THE INCHCAPE ROCK. The boat is lowered, the boatmen row, And he cut the bell from the Inchcape float. Down sunk the bell with a gurgling sound, Quoth Sir Ralph, - "The next who comes to the rock Wont bless the abbot of Aberbrothok.” Sir Ralph the Rover sailed away; So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky, On the deck the Rover takes his stand; Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon, For there is the dawn of the rising moon." "Can'st hear,” said one, "the breakers roar, For methinks we should be near the shore?" "Now where we are I cannot tell, But I wish we could hear the Inchcape bell.” 89 They hear no sound; the swell is strong; Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along; Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock; O Death! it is the Inchcape rock. 90 TO MY BIRDIE. Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair, TO MY BIRDIE. Mrs. Southey. HERE's only you an' me, Birdie! here's only you an' me! An' there you sit, you humdrum fowl! Sae mute an' mopish as an owl, – Sour companie! Sing me a little song, Birdie! lift up a little lay! To stun them with your minstrelsie, The lee lang day; An' now we're only twa, Birdie! an' now we 're only twa; 'T were sure but kind and cozie, Birdie ! Dull care awa'. Ye ken when folks are paired, Birdie! ye ken when folks are paired, Life's fair, an' foul, and freakish weather, An' light an' lumbring loads, thegither Maun a' be shared; TO MY BIRDIE. 91 An' shared wi' looin' hearts, Birdie! wi' looin hearts and free, Fu' fashious loads may weel be borne ; An' roughest roads to velvet turn, Trod cheerfully. We've all our cares and crosses, Birdie! we've a our cares an' crosses; But then to sulk an' sit so glum, Hout! tout! what guid o' that can come To mend one's losses? Ye're clipt in wiry fence, Birdie! ye 're clipt in wiry fence, An' aiblins I, gin I mote gang Upo' a wish, wad be or lang Wi' friends far hence; But what's a wish, ye ken, Birdie! but what's a wish, ye ken, Nae cantrip nag, like hers of Fife, Who darnit wi' the auld weird wife, Flood, fell, an' fen. T is true ye 're furnished fair, Birdie! 't is true ye 're furnished fair, Wi' a braw pair of bonnie wings Wad lift ye whar yon lav'rock sings High up i' th' air; But then that wire 's sae strang, Birdie! but then that wire 's sae strang! An' I myself, sae seemin' free, Whar fain I'd gang. 92 THE GRASSHOPPER. An' sae we'd baith our wills, Birdie! we'd each out wilfu' way; Whar lav'rocks hover, falcons fly; An' snares an' pitfa's often lie Whar wishes stray. An' ae thing weel I wot, Birdie! an' ae thing weel I wot, There's ane abune the highest sphere Wha cares for a' his creatures here, Marks every lot; Wha guards the crownéd king, Birdie! wha guards the crownéd king, An' taketh heed for sic as me, Sae little worth,―an' e'en for thee, Puir witless thing! Sae now, let's baith cheer up, Birdie ! an' sin' we 're only twa Aff han'- let's ilk ane do our best, To ding that crabbit, cankered pest, Dull care awa'! HAPPY insect! what can be THE CASTLE BY THE SEA. 'T is filled wherever thou dost tread, Nor does thy luxury destroy; The shepherd gladly heareth thee, Thee country hinds with gladness hear, Thee Phoebus loves, and does inspire; Phœbus is himself thy sire. To thee, of all things upon earth, Life is no longer than thy mirth. Happy insect! happy thou Dost neither age nor winter know; 95 But, when thou 'st drunk, and danced, and sung Thy fill, the flowery leaves among, Sated with thy summer feast, Thou retir❜st to endless rest. THE CASTLE BY THE SEA. FROM THE GERMAN OF UHLAND. FELLOW. TRANSLATED BY LONG "HAST thou seen that lordly castle, That castle by the sea? Golden and red above it The clouds float gorgeously. |