AN IMITATION OF THE PROPHECY OF NEREUS. From HORACE, Book III. Ode XXV. Thomas Tickell Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T131163 K104099.001 Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. I. London printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley 1763 [1st ed. 1758] pp. 30-33. 6v.: music; 8⁰.

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Dicam insigne , recens , adhuc Indictum ore alio . Non secus in jugis Exsomnis stupet Evias , Hebrum prospiciens , & nive candidam Thracen , ac pede barbaro Lustratam Rhodopen . — — Hor. Horace, Odes 3.25. By the Same . AS Mar his round one morning took , ( Whom some call earl , and some call duke ) And his new brethren of the blade , Shiv'ring with fear and frost , survey'd , On Perth's bleak hills he chanc'd to spy An aged wizard six foot high , With bristled hair and visage blighted , Wall-ey'd , bare-haunch'd , and second-sighted . The grizly sage in thought profound Beheld the chief with back so round , Then roll'd his eye-balls to and fro O'er his paternal hills of snow , And into these tremendous speeches Brake forth the prophet without breeches . Into what ills betray'd by thee , This ancient kingdom do I see ! Her realms unpeopled and forlorn ! Wae's me ! that ever thou wert born ! Proud English loons ( our clans o'ercome ) On Scottish pads shall amble home ; I see them dress'd in bonnets blue , ( The spoils of thy rebellious crew ) I see the target cast away , And chequer'd plad become their prey , The chequer'd plad to make a gown For many a lass in London town . In vain the hungry mountaineers Come forth in all their warlike geers , The shield , the pistol , durk , and dagger , In which they daily wont to swagger ; And oft have sally'd out to pillage The hen-roosts of some peaceful village , Or , while their neighbours were asleep , Have carry'd off a low-land sheep . What boots thy high-born host of beggars , Mac-leans , Mac-kenzies , and Mac-gregors , With popish cut-throats , perjur'd ruffians , And Forster's troops of raggamuffins ? In vain thy lads around thee bandy , Inflam'd with bagpipe and with brandy . Doth not bold Sutherland the trusty , With heart so true , and voice so rusty , ( A loyal soul ) thy troops affright , While hoarsely he demands the fight ? Do'st thou not gen'rous Ilay dread , The bravest hand , the wisest head ? Undaunted do'st thou hear th' alarms Of hoary Athol sheath'd in arms ? Douglas , who draws his lineage down From thanes and peers of high renown , Fiery and young , and uncontrol'd , With knights and squires , and barons bold , ( His noble houshold-band ) advances , And on his milk-white courser prances . Thee Forfar to the combat dares , Grown swarthy in Iberian wars : And Monroe kindled into rage Sowrly defies thee to engage ; He'll rout thy foot , though ne'er so many , And horse to boot — if thou hadst any . But see Argyle with watchful eyes , Lodg'd in his deep intrenchments lies ! Couch'd like a lion in thy way , He waits to spring upon his prey ; While like a herd of tim'rous deer Thy army shakes and pants with fear , Led by their doughty gen'ral's skill , From frith to frith , from hill to hill . Is thus thy haughty promise pay'd That to the Chevalier was made , When thou didst oaths and duty barter For dukedom , gen'ralship , and garter ? Three moons thy Jemmy shall command , With highland sceptre in his hand , Too good for his pretended birth — Then down shall fall the king of Perth . 'Tis so decreed : for GEORGE shall reign , And traitors be forsworn in vain . Heav'n shall for ever on him smile , And bless him still with an Argyle . While thou , pursu'd by vengeful foes , Condemn'd to barren rocks and snows , And hinder'd passing Inverlocky , Shalt burn thy clan , and curse poor Jocky .