Fair scenes for childhood's opening bloom, For sportive youth to stray in; For manhood to enjoy his strength; And age to wear away in! Yon cottage seems a bower of bliss ; It promises protection To studious ease, and generous cares, How sweet, on this autumnal day, A crest of blooming heather! And what if I enwreathed my own! 'T were no offence to reason; The sober hills thus deck their brows I see but not by sight alone, And gladsome notes my lips can breathe, The vapours linger round the Heights, But that I know, where'er I go, Thy genuine image, Yarrow! Will dwell with me-to heighten joy, And cheer my mind in sorrow. A HUMMING BEE a little tinkling rill- By each and all of these the pensive ear Was greeted, in the silence that ensued, When through the cottage threshold we had passed, And, deep within that lonesome valley, stood Once more beneath the concave of the blue And cloudless sky. THE OAK AND THE BROOM. A PASTORAL. His simple truths did Andrew glean A careful student he had been Among the woods and hills. One winter's night, when through the trees "I saw a crag, a lofty stone As ever tempest beat! Out of its head an Oak had grown, A Broom out of its feet. The time was March, a cheerful noon The thaw-wind, with the breath of June, Breathed gently from the warm south-west : When, in a voice sedate with age, This Oak, a giant and a sage, His neighbour thus addressed: 'Eight weary weeks, through rock and clay, Along this mountain's edge, The frost hath wrought both night and day, Wedge driving after wedge. Look up and think, above your head What trouble surely will be bred; Last night I heard a crash—'t is true, You are preparing, as before, To deck your slender shape; And yet just three years back-no more- Down from yon cliff a fragment broke; The thing had better been asleep, Or breeze, or bird, or dog, or sheep, To come and slumber in your bower; And, trust me, on some sultry noon, Both you and he, Heaven knows how soon! Will perish in one hour. 'From me this friendly warning take '— The Broom began to doze, And thus, to keep herself awake Did gently interpose : 'My thanks for your discourse are due; 'Disasters, do the best we can, Will reach both great and small; Who is not wise at all. For me, why should I wish to roam? This spot is my paternal home, It is my pleasant heritage; My father, many a happy year, Here spread his careless blossoms, here 'E'en such as his may be my lot. What cause have I to haunt My heart with terrors? Am I not On me such bounty Summer pours, The butterfly, all green and gold, To me hath often flown, Here in my blossoms to behold When grass is chill with rain or dew, Beneath my shade the mother-ewe Lies with her infant lamb; I see The love they to each other make, And the sweet joy which they partake, It is a joy to me.' "Her voice was blithe, her heart was light; The Broom might have pursued Her speech, until the stars of night Their journey had renewed: |