Ramsay, Allan (1684-1758)

On Seeing the Archers Diverting Themselves at the Buts and Rovers, &c. At the Desire of Sir William Bennet.

1724

A man may be ruled by "Honour and true Reason," "Which makes Submission to his Will / Nae Slav'ry, but a just Delight"

But we return to view the Band,
Under the regular Command
Of ane wha arbitrarly sways,
And makes it Law whate'er he says:
Him Honour and true Reason rule,
Which makes Submission to his Will
Nae Slav'ry, but a just Delight,
While he takes care to keep them right;
Wha never lets a Cause depend
Till the Pursuer's Power's at End;
But, like a Minister of Fate,
He speaks, and there's no more Debate:
Best Government, were Subjects sure
To find a Prince fit for sic Pow'r.

Government::Rule And Subjection::Rule of Reason

Searching "rule" and "reason" in HDIS (Poetry)

At least 14 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1724, 1726, 1728, 1731, 1733, 1751, 1760, 1761, 1770, 1776, 1780, 1793, 1797, 1800).

Found in ECCO in Health: A Poem (1724), and Poems in English and Latin, of the Archers, and Royal-Company of Archers (1726). See Poems by Allan Ramsay (1727, 1731, 1733, 1751, 1760, 1761, 1770, 1797, 1800), and Poems on Several Occasions (1776, 1780, 1793, 1794).

Text from The Works of Allan Ramsay, eds. Burns Martin and John W. Oliver, et. al (London and Edinburgh: Printed by William Blackwood & Sons, 1944-1973).

06/22/2004