5.

Once, to those eyes the lamp of Love,
They blest her dear propitious light;
But, now, she glimmer'd from above,
A sad funereal torch of night.

6.

Faded is Alva's noble race,

And grey her towers are seen afar; No more her heroes urge the chace, Or roll the crimson tide of war.

7.

But, who was last of Alva's clan?
Why grows the moss on Alva's stone?
Her towers resound no steps of man,
They echo to the gale alone,

8.

And, when that gale is fierce and high,
A sound is heard in yonder hall,

It rises hoarsely through the sky,
And vibrates o'er the mouldering wall,

9.

Yes, when the eddying tempest sighs,
It shakes the shield of Oscar brave;
But, there no more his banners rise,
No more his plumes of sable wave,

10.

Fair shone the sun on Oscar's birth, When Angus hail'd his eldest born; The vassals round their chieftain's hearth, Crowd to applaud the happy morn.

II.

They feast upon the mountain deer,
The pibroch rais'd its piercing note,
To gladden more their Highland cheer,
The strains in martial numbers float.

12.

And they, who heard the war-notes wild, Hop'd that, one day, the pibroch's strain Should play before the Hero's child,

While he should lead the Tartan train.

13.

Another year is quickly past,

And Angus hails another son,

His natal day is like the last,

Nor soon the jocund feast was done.

14.

Taught by their sire to bend the bow,
On Alva's dusky hills of wind;
The boys in childhood chas'd the roe,
And left their hounds in speed behind.

15.

But, ere their years of youth are o'er,
They mingle in the ranks of war;
They lightly wheel the bright claymore,
And send the whistling arrow far.

16.

Dark was the flow of Oscar's bair,
Wildly it stream'd along the gale;
But Allan's locks were bright and fair,
And pensive seem'd his cheek, and pale.

17.

But Oscar own'd a hero's soul,

His dark eye shone through beams of truth; Allan had early learn'd control,

And smooth his words had been from youth.

18.

Both, both were brave; the Saxon spear

Was shiver'd oft beneath their steel;

And Oscar's bosom scorn'd to fear,
But Oscar's bosom knew to feel.

19.

While Allan's soul belied his form,
Unworthy with such charms to dwell;

Keen as the lightning of the storm,
On foes his deadly vengeance fell.

20.

From high Southannon's distant tower
Arriv❜d a young and noble dame;
With Kenneth's lands to form her dower,
Glenalvon's blue-ey'd daughter came:

21.

And Oscar claim'd the beauteous bride,
And Angus on his Oscar smil'd;
It sooth'd the father's feudal pride,
Thus to obtain Glenalvon's child.

22.

Hark! to the Pibroch's pleasing note,
Hark! to the swelling nuptial song;
In joyous strains the voices float,
And, still, the choral peal prolong.

See how the heroes' blood-red plumes,
Assembled wave in Alva's hall;
Each youth his varied plaid assumes,
Attending on their chieftain's call.

24.

It is not war their aid demands,
The pibroch plays the song of peace;
To Oscar's nuptials throng the bands,
Nor yet the sounds of pleasure cease.

25.

But where is Oscar? sure 'tis late:
Is this a bridegroom's ardent flame?
While thronging guests and ladies wait,
Nor Oscar nor his brother came.

26.

At length young Allan join'd the bride :

"

Why comes not Oscar? »
Angus said:
Is he not here?» the Youth replied:
« With me he rov'd not o'er the glade.

27.

«Perchance, forgetful of the day,
"Tis his to chace the bounding roe;
• Or Ocean's waves prolong his stay,
Yet, Oscar's bark is seldom slow. »

K

28.

Oh! no!» the anguish'd sire rejoin'd, « Nor chace, nor wave my boy delay; « Would he to Mora seem unkind?

« Oh! search, Chiefs! oh! search around!

K

ye

Allan, with these, thro' Alva fly;

« Till Oscar, till my son is found,

■ Haste, haste, nor dare attempt reply.