Dorothea M. Ogilvy

When William Robertson started to write poetry and stories - it brought him into a circle of minor scottish poets. One poem he wrote was about Dorathea Ogilvy. According to the Angus Council pages , "Dorothea Maria Ogilvy (1823-1895) resided at Balnaboth, Glen Prosen. She was daughter of Donald Ogilvy, MP for the county, and was deeply attached to Prosen and Clova. Her greatest success was Willie Wabster's Wooing and Wedding on the Braes of Angus (1868), a glorious farcical poem in dense Angus Scots describing the misadventures of a drunken Kirriemuir cattle-drover pursued up and down Clova by an amorous witch. By contrast, her poetry in English is undistinguished. She is buried in Cortachy kirkyard."

It is difficult to discern whether William Robertson actually knew Dorothea Maria Ogilvy or not - I like to think so - even though they were in entirely different social strata. Clearly - he was an admirer.

TO MISS DORATHEA M. OGILIVY

Ever soaring on Fancy's wing,
In bright and polished verse,
That has the true poetic ring,
Sublime or smooth and terse.

Thy muse can chant still blithesome lays,
With sparkling gems profuse -
All radiant as the morning rays,
When streaming o'er the dews.

And on the starry heights of song,
We still can hear thy lyre;
It's melody thou dost prolong,
With unabated fire.

Now like the dawning's golden beams
On grove of apple blooms,
Or mavis' lay from forest green,
When gentle twilight looms.

A lively charm shines through thy lays,
And thoughts which are profound;
And bright and pleasant winning ways
In all thy lines abound.

Long may'st thou cull the fairest flow'rs
Where Fancy loves to stray,
And revel in the rosy bow'rs
That charm'd in life's young day.