36.

WITH

Absence

TH leaden foot Time creeps along
While Delia is away:

With her, nor plaintive was the song,
Nor tedious was the day.

Ah, envious Power! reverse my doom;
Now double thy career,

Strain every nerve, stretch every plume,

And rest them when she's here!

R. Jago

37. Too Plain, Dear Youth, These Tell-tale Eyes TOO plain, dear youth, these tell-tale eyes

My heart your own declare;

But for love's sake let it suffice
You reign triumphant there.

Forbear your utmost power to try,
Nor further urge your sway;
Press not for what I must deny,
For fear I should obey.

Could all your arts successful prove,
Would you a maid undo,
Whose greatest failing is her love,
And that her love for you?

Say, would you use that very power
You from her fondness claim,

To ruin in one fatal hour

A life of spotless fame?

38.

Resolve not then to do an ill,
Because perhaps you may;
But rather us your utmost skill
To save me, than betray.

Be you yourself my virtue's guard;
Defend, and not pursue;

Since 'tis a task for me too hard
To strive with love and you.

O'

Song

S. Jenyns

'ER desert plains, and rushy meres,
And wither'd heaths, I rove;

Where tree, nor spire, nor cot appears,
I pass to meet my love.

But tho' my path were damask'd o'er
With beauties e'er so fine,
My busy thoughts would fly before
To fix alone - on thine.

No fir-crown'd hills could give delight,

No palace please mine eye;

No pyramid's aerial height,

Where mould'ring monarchs lie.

Unmov'd, should Eastern kings advance,

Could I the pageant see:

Splendour might catch one scornful glance,

Nor steal one thought from thee.

W. Shenstone

39.

Wooed and Married and A'

HE bride cam' out o' the byre,

THE

And O, as she dighted her cheeks,
'Sirs, I'm to be married the-night,
And ha'e neither blankets nor sheets
Ha'e neither blankets nor sheets,
Nor scarce a coverlet too;

The bride that has a' thing to borrow,
Has e'en right meikle ado!'

Wooed and married and a'!
Married and wooed and a'!

And was she na very weel aff

That was wooed and married and a'?

Out spake the bride's father

As he cam' in frae the pleugh,

'O haud your tongue, my dochter,
And ye'se get gear eneugh.
The stirk stands i' the tether,
And our braw bawsint yade
Will carry hame your corn:
What wad ye be at, ye jade?'

Out spake the bride's mither:
'What, deil, needs a' this pride?
I hadna a plack in my pouch
That night I was a bride.
My gown was linsey-wolsey,
And ne'er a sark ava;

And ye ha'e ribbons and buskin's
Mae than ane or twa.'

Out spake the bride's brither
As he cam' in wi' the kye:
'Puir Willie wad ne'er ha'e ta'en ye
Had he kent ye as weel as I.
For ye're baith proud and saucy,
And no for a puir man's wife;
Gin I canna get a better

I'se ne'er tak' ane

my life!'

Out spake the bride's sister

As she cam' in frae the byre; 'Oh, gin I were but married, It's a' that I desire!

But we puir folk maun live,

And do the best we can;

I dinna ken what I should want

If I could get but a man!'

A. Ross

40. For Ever, Fortune, Wilt Thou Prove

FOR ever, Fortune, wilt thou prove

An unrelenting foe to Love,

And when we meet a mutual heart
Come in between, and bid us part?

Bid us sigh on from day to day,
And wish and wish the soul away;
Till youth and genial years are flown,
And all the life of life is gone?

But busy, busy, still art thou,

To bind the loveless joyless vow,

41.

The heart from pleasure to delude,
To join the gentle to the rude.

For pomp, and noise, and senseless show,
To make us Nature's joys forego,
Beneath a gay dominion groan,
And puts the golden fetter on!

For once, O Fortune, hear my prayer,
And I absolve thy future care;
All other blessings I resign,

Make but the dear Amanda mine.

The Second Marriage

J. Thomson

"THEE, Mary, with this ring I wed,'
So, fourteen years ago, I said

Behold another ring! — For what?
'To wed thee o'er again - why not?'

With that first ring I married Youth,
Grace, Beauty, Innocence, and Truth;
Taste long admir'd, sense long rever'd,
And all my Molly then appear'd.
If she, by merit since disclosed,
Prove twice the woman I suppos'd,
I plead that double merit now,
To justify a double vow.

Here then, to-day, (with faith as sure,
With ardour as intense and pure,