Volume Iv Part 20 (1/2)

II.--(M'CRIMMAN.)

Youth of the daring heart! bright be thy doom As the bodings which light up thy bold spirit now, But the fate of M'Crimman is closing in gloom, And the breath of the gray wraith hath pa.s.s'd o'er his brow; Victorious, in joy, thou'lt return to Benaer, And be clasp'd to the hearts of thy best beloved there, But M'Crimman, M'Crimman, M'Crimman, never-- Never! Never! Never!

III.--(CLANSMEN.)

Wilt thou shrink from the doom thou canst shun not, M'Crimman?

Wilt thou shrink from the doom thou canst shun not?

If thy course must be brief, let the proud Saxon know That the soul of M'Crimman ne'er quail'd when a foe Bared his blade in the land he had won not!

Where the light-footed roe leaves the wild breeze behind, And the red heather-bloom gives its sweets to the wind, There our broad pennon flies, and the keen steeds are prancing, 'Mid the startling war-cries, and the war-weapons glancing, Then raise your wild slogan-cry--on to the foray!

Sons of the heather-hill, pinewood, and glen; Shout for M'Pherson, M'Leod, and the Moray, Till the Lomonds re-echo the challenge again!

FOOTNOTES:

[21] In Blackie's ”Book of Scottish Song,” this song is attributed to the Rev. George Allan, D.D. It is also inserted among the songs of the Ettrick Shepherd, published by the Messrs Blackie. The latter blunder is accounted for by the fact that a copy of the song, which was sent to the Shepherd by Mr H. S. Riddell, as a specimen of Mr Allan's poetical talents, had been found among his papers subsequent to his decease. This song, with the two immediately following, appeared in M'Leod's ”National Melodies,” but they are here transcribed from the author's MSS.

I WILL THINK OF THEE YET.

I will think of thee yet, though afar I may be, In the land of the stranger, deserted and lone, Though the flowers of this earth are all wither'd to me, And the hopes which once bloom'd in my bosom are gone, I will think of thee yet, and the vision of night Will oft bring thine image again to my sight, And the tokens will be, as the dream pa.s.ses by, A sigh from the heart and a tear from the eye.

I will think of thee yet, though misfortune fall chill O'er my path, as yon storm-cloud that lours on the lea, And I'll deem that this life is worth cheris.h.i.+ng still, While I know that one heart still beats warmly for me.

Yes! Grief and Despair may encompa.s.s me round, 'Till not e'en the shadow of peace can be found; But mine anguish will cease when my thoughts turn to you And the wild mountain land which my infancy knew.

I will think of thee; oh! if I e'er can forget The love that grew warm as all others grew cold, 'Twill but be when the sun of my reason hath set, Or memory fled from her care-haunted hold; But while life and its woes to bear on is my doom, Shall my love, like a flower in the wilderness, bloom; And thine still shall be, as so long it hath been, A light to my soul when no other is seen.

La.s.sIE, DEAR La.s.sIE.

La.s.sie, dear la.s.sie, the dew 's on the gowan, And the brier-bush is sweet whar the burnie is rowin', But the best buds of Nature may blaw till they weary, Ere they match the sweet e'e or the cheek o' my dearie!

I wander alane, when the gray gloamin' closes, And the lift is spread out like a garden o' roses; But there 's nought which the earth or the sky can discover Sae fair as thysell to thy fond-hearted lover!

The snaw-flake is pure frae the clud when it 's shaken, And melts into dew ere it fa's on the bracken, Oh sae pure is the heart I hae won to my keepin'!

But warm as the sun-blink that thaw'd it to weepin'!

Then come to my arms, and the bosom thou 'rt pressing Will tell by its throbs a' there's joy in confessing, For my lips could repeat it a thousand times over, And the tale still seem new to thy fond-hearted lover.

WHEN I LOOK FAR DOWN ON THE VALLEY BELOW ME.[22]