Now thanks to Heaven! that of its grace 60 Hath led me to this lonely place.
Joy have I had; and going hence I bear away my recompence.
In spots like these it is we prize Our Memory, feel that she hath eyes: Then, why should I be loth to stir?
I feel this place was made for her; To give new pleasure like the past, Continued long as life shall last.
Nor am I loth, though pleased at heart, 70 Sweet Highland Girl! from Thee to part; For I, methinks, till I grow old, As fair before me shall behold, As I do now, the Cabin small, The Lake, the Bay, the Waterfall; And Thee, the Spirit of them all!
7. _SONNET_.
(Composed at ---- Castle.)
Degenerate Douglas! oh, the unworthy Lord!
Whom mere despite of heart could so far please, And love of havoc (for with such disease Fame taxes him) that he could send forth word To level with the dust a n.o.ble horde, A brotherhood of venerable Trees, Leaving an ancient Dome, and Towers like these, Beggared and outraged!--Many hearts deplor"d The fate of those old Trees; and oft with pain The Traveller, at this day, will stop and gaze On wrongs, which Nature scarcely seems to heed: For shelter"d places, bosoms, nooks and bays, And the pure mountains, and the gentle Tweed, And the green silent pastures, yet remain.
8. ADDRESS _TO THE SONS OF BURNS_ after visiting their Father"s Grave (August 14th, 1803.)
Ye now are panting up life"s hill!
"Tis twilight time of good and ill, And more than common strength and skill Must ye display If ye would give the better will Its lawful sway.
Strong bodied if ye be to bear Intemperance with less harm, beware!
But if your Father"s wit ye share, Then, then indeed, 10 Ye Sons of Burns! for watchful care There will be need.
For honest men delight will take To shew you favor for his sake, Will flatter you; and Fool and Rake Your steps pursue: And of your Father"s name will make A snare for you.
Let no mean hope your souls enslave; Be independent, generous, brave! 20 Your Father such example gave, And such revere!
But be admonish"d by his Grave, And think, and fear!
9. _YARROW UNVISITED_.
(See the various Poems the scene of which is laid upon the Banks of the Yarrow; in particular, the exquisite Ballad of Hamilton, beginning: "Busk ye, busk ye my bonny, bonny Bride, Busk ye, busk ye my winsome Marrow!"--)
From Stirling Castle we had seen The mazy Forth unravell"d; Had trod the banks of Clyde, and Tay, And with the Tweed had travell"d; And, when we came to Clovenford, Then said my "_winsome Marrow_", "Whate"er betide, we"ll turn aside, And see the Braes of Yarrow."
"Let Yarrow Folk, _frae_ Selkirk Town, Who have been buying, selling, 10 Go back to Yarrow, "tis their own, Each Maiden to her Dwelling!
On Yarrow"s Banks let herons feed, Hares couch, and rabbits burrow!
But we will downwards with the Tweed, Nor turn aside to Yarrow."
"There"s Galla Water, Leader Haughs, Both lying right before us; And Dryborough, where with chiming Tweed The Lintwhites sing in chorus; 20 There"s pleasant Tiviot Dale, a land Made blithe with plough and harrow; Why throw away a needful day To go in search of Yarrow?"
"What"s Yarrow but a River bare That glides the dark hills under?
There are a thousand such elsewhere As worthy of your wonder."
--Strange words they seem"d of slight and scorn; My True-love sigh"d for sorrow; 30 And look"d me in the face, to think I thus could speak of Yarrow!
"Oh! green," said I, "are Yarrow"s Holms, And sweet is Yarrow flowing!
Fair hangs the apple frae the rock [1], But we will leave it growing.
O"er hilly path, and open Strath, We"ll wander Scotland thorough; But, though so near, we will not turn Into the Dale of Yarrow." 40
[Footnote 1: See Hamilton"s Ballad as above.]
"Let Beeves and home-bred Kine partake The sweets of Burn-mill meadow; The Swan on still St. Mary"s Lake Float double, Swan and Shadow!
We will not see them; will not go, Today, nor yet tomorrow; Enough if in our hearts we know, There"s such a place as Yarrow."
"Be Yarrow Stream unseen, unknown!
It must, or we shall rue it: 50 We have a vision of our own; Ah! why should we undo it?
The treasured dreams of times long past We"ll keep them, winsome Marrow!
For when we"re there although "tis fair "Twill be another Yarrow!"
"If Care with freezing years should come, And wandering seem but folly, Should we be loth to stir from home, And yet be melancholy; 60 Should life be dull, and spirits low, "Twill soothe us in our sorrow That earth has something yet to show, The bonny Holms of Yarrow!"
MOODS OF MY OWN MIND.
1. _TO A b.u.t.tERFLY_.
Stay near me--do not take thy flight!
A little longer stay in sight!
Much converse do I find in Thee, Historian of my Infancy!
Float near me; do not yet depart!
Dead times revive in thee: Thou bring"st, gay Creature as thou art!
A solemn image to my heart, My Father"s Family!
Oh! pleasant, pleasant were the days, The time, when in our childish plays My sister Emmeline and I Together chaced the b.u.t.terfly!
A very hunter did I rush Upon the prey:--with leaps and springs I follow"d on from brake to bush; But She, G.o.d love her! feared to brush The dust from off its wings.
2.