MY FATHER WAS A FARMER.

205

But cheerful still, I am as well as a monarch in a palace, O [her wonted malice; O, Tho' fortune's frown still hunts me down, with all I make indeed my daily bread, but ne'er can make it farther; 0,

But as daily bread is all I need, I

[regard her O. do not much

When sometimes by my labour I

earn a little money, O, [me; 0, Some unforeseen misfortune comes generally upon Mischance, mistake, or by neglect, or my good

natur'd folly; 0, [be melancholy, O. But come what will, I've sworn it still, I'll ne'er

All you who follow wealth and power with unremitting ardour, O,

The more in this you look for bliss, you leave your view the farther; 0,

Had

you the wealth Potosi boasts, or nations to adore you, O, [fore you, O. A cheerful honest-hearted clown I will prefer be

A MOTHER'S LAMENT FOR THE DEATH OF HER SON.

TUNE-Finlayston House.

FATE gave the word, the arrow sped,
And pierc'd my darling's heart;
And with him all the joys are fled

Life can to me impart.

By cruel hands the sapling drops,

In dust dishonour'd laid:

So fell the pride of all my hopes,
My age's future shade.

The mother-linnet, in the brake,
Bewails her ravish'd young;
So I, for my lost darling's sake,
Lament the live-day long.
Death, oft I've fear'd thy fatal blow,
Now, fond I bare my breast,
O, do thou kindly lay me low
With him I love, at rest!

AMANG THE TREES.

TUNE-The King of France, he rade a Race.

AMANG the trees where humming bees
At buds and flowers were hinging, O
Auld Caledon drew out her drone,
And to her pipe was singing; O
"Twas pibroch, sang, strathspey, or reels,
She dirl'd them aff fu' clearly, O
When there cam a yell o' foreign squeels,
That dang her tapsalteerie, O—

Their capon craws and queer ha ha's,
They made our lugs grow eerie; O
The hungry bike did scrape and pike
Till we were wae and weary: Ö—
But a royal ghaist wha ance was cas'd
A prisoner aughteen year awa,
He fir'd a fiddler in the North
That dang them tapsalteerie, O.

*

BONNIE LESLEY.

TUNE-The collier's bonnie dochter.

O SAW ye bonnie Lesley,
As she gaed o'er the border?
She's gane, like Alexander,

To spread her conquests farther.

To see her is to love her,

And love but her for ever; For Nature made her what she is, And ne'er made sic anither!

Thou art a queen, fair Lesley,
Thy subjects we, before thee:
Thou art divine, fair Lesley,

The hearts o' men adore thee.

The Deil he cou'dna scaith thee,

Or aught that wad belang thee; He'd look into thy bonnie face,

And say, 'I canna wrang thee.'

The Powers aboon will tent thee;
Misfortune sha'na steer thee;
Thou'rt like themselves sae lovely,
That ill they'll ne'er let near thee.

Return again, fair Lesley,
Return to Caledonie!

That we may brag, we hae a lass

There's nane again sae bonnie.

TO MY DEAR AND MUCH HONOURED FRIEND,

MRS. DUNLOP, OF DUNLOP.

On Sensibility.

AIR-Sensibility.

SENSIBILITY, how charming,

Thou, my friend, canst truly tell;
But distress with horrors arming,
Thou hast also known too well!
Fairest flower, behold the lily,
Blooming in the sunny ray:
Let the blast sweep o'er the valley,
See it prostrate on the clay.
Hear the wood-lark charm the forest,
Telling o'er his little joys;
Hapless bird! a prey the surest
To each pirate of the skies.

Dearly bought the hidden treasure,
Finer feelings can bestow;
Chords that vibrate sweetest pleasure
Thrill the deepest notes of woe.

FAREWELL TO AYRSHIRE,
SCENES of woe and scenes of pleasure,
Scenes that former thoughts renew,
Scenes of woe and scenes of pleasure,
Now a sad and last adieu!

Bonnie Doon, sae sweet and gloamin,
Fare thee weel before I gang!
Bonnie Doon, where, early roaming,
First I weav'd the rustic sang!

FRAGMENT.

Bowers, adieu, where Love, decoying,
First inthrall'd this heart o' mine,
There the safest sweets enjoying,—
Sweets that Mem'ry ne'er shall tyne!

Friends, so near my bosom ever,
Ye hae render'd moments dear;
But, alas! when forc'd to sever,
Then the stroke, O, how severe !

Friends! that parting tear reserve it,
Tho' tis doubly dear to me!

Could I think I did deserve it,

How much happier would I be!

Scenes of woe and scenes of pleasure,
Scenes that former thoughts renew,
Scenes of woe and scenes of pleasure,
Now a sad and last adieu!

209

FRAGMENT.

TUNE-I had a horse and I had nae mair.

WHEN first I came to Stewart Kyle,
My mind it wasna steady,
Where'er I gaed, where'er I rade,
A mistress still I had aye:

But when I came roun' by Mauchline town,
Not dreadin' ony body,

My heart was caught before I thought,

And by a Mauchline lady.