But gleg as light are lovers' e'en, It may escape the courtly sparks, August, 1795. quick NOW SPRING HAS CLAD THE GROVE IN GREEN. Now spring has clad the grove in green, And strewed the lea wi' flowers; The furrowed, waving corn is seen Their sorrows to forego, O why thus all alone are mine And safe beneath the shady thorn My life was ance that careless stream, But love, wi' unrelenting beam, The little floweret's peaceful lot, Was mine; till love has o'er me past, The wakened laverock warbling springs, And climbs the early sky, Winnowing blithe her dewy wings In morning's rosy eye. As little recked I sorrow's power, O' witching love, in luckless hour, O had my fate been Greenland snows, Or Afric's burning zone, Wi' man and nature leagued my foes, So Peggy ne'er I'd known! The wretch whase doom is, "hope nae mair," August, 1795. O BONNY WAS YON ROSY BRIER. "Written on the blank leaf of a copy of the last edition of my Poems, presented to the lady whom, in so many fictitious reveries of passion, but with the most ardent sentiments of real friendship, I have so often sung under the name of Chloris."- Burns to Mr. Thomson, August, 1795. O BONNY was yon rosy brier That blooms sae far frae haunt o' man; And bonny she, and ah! how dear! It shaded frae the e'enin' sun. Yon rose-buds in the morning dew, They witnessed in their shade yestreen. All in its rude and prickly bower, That crimson rose, how sweet and fair! But love is far a sweeter flower Amid life's thorny path o' care. The pathless wild and wimpling burn, winding brook And I the world, nor wish, nor scorn, INSCRIPTION FOR AN ALTAR TO INDEPENDENCE, AT KERROUGHTREE THE SEAT OF MR. HERON. Assigned by Dr. Currie to the summer of 1795. THOU of an independent mind, With soul resolved, with soul resigned; Prepared Power's proudest frown to brave, Who wilt not be, nor have a slave; Virtue alone who dost revere, Thy own reproach alone dost fear, THE DUKE OF QUEENSBERRY. Allusion has several times been made to the Duke of Queensberry, as a personage held in hatred by the poet. The two following stanzas were probably a part of the election-ballad of 1790, but omitted from the copy sent by the author to Mr. Graham. How shall I sing Drumlanrig's Grace- Once great in martial story Hate, envy, oft the Douglas bore; ? ancestors And sunk them in contempt; Follies and crimes have stained the name, But, Queensberry, thine the virgin claim, From aught that's good exempt. |