Keats to Morris

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CVTTLOBHIV

OH! WATCH YOU WELL BY DAYLIGHT.

The Irish peasant says, "Watch well by daylight, for then your own senses are awake to guard you: but keep no watch in darkness, for then God watches over you." This, however, can hardly be called a superstition, there is so much of rightful reverence in it: for though, in perfect truth, we are as dependent on God by day as by night, yet some allowance may be made for the poetic fondness of the saying.

Он, watch you well by daylight,

By daylight may you fear,
But take no watch in darkness-
The angels then are near:
For Heav'n the gift bestoweth
Our waking life to keep,
But tender mercy showeth

To guard us in our sleep.

Then watch you well by daylight.

Oh, watch you well in pleasure,
For pleasure oft betrays,
But take no watch in sorrow

When joy withdraws its rays:
For in the hour of sorrow,

As in the darkness drear,

To Heav'n entrust the morrow-
The angels then are near.

Then watch you well by daylight.

THE ANGEL'S WHISPER.

A superstition of great beauty prevails in Ireland, that when a child smiles in its sleep, it is "talking with angels."

A BABY was sleeping,

Its mother was weeping,

For her husband was far on the wild raging sea;
And the tempest was swelling
Round the fisherman's dwelling,

And she cried, "Dermot, darling, oh come back
to me!"

Her beads while she numbered,

The baby still slumbered,

And smiled in her face as she bended her knee;

"O blest be that warning,

My child, thy sleep adorning,

THE BLARNEY.

There is a certain coign-stone on the summit of
Blarney Castle, in the county of Cork, the kissing of
which is said to impart the gift of persuasion. Hence the
You've kissed the Blarney-Stone."
phrase, applied to those who make a flattering speech-

OH! did you ne'er hear of "the Blarney,"
That's found near the banks of Killarney?
Believe it from me,

No girl's heart is free,

Once she hears the sweet sound of the Blarney. For the Blarney's so great a deceiver,

That a girl thinks you're there, though you leave her;

And never finds out

All the tricks you're about,

Till she's quite gone herself-with your Blar.

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Stravagin along by the lake, sir; She looked hard at St. Kevin, they say, But St. Kevin no notice did take, sir.

For I know that the angels are whispering with When she found looking hard wouldn't do,

thee.

She look'd soft-in the old sheep's-eye fash. ion;

But, with all her sheep's eyes, she could not
In St. Kevin see signs of soft passion.

"You're a great hand at fishing," says Kate;
"'Tis yourself that knows how, faith, to hook

them;

But when you have caught them agra,

Don't you want a young woman to cook them ? ?

Says the saint, "I am sayrious inclined,' I intend taking orders for life, dear." "Only marry," says Kate, "and you'll find You'll get orders enough from your wife, dear."

*Sauntering.

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