"At Kilve there was no weather-cock, O dearest, dearest boy! my heart XL RURAL ARCHITECTURE. THERE'S George Fisher, Charles Fleming, and Reginald Shore Three rosy-cheeked school-boys, the highest not more Than the height of a counsellor's bag; To the top of GREAT HOW* did it please them to climb; A man on the peak of the crag. They built him of stones gathered up as they lay; And so without scruple they called him Ralph Jones. Just half a week after, the wind sallied forth, And, in anger or merriment, out of the north Coming on with a terrible pother, From the peak of the crag blew the giant away. And what did these school-boys-The very next day XII. THE PET-LAMB. A PASTORAL. THE dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink; A snow-white mountain lamb with a maiden at its side. No other sheep were near, the lamb was all alone, With one knee on the grass did the little maiden kneel, * Great How is a single and conspicuous hill, which rises towards the foot of Thirl-mere, on the western side of the beautiful dale of Legberthwaite, along the high road between Keswick and Ambleside. The lamb while from her hand he thus his supper took Seemed to feast with head and ears; and his tail with pleasure shook. "Drink, pretty creature, drink," she said in such a tone 'Twas little Barbara Lewthwaite, a child of beauty rare! Towards the lamb she looked; and from that shady place If Nature to her tongue could measured numbers bring, "What ails thee, young one? What? Why pull so at thy cord? What is it thou wouldst seek? What is wanting to thy heart? If the sun be shining hot, do but stretch thy woollen chain, Rest, little young one, rest; thou hast forgot the day He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee home: Thou know'st that twice a day I have brought thee in this can Thy limbs will shortly be twice as stout as they are now, It will not, will not rest -poor creature, can it be And dreams of things which thou canst neither see nor hear. Alas, the mountain tops that look so green and fair! Here thou need'st not dread the raven in the sky; -As homeward through the lane I went with lazy feet, And it seemed, as I retraced the ballad line by line, Again, and once again did I repeat the song; 66 Nay," said I, more than half to the damsel must belong, For she looked with such a look, and she spake with such a tone, That I almost received her heart into my own." XIIL THE IDLE SHEPHERD BOYS; OR, DUNGEON-GHYLL FORCE.* A PASTORAL. I. THE valley rings with mirth and joy; To welcome in the May. The magpie chatters with delight; The mountain raven's youngling brood Or through the glittering vapours dart II. Beneath a rock, upon the grass, On pipes of sycamore they play The fragments of a Christmas hymn; Ghyll in the dialect of Cumberland and Westmoreland is a short, and for the most part, a steep narrow valley, with a stream running through Force is the word universally employed in these dialects for water. it. fall. Or with that plant which in our dale .III. Along the river's stony marge A thousand lambs are on the rocks, That plaintive cry! which up the hill IV. Said Walter, leaping from the ground, They leapt they ran-and when they came 'Stop!" to his comrade Walter cries- James stopped with no good will: Said Walter then, "Your task is here, "Twill keep you working half a year. V. "Now cross where I shall cross-come on, And follow me where I shall lead ". The other took him at his word, But did not like the deed. It was a spot, which you may see If ever you to Langdale go: Into a chasm a mighty block Hath fallen, and made a bridge of rock: The gulf is deep below; And in a basin black and small Receives a lofty waterfall. VI. With staff in hand across the cleft And now, all eyes and feet, hath gained When list! he hears a piteous moan- A lamb, that in the pool is pent VII. The lamb had slipped into the stream, His dam had seen him when he fell, The lamb, still swimming round and round, Made answer to that plaintive sound. VIII. When he had learnt what thing it was, That sent this rueful cry; I ween, IX. He drew it gently from the pool, The shepherds met him with his charge, Into their arms the lamb they took, Said they, "He's neither maimed nor scarred." Then up the steep ascent they hied, And gently did the bard Those idle shepherd boys upbraid, And bade them better mind their trade. XIV. TO H. C., SIX YEARS OLD. O THOU! whose fancies from afar are brought; The breeze-like motion and the self-born carol; |