Strike this day as if the anvil lay beneath your

blows the while, Be they Covenanting traitors, or the brood of

false Argyle! Strike! and drive the trembling rebels back

wards o'er the stormy Forth ; Let them tell their pale Convention how they

fared within the North.

23

6

Let them tell that Highland honour is not to

be bought nor sold, That we scorn their prince's anger, as we

loathe his foreign gold. Strike ! and when the fight is over, if you look

in vain for me, Where the dead are lying thickest, search for

him that was Dundee !”

us all.

Loudly then the hills re-echoed with our

answer to his call, But a deeper echo sounded in the bosoms of

30 For the lands of wide Breadalbane, not a man

who heard him speak Would that day have left the battle. Burning

eye and flushing cheek Told the clansmen's fierce emotion, and they

harder drew their breath; For their souls were strong within them

stronger than the grasp of death. Soon we heard a challenge-trumpet sounding in the pass below,

35

And the distant tramp of horses, and the

voices of the foe :

40

Down we crouched amid the bracken, till the

Lowland ranks drew near, Panting like the hounds in summer, when

they scent the stately deer. From the dark defile emerging, next we saw

the squadrons come, Leslie's foot, and Leven's troopers marching

to the tuck of drum; Through the scattered wood of birches, o'er

the broken ground and heath, Wound the long battalion slowly, till they

gained the field beneath ;Then we bounded from our covert. Judge

how looked the Saxons then, When they saw the rugged mountains start to

life with armed men ! Like a tempest down the ridges swept the hurricane of steel;

45 Rose the slogan of Macdonald-flashed the

broadsword of Lochiel! Vainly sped the withering volley 'mongst the

foremost of our band On we poured until we met them, foot to foot

and hand to hand. Horse and man went down like drift-wood

when the floods are black at Yule, And their carcasses are whirling in the Garry's

deepest pool :

50 8

gory,

Horse and man went down before us-living

foe there tarried none On the field of Killiecrankie, when that stub

born fight was done ! And the evening star was shining on Sche

hallion's distant head, When we wiped our gory broadswords, and re

· turned to count the dead, There we found him gashed and stretched upon the cumbered plain,

55 As he told us where to seek him, in the thickest

of the slain. And a smile was on his visage, for within his

dying ear Pealed the joyful note of triumph, and the

clansmen's clamorous cheer. So, amidst the battle's thunder, shot, and

steel, and scorching flame, In the glory of his manhood passed the spirit

of the Graeme !

60

was

NOTES ON THE “BATTLE OF KILLIECRANKIE.” 1 Killiecrankie. This battle 3 Montrose, James Graham, Marquis

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.

THE BARGAIN.

ACT I. Scene III.
SCENE-VENICE. A Public Place.

[Antonio, “ The Merchant of Venice,” had become surety for his friend Bassanio in the sum of three thousand ducats borrowed from Shylock, a Jew, who, “in a merry sport,” as he termed it, lent the money on condition that, in case of failure to repay the sum at the time specified, Antonio should forfeit to Shylock a pound of flesh to be cut from his body. A bond to this effect was duly signed. Losses come upon Antonio which render him unable to pay the sum when due, on which Shylock insists upon the fulfil. ment of his bond, and the case is tried before the Duke of Venice.

Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK. Shy. Three thousand ducats ;? well. Bass. Ay, sir, for three months.

1