Among the beds of lilies I

Have sought it oft, where it should lie;
Yet could not, till itself would rise,
Find it although before mine eyes;
For in the flaxen lilies' shade,
It like a bank of lilies laid.
Upon the roses it would feed,

Until its lips e'en seem'd to bleed;
And then to me 'twould boldly trip,
And print those roses on my lip.
But all its chief delight was still
On roses thus itself to fill;

U

And its pure virgin lips to fold

In whitest sheets of lilies cold.

Had it lived long, it would have been
Lilies without, roses within.

Like to the Summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of Morning's dew,

Ne'er to be found again.

HERRICK.

Lament for James, Earl of Glencairn.

0000000000000HE wind blew hollow frae the hills,

0000000000?

By fits the sun's departing beam

Looked on the fading yellow woods,
That waved o'er Lugar's wind-

ing stream;

Beneath a craigy steep, a bard,
Laden with years and meikle pain,
In loud lament bewailed his lord,
Whom death had all ultimely ta'en.

He leaned him to an ancient aik,

Whose trunk was mouldering down with

years;

His locks were bleachèd white wi' time,
His hoary cheek was wet wi' tears!
And as he touched his trembling harp,
And as he tuned his doleful sang,
The winds lamenting through their caves,
To echo bore their notes alang.

"Ye scattered birds, that faintly sing,
The relics of the vernal quire!
Ye woods, that shed on a' the winds
The honours of the aged year!
A few short months, and, glad and gay,
Again ye'll charm the ear and e'e;
But nocht, in all revolving time,
Can gladness bring again to me.

156

LAMENT FOR JAMES, EARL OF GLENCAIRN.

"I am a bending, agèd tree,

That long has stood the wind and rain ; But now has come a cruel blast,

And last hald of earth is gane,

my

Nae leaf o' mine shall greet the spring,
Nae summer sun exalt my bloom;
But I maun lie before the storm,

And ithers plant them in my room.

"I've seen sae mony changefu' years,
On earth I am a stranger grown ;
I wander in the ways of men,
Alike unknowing and unknown ;
Unheard, unpitied, unrelieved,

I bear alane my lade o' care,
For silent, low, on beds of dust,
Lie a' that would my sorrow share.

"And last (the sum of a' my griefs!)
My noble master lies in clay;
The flower amang our barons bold,

His country's pride, his country's stay:

In weary being now I pine,

For a' the life of life is dead,

And hope has left my aged ken,
On forward wing for ever fled.

"Awake thy last sad voice, my harp!

The voice of woe and wild despair!

Awake, resound thy latest lay,

Then sleep in silence evermair!

LAMENT FOR JAMES, EARL OF GLENCAIRN.

157

And thou, my last, best, only friend,

That fillest an untimely tomb,

Accept this tribute from the bard

Thou brought from Fortune's mirkest gloom.

"In Poverty's low barren vale,

Thick mists obscure involve me round; Though oft I turned the wistful eye,

Nae ray of fame was to be found.
Thou found'st me like the morning sun,
That melts the fogs in limpid air,
The friendless bard and rustic song
Became alike thy fostering care.

"Oh! why has worth so short a date,
While villains ripen grey with time!
Must thou, the noble, generous, great,
Fall in bold manhood's hardy prime?
Why did I live to see that day?

A day to me so full of woe!
Oh! had I met the mortal shaft,
Which laid my benefactor low!

"The bridegroom may forget the bride
Was made his wedded wife yestreen ;
The monarch may forget the crown
That on his head an hour has been;
The mother may forget the child,

That smiles sae sweetly on her knee;

But I'll remember thee, Glencairn,

And a' that thou hast done for me!"

BURNS.