling into June; Some under wrocht, and some aboon, Upward their work did fortify; That till the heaven it should ascend: Twa and fifty fathoms braid: Ane fathom then as some men says, The translator of Orosius Intil his chronocle writes thus; That when the sun is at the hicht, At noon, when it doth shine maist bricht, Sax mile and mair it is of length: Then the great God omnipotent, And the prideful presumption, How thir proud people did pretend, Some said, Bring mortar here at ance, Then brocht they to them stocks and stanes; Ran ragand like ane wild lion, Menacing them with words rude, But never ane word they understood. Constrained were they for till depart Ilk company in ane sundry airt. Lyndsay also wrote a history of Scotland in three volumes, which, however, has never been published, but still remains in manuscript in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. To the poets of the period of Scottish literature which we have had under consideration in the present lecture, we shall add the ballad of Sir Patrick Spens a poem of such antiquity that its origin, even, is doubtful. The incident upon which it is founded is as follows:-In 1280, a company of distinguished noblemen attended Margaret, daughter of Alexander the Third of Scotland, when she embarked for Norway to become the bride of Eric, king of that country. On the return of these noblemen from Norway their vessel was overtaken by a violent storm, and most of them perished. SIR PATRICK SPENS. The king sits in Dunfermline town, 1 Skillful mariner. F Oup and spake an eldern knight, Our king has written a braid1 letter, 'To Noroway, to Noroway, To Noroway o'er the faem; The first word that Sir Patrick read, The neist word that Sir Patrick read, 'O wha is this has done this deed, To send us out at this time of the year, To sail upon the sea? 'Be it wind, be it weet, be it hail, be it sleet, Our ship must sail the faem; The king's daughter of Noroway, They hoysed their sails on Monenday morn, Wi' a' the speed they may; They hae landed in Norway They hadna been a week, a week In Noroway, but twae, When that the lords o' Noroway Began aloud to say: 'Ye Scottishmen spend a' our king's gowd And a' our queenis fee.' 'Ye lie, ye lie, ye liars loud! Fu' loud I hear ye lie! 'For I hae brought as much white monie As gane3 my men and me And I hae brought a half-fou o' gude red gowd 'Make ready, make ready, my merry men a'! 'Now, ever alake! my master dear, I fear a deadly storm! 'I saw the new moon, late yestreen, 1 Broad, large. 3 Suffice. 2 Gold. 4 The eighth part of a peck. |