Before me begging did she stand,
Pouring out sorrows like a sea;
Grief after grief:·
Such woes I knew could never be;

on English Land

And yet a boon I gave her; for the Creature Was beautiful to see; "a Weed of glorious feature!"

I left her, and pursued my way;
And soon before me did espy
A pair of little Boys at play,
Chasing a crimson butterfly;

The Taller followed with his hat in hand, Wreathed round with yellow flowers, the gayest of

the land.

The Other wore a rimless crown, With leaves of laurel stuck about: And they both followed up and down, Each whooping with a merry shout: In their fraternal features I could trace Unquestionable lines of that wild Suppliant's face.

46

They bolted on me thus, and lo!
Each ready with a plaintive whine;
Said I, "Not half an hour

ago
Your Mother has had alms of mine."

"That cannot be," one answered," She is dead." Nay but I gave her pence, and she will buy you

bread."

"She has been dead, Sir, many a day."
"Sweet Boys, you're telling me a lie ;
It was your Mother, as I say"

And in the twinkling of an eye,

"Come, come!" cried one; and, without more

ado,

Off to some other play they both together flew.

XXVI.

YARROW UNVISITED.

1803.

(See the various Poems the Scene of which is laid upon the Banks of the Yarrow; in particular, the exquisite Ballad of Hamilton, beginning

"Busk ye, busk ye, my bonny, bonny Bride,
Busk ye, busk ye, my winsome Marrow !"-)

FROM Stirling Castle we had seen
The mazy Forth unravell'd;

Had trod the banks of Clyde, and Tay,
And with the Tweed had travell'd;
And, when we came to Clovenford,
Then said my "winsome Marrow,"
"Whate'er betide, we'll turn aside,
And see the Braes of Yarrow."

"Let Yarrow Folk, frae Selkirk Town,
Who have been buying, selling,
Go back to Yarrow, 'tis their own,
Each Maiden to her Dwelling!
On Yarrow's Banks let herons feed,
Hares couch, and rabbits burrow!
But we will downwards with the Tweed,
Nor turn aside to Yarrow.

There's Galla Water, Leader Haughs,

Both lying right before us;

And Dryborough, where with chiming Tweed
The Lintwhites sing in chorus ;
There's pleasant Tiviot-dale, a land

Made blithe with plough and harrow :
Why throw away a needful day

Το

in search of Yarrow?

go

What's Yarrow but a River bare

That glides the dark hills under ?

There are a thousand such elsewhere

As worthy of your wonder."

-Strange words they seemed of slight and scorn;

My True-love sighed for sorrow;

And looked me in the face, to think

I thus could speak of Yarrow !

"Oh! green," said I, "are Yarrow's Holms, And sweet is Yarrow flowing!

Fair hangs the apple frae the rock *,
But we will leave it growing.

O'er hilly path, and open Strath,
We'll wander Scotland thorough;
But, though so near, we will not turn
Into the Dale of Yarrow.

Let Beeves and home-bred Kine partake
The sweets of Burn-mill meadow ;
The Swan on still St. Mary's Lake
Float double, Swan and Shadow!
We will not see them; will not go,
To-day, nor yet to-morrow;
Enough if in our hearts we know
There's such a place as Yarrow.

Be Yarrow Stream unseen, unknown!

It must, or we shall rue it :

We have a vision of our own;

Ah! why should we undo it?
The treasured dreams of times long past,
We'll keep them, winsome Marrow!
For when we're there although 'tis fair
"Twill be another Yarrow !

* See Hamilton's Ballad, as above.