[
  {
    "title": "177. Elegy on the Death of Sir James Hunter Blair",
    "author": "Robert Burns",
    "lines": [
      "THE LAMP of day, with-ill presaging glare,",
      "  Dim, cloudy, sank beneath the western wave;",
      "Th’ inconstant blast howl’d thro’ the dark’ning air,",
      "  And hollow whistled in the rocky cave.",
      "",
      "",
      "Lone as I wander’d by each cliff and dell,",
      "  Once the lov’d haunts of Scotia’s royal train; 1",
      "Or mus’d where limpid streams, once hallow’d well, 2",
      "  Or mould’ring ruins mark the sacred fane. 3",
      "",
      "",
      "Th’ increasing blast roar’d round the beetling rocks,",
      "  The clouds swift-wing’d flew o’er the starry sky,",
      "The groaning trees untimely shed their locks,",
      "  And shooting meteors caught the startled eye.",
      "",
      "",
      "The paly moon rose in the livid east.",
      "  And ’mong the cliffs disclos’d a stately form",
      "In weeds of woe, that frantic beat her breast,",
      "  And mix’d her wailings with the raving storm",
      "",
      "",
      "Wild to my heart the filial pulses glow,",
      "  ’Twas Caledonia’s trophied shield I view’d:",
      "Her form majestic droop’d in pensive woe,",
      "  The lightning of her eye in tears imbued.",
      "",
      "",
      "Revers’d that spear, redoubtable in war,",
      "  Reclined that banner, erst in fields unfurl’d,",
      "That like a deathful meteor gleam’d afar,",
      "  And brav’d the mighty monarchs of the world.",
      "",
      "",
      "“My patriot son fills an untimely grave!”",
      "  With accents wild and lifted arms—she cried;",
      "“Low lies the hand oft was stretch’d to save,",
      "  Low lies the heart that swell’d with honest pride.",
      "",
      "",
      "“A weeping country joins a widow’s tear;",
      "  The helpless poor mix with the orphan’s cry;",
      "The drooping arts surround their patron’s bier;",
      "  And grateful science heaves the heartfelt sigh!",
      "",
      "",
      "“I saw my sons resume their ancient fire;",
      "  I saw fair Freedom’s blossoms richly blow:",
      "But ah! how hope is born but to expire!",
      "  Relentless fate has laid their guardian low.",
      "",
      "",
      "“My patriot falls: but shall he lie unsung,",
      "  While empty greatness saves a worthless name?",
      "No; every muse shall join her tuneful tongue,",
      "  And future ages hear his growing fame.",
      "",
      "",
      "“And I will join a mother’s tender cares,",
      "  Thro’ future times to make his virtues last;",
      "That distant years may boast of other Blairs!”—",
      "  She said, and vanish’d with the sweeping blast.",
      "",
      "",
      " Note 1. The King’s Park at Holyrood House.—R. B. [back]",
      "Note 2. St. Anthony’s well.—R. B. [back]",
      "Note 3. St. Anthony’s Chapel.—R. B. [back]"
    ],
    "linecount": "47"
  }
]