What treasures would have then been placed But why go on ?— Oh! spare to sweep, thou mournful blast, There, too, a Son, his joy and pride, Soul-moving sight! Yet one to which is not denied For he is safe, a quiet bed Hath early found among the dead, And oh for Thee, by pitying grace Receive thy Spirit in the embrace Sighing I turned away; but ere A ritual hymn, Chaunted in love that casts out fear THOUGHTS SUGGESTED THE DAY FOLLOWING, ON THE BANKS OF NITH, NEAR THE POET'S RESIDENCE. Too frail to keep the lofty vow That must have followed when his brow Was wreathed-"The Vision" tells us how- He faultered, drifted to and fro, And passed away. Well might such thoughts, dear Sister, throng Over the grave of Burns we hung In social grief Indulged as if it were a wrong But, leaving each unquiet theme Where gentlest judgments may misdeem, And prompt to welcome every gleam Of good and fair, Let us beside this limpid Stream Enough of sorrow, wreck, and blight : When wisdom prospered in his sight Yes, freely let our hearts expand, When side by side, his Book in hand, Our pleasure varying at command How oft inspired must he have trode Or in his nobly-pensive mood, Proud thoughts that Image overawes. And ask of Nature, from what cause She trained her Burns to win applause Through busiest street and loneliest glen He rules mid winter snows, and when Deep in the general heart of men What need of fields in some far clime Shall dwell together till old Time Sweet Mercy! to the gates of Heaven And memory of Earth's bitter leaven But why to Him confine the prayer, The best of what we do and are, 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, FROM Stirling Castle we had seen Had trod the banks of Clyde, and Tay, "Let Yarrow Folk, frae Selkirk Town, "There's Galla Water, Leader Haughs, And Dryborough, where with chiming Tweed There's pleasant Tiviot-dale, a land Made blithe with plough and harrow : "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 seemed of slight and scorn; My True-love sighed for sorrow; And looked me in the face, to think I thus could speak of Yarrow! "Oh! green," said I, "are Yarrow's Holms, And sweet is Yarrow's 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 1 See Hamilton's Ballad as above. |