Volume V Part 31 (1/2)
THE MERRY BOWLING-GREEN.
AIR--_”Castles in the Air.”_
The gloomy days are gone With the blasts o' winter keen; The flowers are blooming fair, And the trees are budding green; The lark is in the sky, With his music ringing loud, Raining notes of joy From the sunny Summer cloud-- Springing at the dawn With the blus.h.i.+ng light of day, And quivering with delight In the morning's golden ray; But there 's rapture dearer far In the warm and social power Of the merry bowling-green, In the happy evening hour!
The lights and shades of life, Like an April day, are seen, 'Mid the melting sunny showers, On the lively bowling-green.
The Spring and Autumn meet When the old and young are there, And mirth and wisdom chase From the heart the thoughts of care.
When the creaking wheels of life Are revolving weak and slow, And the das.h.i.+ng tide of hope May be ebbing dark and low, The sons of wealth and toil Feel the sweet and soothing power Of the merry bowling-green, In the charming leisure hour!
The streams of life run on Till they fall into the sea; And the flowers are left behind, With their fragrance on the lea.
The circling flight of time Will soon make the young folk old; And pleasure dances on Till the springs of life grow cold.
We 'll taste the joys of life As the hours are gliding fast, And learn to live and love From the follies of the past; And remember with delight, When misfortunes intervene, The happy days we 've spent On the merry bowling-green.
THOMAS TOD STODDART.
Thomas Tod Stoddart, well-known through his ingenious works on angling, was born on the 14th February 1810 in Argyle Square, Edinburgh. In the chamber of his birth Dr Robertson is said to have written the ”History of Scotland.” His father, a rear-admiral in the navy, shared in several distinguished services: he was present at Lord Howe's victory at the landing in Egypt; at the battles of the Nile and Copenhagen, and in many desperate encounters between Russia and Sweden. Young Stoddart was educated at a Moravian establishment at Fairfield, near Manchester, and subsequently pa.s.sed through a course of philosophy and law in the University of Edinburgh. Early devoted to verse-making, he composed a tragedy in his ninth year; and at the age of sixteen was the successful compet.i.tor in Professor Wilson's cla.s.s, for a poem on ”Idolatry.” He was an early contributor to the _Edinburgh Literary Journal_.
Mr Stoddart studied for the Bar, and pa.s.sed advocate in 1833. Finding the legal profession uncongenial, he soon relinquished it; and entering upon the married state in 1836, he has since resided at Kelso. For many years he has divided his time between the pursuits of literature, and the recreation of angling. In 1831, he published ”The Deathwake, or Lunacy, a Poem;” in 1834, ”The Art of Angling;” in 1836, ”Angling Reminiscences;” in 1839, ”Songs and Poems;” and in 1844, ”Abel Ma.s.singer; or the Aeronaut, a Romance.” The second of these publications has been remodelled, and under the t.i.tle of ”The Angler's Companion,” has exhausted several impressions, and continues in general favour. The volume of ”Songs” having been sold out, a new edition, along with a tragedy, ent.i.tled ”The Crown Jewel,” and ”The Aeronaut,” both still in MS., may be expected. Living at Kelso, Mr Stoddart has every opportunity of prosecuting his favourite pastime in the Tweed, and enjoying scenery calculated to foster the poetic temperament.
ANGLING SONG.
Bring the rod, the line, the reel!
Bring, oh, bring the osier creel!
Bring me flies of fifty kinds, Bring me showers, and clouds, and winds, All things right and tight, All things well and proper, Trailer red and bright, Dark and wily dropper; Casts of midges bring, Made of plover hackle, With a gaudy wing, And a cobweb tackle.
Lead me where the river flows, Shew me where the alder grows, Reel and rushes, moss and mead, To them lead me--quickly lead, Where the roving trout Watches round an eddy, With his eager snout Pointed up and ready, Till a careless fly, On the surface wheeling, Tempts him, rising sly From his safe concealing.
There, as with a pleasant friend, I the happy hours will spend, Urging on the subtle hook, O'er the dark and chancy nook, With a hand expert Every motion swaying, And on the alert When the trout are playing; Bring me rod and reel, Flies of every feather, Bring the osier creel, Send me glorious weather!
LET ITHER ANGLERS.
Let ither anglers choose their ain, An' ither waters tak' the lead; O' Hieland streams we covet nane, But gie to us the bonnie Tweed!
An' gie to us the cheerfu' burn That steals into its valley fair-- The streamlets that at ilka turn, Sae saftly meet an' mingle there.
The lanesome Tala and the Lyne, An' Manor wi' its mountain rills, An' Etterick, whose waters twine Wi' Yarrow, frae the forest hills; An' Gala, too, an' Teviot bright, An' mony a stream o' playfu' speed; Their kindred valleys a' unite Amang the braes o' bonnie Tweed.