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REV. HABAKKUK MCGRUTHER OF CAPE WRATH, IN 1879 by JOHN DAVIDSON

Poem Explanation Poet Analysis

First Line: GOD SAVE OLD SCOTLAND! SUCH A CRY

GOD save old Scotland!
Such a cry Comes raving north from Edinburgh.
It shakes the earth, and rends the sky,
It thrills and fills true hearts with sorrow.
There's no such place, by God's good grace,
As smoky hell's dusk-flaming cavern?
Ye fools, beware, or ye may share
The hottest brew of Satan's tavern .


Ye surely know that Scotland's fate
Controls the whole wide world's well- being;
And well ye know her godly state
Depends on faith in sin's hell-feeing.
And would ye then, false-hearted men,
From Scotland rape her dear damnation?
Take from her hell, then take as well
From space the law of gravitation.


A battle-cry for every session
In these wild-whirling, heaving last days:
Discard for ever the Confession;
Abolish, if you choose, the Fast-days;
Let Bible knowledge in school and college
No more be taught-we'll say, 'All's well .'
'Twill scarcely grieve us, if you but leave us
For Scotland's use, in Heaven's name, Hell."




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