And the light that linger'd in the West
Was like a love-lorn maiden's eye,
When blushes tell her soul's unrest,

And the glow of her hope begins to die,
Then our Lady went to her bower to view
The flowers that around her terrace grew.

Our Lady shone in her diadem ;

Her lap was rich, with a hundred fold Of woven pearls and cloth of gold, That earth was proud to kiss its hem: And a web of diamonds was her vest,

That seem'd as if a summer show'r, Taught by a cunning wizard's pow'r, Had gather'd to sparkle on her breast; But among the flowers in her proud array The dead leaf of November lay.

Our Lady turn'd her velvet steed

To see whence the smoke of the cottage rose,
Where the wild bee hums and the woodbine grows,

And the lambs among the violets feed :
There palsied age lean'd on his crutch,
Her kind and loving hand to touch;
And while she smil'd on his lowly cell,
The dead leaf from her garland fell.

The pomp of our Lady's day went past,
Her grave was shut, and all were gone,
But that dead leaf rose upon the blast,

And rested on her funeral stone:

And it had gather'd the richest seed
Of every violet in the mead,

Where once unseen our Lady stoop'd,
To lift the aged head that droop'd,
And above her holy grave they spread,
While angels their sweet dew minist❜red,
Till she had a tomb of flowers that hid
The pride of the proudest pyramid,
And a garland every spring shall rise
Where the dead leaf of November lies.

CCXV.

FAIR ELLEN OF LORN.

O! heard you yon pibroch sound sad in the gale,
Where a band cometh slowly, with weeping and wail?
'Tis the chief of Glenara laments for his dear;
And her sire and her people are call'd to her bier.

Glenara came first, with the mourners and shroud;
Her kinsmen they follow'd, but mourn'd not aloud:
Their plaids all their bosoms were folded around;
They march'd all in silence-they look'd to the ground.

In silence they reach'd over mountain and moor,
Te a heath, where the oak-tree grew lonely and hoar,
Now here let us place the grey stone of her cairn,
"Why speak ye no word?" said Glenara the stern.

"And tell me, I charge you, ye clan of my spouse, "Why fold ye your mantles, why cloud ye your brows?" So spake the rude chieftain: no answer is made, But each mantle unfolding, a dagger display'd.

"I dream'd of my lady, I dream'd of her shroud," Cried a voice from the kinsmen, all wrathful and loud; "And empty that shroud, and that coffin did seem: "Glenara! Glenara! now read me my dream!"

Oh! pale grew the cheek of that chieftain, I ween: When the shroud was unclos'd, and no body was seen; Then a voice from the kinsmen spoke louder in scorn; 'Twas the youth that had lov'd the fair Ellen of Lorn.

"I dream'd of my lady, I dream'd of her grief,
"I dream'd that her lord was a barbarous chief;
"On a rock of the ocean fair Ellen did seem;
"Glenara! Glenara! now read me my dream!"

In dust low the traitor has knelt to the ground,
And the desart reveal'd where his lady was found;
From a rock of the occan that beauty is borne,
Now joy to the house of fair Ellen of Lorn!

CCXVI.

THE OLD SHEPHERD'S DOG *.

The old shepherd's dog, like his master, was grey,
His teeth all departed, and feeble his tongue;
Yet, where'er Corin went, he was followed by Tray:
Thus happy through life did they hobble along.

"I do not love a cat," says the author of this piece, "his disposition is mean and suspicious. A friendship of years is cancelled in a moment, by an accidental tread on his tail or foot. He instantly spits, raises his rump, twirls his tail of malignity, and shuns you: turning back, as he goes off, a staring vindictive face, full of horrid oaths and unforgiveness; seeming to say "Perdition catch you! I hate you for ever." But the Dog is my delight: tread on his tail or foot, he expresses, for a moment, the uneasiness of his feeling; but in a moment again, the complaint is ended. He runs around you; jumps up against you; seems to declare his sorrow for complaining, as it was not intentionally done; nay, even to make himself the aggressor; and begs, by whinings and lickings, that master will think of it no more." Dogs are, in general,, endued with wonderful sagacity; indeed no animal has hitherto been found so entirely adapted to our use, and even to our protection; his diligence, his ardour, and his obedience are inexhaustible, and, unlike any other animal, he seems to remember only the benefits he receives Such a one as this appears to have been our dog, Tray; he had endeared himself to Corin, his master, by every action of his life, and which had insensibly knit their hearts together-they seemed to live only for each other, nor in the end could death part them." Bury me, neighbours, beside my old friend," were the dying injunctions of the poor old shepherd.They indeed were friends.

When fatigued, on the grass the old shepherd would lie,
For a nap in the sun; 'midst his slumbers so sweet,
His faithful companion crawl'd constantly nigh,

Plac'd his head on his lap, or lay down at his feet.

When winter was heard on the hill and the plain,
And torrents descended, and cold was the wind;
If Corin went forth 'mid the tempest and rain,

Tray scorn'd to be left in the chimney behind.

At length in the straw Tray made his last bed;

For vain, against death, is the stoutest endeavour: To lick Corin's hand he rear'd up his weak head, Then fell back, clos'd his eyes, and, ah ! clos'd them for ever.

Not long after Tray did the shepherd remain,

Who oft o'er his grave with true sorrow would bend ; And, when dying, thus feebly was heard the poor swain, Oh! bury me, neighbours, beside my old friend.

CCXVII.

THE LOVELY ELLEN WAS LAID IN HER SHROUD.

The lovely Ellen was laid in her shroud,

The tapers were round her burning;
And the nuns all sung an holy hymn,
Clad in their weeds of mourning.