And to think how delighted my parents will be,
When our Curate shall solemnly join me to thee:
They will almost grow young at the sight.
• Look yonder," she cried, at that swift gliding sail
And her hand she withdrew from his side,
To point to the canvas that swell'd in the gale;
Then careless ran forward-alas! her feet fail!--
She screams, and falls into the tide!

Poor Harry, distracted with grief and dismay,
Like an arrow sprang into the main;
To restore his belov'd to the regions of day,
Or clasp to his breast her inanimate clay,

Till death should unite them again,

Hark! she calls on his name! hark! how piteous her cries! All tumultuous the rough billows roil!

But eager he presses to rescue his prize

Ah! how faintly she shrieks!—now sinks from his eyes,
And the waters rush over her soul!

Despairing, aghast at the horrible sight,
Harry dives, and fast seizes her hand;

But, alas! all her senses are shrouded in night,
And fainting, oppress'd with dismay and affright,
He bears her cold corpse to the land;

Then half frantic he hastily took her away

To a cottage with ivy o'erspread;

Where her parents were chiding their Lucy's delay. Harry saw them, but wept not, and only could say,'Oh! look at your child !--she is dead!'

The sight was too much for a mother to bear;

She sunk in a swoon to the ground!

Her father in agony tore his grey hair;

But Harry, the image of silent Despair,
Gaz'd sullen and senseless around.

Now it chanc'd that the Curate was passing the door,

And beheld the sad cause of their grief:

Then he cried, My good friends, thy lamentings give o'er It is not yet too late, I thy child may restore,

Hasten, hasten to bring her relief!'

The mother revives at this heart-thrilling sound

And to Lucy such succours were giv'n,

i

As Humanity widely dispenses around,
To recall the lost spirit of those who are drown'd-
Humanity, handmaid of Heaven!

September.]

Ab! no!-thou cans't never restore her to me"
Poor Harry despondingly cried;

" But ah my belov'd, I will hasten to thee,
And soon from these bonds of mortality free,
I shall meet thee, my beautiful bride !'
Yet soon every bosom with rapture o'erflows,
For some signs of existence she gives :
Her pulse gently beats; now her countenance shows
The delicate tint of a drooping blush rose:

Ah! now she breathes faintly-she lives!

Then Harry with ecstasy gaz'd on the maid,

་

And exclaim'd, Heard ye not her soft sighs?"

'My delight, my soul's darling, ah! lift up thy head! Ah! speak to thy Harry! awake from the dead,

And open those heavenly eyes!'

"Where am I?" she cried:

'twas the voice of my love;

I saw him plunge into the tide:

Has my spirit ascended the regions above?

Or was it a dream do I speak ?-do I move ?
And does Harry now stand by my side?

Oh! when I was dying I thought upon thee,
And I felt it was dreadful to part!

I thought too how wretched my mother would be;'
Then sorely I shriek'd as I sunk in the sea,

For horor envelop'd my heart!"

Who can paint what a parent, a lover must feel,
Thus to see their lost darling restor❜d?

The soft tears of rapture adown their cheeks steal,
But language is futile such bliss to reveal;

And some moments they spoke not a word:
Till her father exclaim'd, all our anguish is o'er !"
Young Harry, she still will be thine !—
Then let us, my children, that Being adore,
Who pleas'd in his mercy our joy to restore,
Let us bend at his heavenly shrine.

And oh may our Curate each happiness know,
That heart can desire or conceive!

And may all who like him with humanity glow,
Who restore the lost spirit, and charm away woe,
Keep tenfold the blessings they give!

THE HONORABLE THOMAS ERSKINE.

Published Oct 21°* 1800, by & Carothers, N: 136. British Library Stranst

1

A MEMOIR OF THE LIFE

OF THE HONOURABLE

THOMAS ERSKINE.

MEN in high stations, or of splendid professional talents, naturally

draw upon themselves so much of the public curiosity, and unavoidably become to such a degree the subjects of common discourse, that falsehoods must be often propagated respecting them, if the truth be not carefully made known by some sincere friend to their usefulness and fame.

For this reason, chiefly, has so considerable a portion of the HisTORICAL MAGAZINE been dedicated, from the first, to the Biography of our most eminent contemporaries. We are aware, that the highminded modesty of genuine worth makes it to shrink from gross and vulgar eulogy. But, when we consider, that it is for the interest of the public, to prevent the misrepresentations of folly or malignity concerning great characters; we are encouraged to hope, that even our humble biographical attempts, since they are guided by an unfeigned spirit of candour, and are performed with much anxious. pains to discover the truth, and to record it faithfully, may at least do some good, without giving much offence.

THOMAS ERSKINE fills, as a pleader and a lawyer, so large a space in the public eye, that a more interesting subject for biographical enquiry and detail cannot well be ch sen, than to trace that series of fortunes and exertions by which he has been raised to his present eminence, to review the gradual formation of his character, intellectual and active, and to distinguish-what influence-a man so much talked of may have had on the society in which he has lived, and in the sphere of professional objects within which he has been so splendidly engaged?

The ERSKINES are a Scottish family of very ancient nobility. The fief of the Earldom of Mar was acquired by their Chief about the beginning of the fifteenth century. For several generations, the Earls of Mar had the honour to be employed in the tuition of the youth of the Scottish Kings or their apparent heirs. An Earl of Mar, to whose name the epithet of Good, first bestowed by the people, has been permanently attached, was one of the chief authors of the Reformation 3 M

VOL. II.