Fair scenes for childhood's opening bloom, For sportive youth to stray in;

For manhood to enjoy his strength;

And age to wear away in!

Yon cottage seems a bower of bliss,

It promises protection

To studious ease, and generous cares,
And every chaste affection!

How sweet on this autumnal day
The wildwood's fruits to gather,
And on my true love's forehead plant
A crest of blooming heather!
And what if I enwreathed my own!
'T were no offence to reason;

The sober hills thus deck their brows
To meet the wintry season.

I see,
but not by sight alone,
Loved Yarrow, have I won thee;
A ray of fancy still survives, -
Her sunshine plays upon thee!
Thy ever youthful waters keep
A course of lively pleasure;

And gladsome notes my lips can breathe,
Accordant to the measure.

The vapors linger round the heights,
They melt, and soon must vanish;
One hour is theirs, nor more is mine,
Sad thought! which I would banish,
But that I know, where'er I go,

Thy genuine image, Yarrow!

Will dwell with me,

to heighten joy,

And cheer my mind in sorrow.

ROB ROY'S GRAVE.

FAMOUS man is Robin Hood,
The English ballad-singer's joy!
And Scotland has a thief as good,

An outlaw of as daring mood;

She has her brave Rob Roy !

Then clear the weeds from off his grave,
And let us chant a passing stave
In honor of that hero brave!

Heaven gave Rob Roy a dauntless heart, And wondrous length and strength of arm; Nor craved he more to quell his foes,

Or keep his friends from harm.

Yet was Rob Roy as wise as brave :
Forgive me if the phrase be strong;
A poet worthy of Rob Roy

Must scorn a timid song.

Say, then, that he was wise as brave :
As wise in thought as bold in deed :
For in the principles of things

He sought his moral creed.

Said generous Rob, “What need of books?
Burn all the statutes and their shelves;
They stir us up against our kind;
And worse, against ourselves.

"We have a passion, make a law,
Too false to guide us or control !
And for the law itself we fight
In bitterness of soul.

"And, puzzled, blinded thus, we lose
Distinctions that are plain and few :
These find I graven on my heart :
That tells me what to do.

"The creatures see of flood and field, And those that travel on the wind!

With them no strife can last; they live
In peace, and peace of mind.

"For why? because the good old rule Sufficeth them, the simple plan,

That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who can.

"A lesson which is quickly learned,
A signal this which all can see !
Thus nothing here provokes the strong
To wanton cruelty.

"All freakishness of mind is checked;
He tamed, who foolishly aspires:
While to the measure of his might
Each fashions his desires.

"All kinds, and creatures, stand and fall
By strength of prowess or of wit :
"T is God's appointment who must sway,
And who is to submit.

"Since, then, the rule of right is plain, And longest life is but a day;

To have my ends, maintain my rights,
I'll take the shortest way."

And thus among these rocks he lived, Through summer's heat and winter's snow: The eagle, he was lord above,

And Rob was lord below.

So was it, would, at least, have been
But through untowardness of fate;
For polity was then too strong;
He came an age too late.

Or shall we say an age too soon?
For, were the bold man living now,
How might he flourish in his pride,
With buds on every bough!

Then rents and factors, rights of chase, Sheriffs, and lairds and their domains, Would all have seemed but paltry things, Not worth a moment's pains.

Rob Roy had never lingered here,
To these few meagre vales confined;