JAMES BALLANTINE was born in Edinburgh in 1808. His father died in 1818, and the boy and his three sisters were educated almost entirely by their mother. James was apprenticed to a house-painter, and became a good workman. At the age of twenty he studied anatomy for a while at the University of Edinburgh. Subsequently he learned the art of painting on glass; and it is said that the recent revival of that art in Great Britain is due almost entirely to his taste and skill, and his archæological researches.

NAEBODY'S BAIRN.

SHE was Naebody's bairn, she was Naebody's bairn,

She had mickle to thole, she had mickle to learn,

Afore a kind word or kind look she could earn, For naebody cared about Naebody's bairn.

Though faither or mither ne'er own'd her ava, Though rear'd by the fremmit for fee unco sma', She grew in the shade like a young lady-fern, For Nature was bounteous to Naebody's bairn.

Though toited by some, and though lightlied by mair,

She never compleened, though her young heart was sair,

And warm virgin tears that might melted cauld airn

Whiles glist in the blue ee o' Naebody's bairn.

Though nane cheer'd her childhood, an' nane hail'd her birth,

Heaven sent her an angel to gladden the earth; And when the earth doom'd her in laigh nook to dern,

Heaven couldna but tak' again Naebody's bairn.

She cam smiling sweetly as young mornin' daw,
Like lown simmer gloamin' she faded awa'
And lo! how serenely that lone e'ening stern
Shines on the greensward that haps Naebody's
bairn!

His wee chubby face, an' his towzy curly pow, Are laughin' an' noddin' to the dancin' lowe; He'll brown his rosy cheeks, and singe his sunny hair,

Glowerin' at the imps wi' their castles in the air.

He sees muckle castles towerin' to the moon, He sees little sodgers puin' them a' doun; Warlds whomlin' up an' doun, blazin' wi' a flare, Losh! how he loups, as they glimmer in the air.

For a' sae sage he looks, what can the laddie ken?

He's thinkin' upon naething, like mony mighty

men;

A wee thing mak's us think, a sma' thing mak's

us stare

There are mair folks than him biggin' castles in the air.

Sic a night in winter may weel mak' him cauld; His chin upon his buffy hand will soon mak' him auld;

His brow is brent sae braid, ob, pray that Daddy Care

Wad let the wean alane wi' his castles in the air.

He'll glower at the fire, an' he'll keek at the light;

But mony sparkling stars are swallow'd up by night;

Aulder een than his are glamour'd by a glare, Hearts are broken-heads are turn'd-wi' castles in the air.

CASTLES IN THE AIR.

THE bonnie, bonnie bairn sits pokin' in the ase, Glowerin' in the fire wi' his wee round face; Laughin' at the fuffin' lowe-what sees he there? Ha! the young dreamer's biggin' castles in the air!

ILKA BLADE O' GRASS KEPS ITS AIN DRAP O' DEW.

CONFIDE ye aye in Providence, for Providence is kind,

An' bear ye a' life's changes wi' a calm an' tranquil mind;

For ilka blade o' grass keps its ain drap o' dew.

Gin reft frae friends, or cross'd in love, as whiles nae doubt ye've been,

Grief lies deep-hidden in your heart, or tears flow frae your een,

Believe it for the best, and trow there's good in store for you,

For ilka blade o' grass keps its ain drap o' dew.

In lang, lang days o' simmer when the clear and cludless sky

Refuses ae wee drap o' rain to Nature parch'd and dry,

The genial night, wi' balmy breath, gars verdure spring anew,

An' ilka blade o' grass keps its ain drap o' dew.

Sae lest 'mid fortune's sunshine we should feel ower proud an' hie,

An' in our pride forget to wipe the tear frae poortith's ee,

Some wee dark cluds o' sorrow come, we ken na whence or hoo,

But ilka blade o' grass keps its ain drap o' dew.

WIFIE, COME HAME.

WIFIE, come hame, My couthie wee dame! Oh, but ye're far awa',

Wifie, come hame!

Come wi' the young bloom o' morn on thy broo, Come wi' the lown star o' love in thine ee, Come wi' the red cherries ripe on thy mou',

A' glist wi' balm, like the dew on the lea. Come wi' the gowd tassels fringin' thy hair, Come wi' thy rose cheeks a' dimpled wi' glee, Come wi' thy wee step, and wifie-like airOh, quickly come, and shed blessings on me!

Wifie, come hame,

My couthie wee dame!
Oh, my heart wearies sair,
Wific, come hame!

Come wi' our love-pledge, our dear little dawtie,
Clasping my neck round, an' clamb'rin' my

knee;

Come let me nestle and press the wee pettie,
Gazing on ilka sweet feature o' thee.
Oh, but the house is a cauld hame without ye,
Lanely and eerie's the life that I dree;
Oh, come awa', an' I'll dance round about ye,
Ye'll ne'er again win frae my arms till I dee.

sunny day;

The trees wha's buds are latest are the langest to decay;

The heart sair tried wi' sorrow aye endures the

sternest test

The birdie sure to sing is aye the gorbel o' the

nest.

The wee, wee stern that glints in heaven may be a lowin' sun,

Though like a speck o' light, scarce seen amid the welkin dun;

The humblest sodger on the field may win the warrior's crest

The birdie sure to sing is aye the gorbel o' the

nest.

Then dinna be impatient wi' your bairnie when he's slow,

And dinna scorn the humble, though the world deem them low;

The hindmost and the feeblest aft become the first and best

The birdie sure to sing is aye the gorbel o' the

nest.

CREEP AFORE YE GANG.

CREEP awa', my bairnie, creep afore ye gang; Cock ye baith your lugs to your auld grannie's sang;

Gin ye gang as far ye will think the road lang, Creep awa', my bairnie-creep afore ye gang.

Creep awa', my bairnie, ye're ower young to learn

To tot up and down yet, my bonnie wee bairn; Better creepin' cannie, than fa'in' wi' a bang, Duntin' a' your wee brow-creep afore ye gang.

Ye'll creep, an' ye'll laugh, an' ye'll nod to your mither,

Watchin' ilka step o' your wee dousy brither; Rest ye on the floor till your wee limbs grow

strang,

She's gentle and she's bonnie, an' she's modest as she's fair,

Her virtues, like her beauties a', are varied as they're fare;

While she is light an' merry as the lammie on the lea

For happiness an' innocence thegether aye maun be!

Whene'er she shows her blooming face, the flowers may cease to blaw,

An' when she opes her hinnied lips, the air is music a';

But when wi' other's sorrow touch'd, the tear starts to her ee,

Oh! that's the gem in beauty's crown, the priceless pearl to me.

Within my soul her form's enshrin'd, her heart is a' my ain,

An' richer prize or purer bliss nae mortal e'er can gain;

The darkest paths o' life I tread wi' steps o' bounding glee,

Cheer'd onward by the love that lichts my nameless lassie's ee.

BONNIE BONALY.

BONNIE Bonaly's wee fairy-led stream
Murmurs and sobs like a child in a dream;
Falling where silver light gleams on its breast,
Gliding through nooks where the dark shadows
rest,

Flooding with music its own tiny valley,
Dances in gladness the stream o' Bonaly.

Proudly Bonaly's grey-browed castle towers,
Bounded by mountains, and bedded in flowers;
Here hangs the blue-bell, and there waves the
broom;

Nurtured by art, rarest garden-sweets bloom; Heather and thyme scent the breezes that dally, Playing among the green knolls o' Bonaly.

Pentland's high hills raise their heather-crowned crest,

Peerless Edina expands her white breast,
Beauty and grandeur are blent in the scene,
Bonnie Bonaly lies smiling between;
Nature and Art, like fair twins, wander gayly;
Friendship and love dwell in bonnie Bonaly.

SAFT IS THE BLINK O' THINE EE, LASSIE.

OH, saft is the blink o' thine ee, lassie,
Saft is the blink o' thine ee;

An' a bonnie wee sun glimmers in its blue orb,
As kindly it glints upon me.

The ringlets that twine round thy brow, lassie, Are gowden, as gowden may be;

Like the wee curly cluds that play round the

sun,

When he's just going to drap in the sea.

287

Christ and his love shall be thy blessed all

For evermore!

Christ and his light shall shine on all thy ways

For evermore!

Christ and his peace shall keep thy troubled soul For evermore!

THE MEETING-PLACE.

WHERE the faded flower shall freshen,
Freshen nevermore to fade;
Where the shaded sky shall brighten-
Brighten never more to shade:
Where the sun-blaze never scorches,
Where the star-beams cease to chill;
Where no tempest stirs the echoes

Of the wood, or wave, or hill:
Where the morn shall wake in gladness,
And the noon the joy prolong,
Where the daylight dies in fragrance,
'Mid the burst of holy song:

Brother, we shall meet and rest 'Mid the holy and the blest!

Where no shadow shall bewilder,
Where life's vain parade is o'er,
Where the sleep of sin is broken,

And the dreamer dreams no more; Where the bond is never severed,

Partings, claspings, sob and moan, Midnight waking, twilight weeping, Heavy noontide, all are done: Where the child has found its mother, Where the mother finds the child, Where dear families are gathered That were scattered on the wild:

Brother, we shall meet and rest 'Mid the holy and the blest!

Where the hidden wound is healed,
Where the blighted life reblooms,
Where the smitten heart the freshness
Of its buoyant youth resumes;
Where the love that here we lavish
On the withering leaves of time,
Shall have fadeless flowers to fix on
In an ever spring-bright clime:
Where we find the joy of loving,
As we never loved before,
Loving on, unchilled, unhindered,
Loving once and evermore:

Brother, we shall meet and rest.
'Mid the holy and the blest!

Where a blasted world shall brighten
Underneath a bluer sphere,

And a softer, gentler sunshine

Shed its healing splendor here;

Where earth's barren vales shall blossom, Putting on their robe of green,

And a purer, fairer Eden

Be where only wastes have been: Where a king in kingly glory,

Such as earth has never known,
Shall assume the righteous sceptre,
Claim and wear the holy crown:

Brother, we shall meet and rest
'Mid the holy and the blest!
VOL. III.-19

BRIGHT FEET OF MAY.
TRIP along, bright feet of May,
Trip along from day to day,
Trip along in sun and showers,
Trip along and wake the flowers
Trip along the breezy hills,
Trip beside the gathering rills;

Trip along in light and song,
Trip away, all bright and gay,
Trip away, bright feet of May.

Trip along when morning shines,
Trip along when day declines,
Trip along when in the night
Moon and stars are sparkling bright;
Trip across the sunny sea,
Over cloud-land high and free;

Trip along, in light and song,
Trip away, all fresh and gay,
Trip away, bright feet of May.
Trip along the budding wood,
O'er the moorland solitude;
Trip through garden, field, and brake,
Trip beside the gleaming lake;
Revel in the star-loved dew,
Drink the clear sky's summer blue;
Trip along, in light and song,
Trip away, all fresh and gay,
Trip away, bright feet of May.

Trip along, and as you move,
Fill the springing earth of love;
Fill of love the sunlight free,
Fill of love the bounding sea;
The love of Him who gave to May
The sweetness of its smiling day.

Trip along, in light and song,
Trip away, all fresh and gay,
Trip away, bright feet of May.

ALL WELL.

No seas again shall sever,
No desert intervene ;
No deep, sad-flowing river

Shall roll its tide between.

No bleak cliffs, upward towering,
Shall bound our eager sight;
No tempest, darkly lowering,
Shall wrap us in its night.

Love, and unsevered union
Of soul with those we love,
Nearness and glad communion,
Shall be our joy above.

No dread of wasting sickness, No thought of ache or pain, No fretting hours of weakness, Shall mar our peace again.

No death, our homes o'ershading, Shall e'er our harps unstring; For all is life unfading

In presence of our King.