Britannia, once their joy and pride, By Novelty is set aside, While giddy folly shews the way, To thousands rambling every day. Athens, resume thy moral school, Teach wisdom to each British fool. John Bull, will quickly go to see Thy happy country wise and free; All his young family like geese, Will fly away to visit Greece; And all this galloping consumption No wisdom brings, but vain presumption. By self-conceit the young are chang'd, The heart from duty much estrang'd, While new excitements every day Lead many youthful minds astray. They in this folly are persisting, Which never was before existing ; By which great numbers have forgot To thank Heaven for their present lot. Behold by sea and land they roam, Far from the quiet repose of home. In this short life we still may find Some evils are with good combin'd, All by Almighty power design'd; But giddy minds in vain employment In Novelty find all enjoyment. See them abroad, so grand and gay, Who quite forget the Sabbath day; The fifth commandment, we shall find, } Such weakness France did never show, Her poor may wander more and more, But Wealth and Talent do not leave the shore. Who since the Peace (as bankers say) WILLIAM ALEXANDER, EARL OF STIRLING. THIS distinguished character was pre-eminent as a poet and statesman in the reigns of James the First and Charles the First: his family were very ancient in Scotland, from the time of James the Fifth. He was born in 1580, and received a most liberal education, and was recommended, on account of his merit and talents, to travel with the Duke of Argyle, as companion and tutor. After some years spent on the Continent, he retired to rural life, and to books and poetry. He published various poems and plays of great merit, but this brief memoir will not permit a detail of them. He wrote verses on King James the First of England being called to that throne, and was much at the Court of that sovereign as a Privy Counsellor. He also wrote a pious work in verse called "Doomsday, or the Great Day of the Lord's Judgment", which was printed in quarto, at Edinburgh, in 1614, and had been approved of by Mr. Addison. King James that year conferred the honour of knighthood on Mr. Alexander, and made him Master of the Requests. He soon after formed the plan of the settlement of the colony of Nova Scotia: the King gave Sir William Alexander a grant of that country, and King Charles the First was anxious to encourage that colony, and appointed Sir William lieutenant, and founded the order of the Knights Baronets of Scotland, and appointed that their number should not exceed one hundred and fifty, who were endowed with certain privileges and with land in Nova Scotia. They were to have precedency, and their wives title and rank. These patents were confirmed and ratified by Parliament, and registered by the Lord Lyon, King-at-Arms; but after Sir William had sold his estates in Nova Scotia to the French, these titles were conferred at the pleasure of the King, and without any limited number. His Majesty, Charles the First, made Sir William Alexander Secretary of State in 1626, for Scotland, in the room of the Earl of Haddington; and in September, 1630, he was created a Peer of Scotland, by the title of Viscount Stirling, of Stirling. In about three years afterwards, when the King was crowned at Holyrood House, on the 14th of June, 1633, Viscount Stirling was at the coronation, and was then created Earl of Stirling. He discharged the offices of Secretary of State with great reputation for fifteen years, until his death, which was on the 13th of February, 1640. Three years before his death he permitted his poetical works to be published. He married Janet, the daughter of Sir William Erskine; he had by her four sons, and two daughters: 1st. |