Last dras of Copy of Theet 6 Vol. 2. ANCIENT POEMS. "What is the caufe fhe leaves thee thus, "That fome time loved thee as her life, I that loved her all my youth, Growe old now as you fee; Love liketh not the falling fruite, Nor yet the withered tree. 95 25 85 "There's nae light," (was XVII. HARDY KNUT E. A SCOTTISH FRAGMENT. As this fine morfel of heroic poetry hath generally past for ancient, it is here thrown to the end of our earliest pieces; that fuch as doubt of its age, may the better compare it with other pieces of genuine antiquity. For after all, there is more than reafon to fufpect, that most of its beauties an wedevenduse and that shefe at fouf (if not its whole exiftence) have flowed from the pen of a lady, within the prefent century. The following particulars may be depended on. Ang Mrs. Wardlaw, whole maiden name was Halket (aunt to the late Sir Peter Halket of Pitferran in Scotland, who was killed in America, along with general Bradock in 1755) pretended she had found this poem, written on shreds of paper, employed for what is called the bottoms of clues. A fufpicion arofe that it was her own compofition. Some able judges afferted it to be modern. The lady did in a manner acknowledge it to be fo. Being defired to fhew an additional flanza, as a proof of this, the produced the senso laft beginning with "Youd and fehrill," &c. which were not in the copy that was first printed. The late Lord Prefident Forbes, and Sir Gilbert Elliot of Minto (late Lord Juftice Clerk for Scotland) who had believed it ancient, contributed to the expence of publishing the first Edition, Lubich-came-ous in folio about the your 1719-This account tranfmitted from Scotland by fenthalwan of dißingulyfood rank, learning, and genius, who yet of opinion, that part of the ballad may be ancient; buretouched and much enlarged by the lady abovementioned. Indeed he just been informed, had that the late William Thompson, the Scottish musician, who published the ORPHEUS CALEDONIUS, 1733, 2 vols 800. declared he had heard Fragments of it repeated in his Infancy, before "H" "Wardlow's Copy was heard of. 66 that it sowas most of its beauties (if not its whole existence) to the Pen of a Lady, within the prspresent cantoory! in folic, 1719. This account was transmitted from Scotland by Sir David word for Dalrymple, the late Lord. It miles, who yet was of opinion. |