LOCHINVAR.

He loved to lie where his wakeful eye
Could keep me still in sight,
Whence a word or a sign,

Or a look of mine,

Brought him like light.

Nor word nor sign, nor look of mine,
From under the lime-tree bough,
With bark and bound,

And frolic round,

Shall bring him now.

But he taketh his rest, where he loved best

In the days of his life to be,

And that place will not

Be a common spot

Of earth to me.

105

MRS. SOUTHEY.

LOCHINVAR.

Oh, young Lochinvar is come out of the west; Through all the wide Border his steed was the best, And save his good broadsword he weapons had none; He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone.

So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,

There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.

He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone, He swam the Eske river where ford there was none;

But, ere he alighted at Netherby gate,

The bride had consented, the gallant came late :
For a laggard in love and a dastard in war
Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.

So boldly he entered the Netherby hall,

Among bridesmen and kinsmen, and brothers and all: Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word), “Oh, come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?”

"I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied ;
Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide;
And now I am come, with this lost love of mine
To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.
There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far
That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar."

up:

The bride kissed the goblet; the knight took it
He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup.
She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh,
With a smile on her lips and a tear in her

eye.

He took her soft hand ere her mother could bar,

"Now tread we a measure!" said young Lochinvar.

So stately his form, and so lovely her face,
That never a hall such a galliard did grace;

While her mother did fret, and her father did fume,
And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and

plume;

108

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM.

One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear,

When they reached the hall door and the charger stood

near;

So light to the croup the fair lady he swung,

So light to the saddle before her he sprung!

"She is won! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur! They'll have fleet steeds that follow!" quoth young Lochinvar.

There was mounting 'mong Græmes of the Netherby clan; Forsters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they

ran;

There was racing and chasing on Cannobie Lee;
But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see.
So daring in love, and so dauntless in war,

Have ye e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar?

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM.

It was a summer's evening,

Old Kaspar's work was done,
And he before his cottage door
Was sitting in the sun;

And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.

SCOTT.

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM.

She saw her brother Peterkin

Roll something large and round, Which he, beside the rivulet,

In playing there, had found.

He came to ask what he had found,

That was so large, and smooth, and round.

Old Kaspar took it from the boy,

Who stood expectant by;

And then the old man shook his head,

And, with a natural sigh,

"'Tis some poor fellow's skull,” said he, "Who fell in the great victory!

"I find them in the garden,

For there's many here about; And often when I go to plough,

The ploughshare turns them out; For many thousand men," said he, "Were slain in that great victory!"

66

Now, tell us what 'twas all about,"
Young Peterkin he cries;

And little Wilhelmine looks up

With wonder-waiting eyes;

"Now tell us all about the war,

And what they killed each other for.”

109