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There rode the lords of France and Spain,
Of England, 13 Flanders, and "Lorraine,
While 15 serried thousands round them stood,
From shore of 16 Leith to Holyrood.

Though Mary's heart was light as air,
To find a home so wild and fair;
To see a gathered nation by,
And rays of joy from every eye;

Though frequent shouts the "welkin broke,
Though courtiers bowed, and ladies spoke,
An absent look they oft could trace
Deep settled on her comely face.
Was it the thought, that all alone
She must support a rocking throne;
That 18 Caledonia's rugged land
Might scorn a lady's weak command,
And the 19 Red Lion's haughty eye
Scowl at a maiden's feet to lie?

No; 'twas the notes of Scottish song,
Soft pealing from the countless throng.
So mellowed came the distant swell,
That on her ravished ear it fell
Like dew of heaven, at evening close,
On forest flowers or woodland rose.
For Mary's heart, to nature true,
The power of song and music knew :
But all the choral measures 20 bland,
Of anthems sung in southern land,
Appeared an useless pile of art,
Unfit to sway or melt the heart,
Compared with that which floated by,
Her simple native melody.

As she drew near the Abbey stile,
She halted, reined, and bent the while :
She heard the Caledonian lyre
Pour forth its notes of 2 runic fire;
But scarcely caught the ravished Queen
The minstrel song that flowed between.

Entranced upon the strain she hung.
'Twas thus the gray-haired minstrel sung :-
"O Lady dear, fair is thy noon,

But man is like the inconstant moon:
Last night she smiled o'er lawn and lea;
That moon will change, and so will he.

“Thy time, dear Lady, 's a passing shower;
Thy beauty is but a fading flower;

Watch thy young bosom and maiden eye,
For the shower must fall, and the floweret die."

8

3

5

JAMES HOGG.

'factious broils, the dissensions of political and religious parties. 2 lea, meadow or pasture-land. 3 northern main, the Atlantic Ocean, bounding the north of Scotland. lay, song. Dunedin, Edwin's Hill, the Gaelic or Highland name for Edinburgh, which means Edwin's town. "hied, went. Holyrood, the royal palace of the ancient Scottish sovereigns. mien, look; air; carriage. 9driven from her home; she was sent to France to be safe from the English, who wished to marry her to their young King Edward VI. 1o a parent, etc. In 1560, Mary lost her mother and her husband, who was King of France. She thus ceased to be Queen of France. "amble, the movement of a horse when he first lifts the two feet on one side and then those on the other side of his body. " Presbyter, one who belongs to the form of worship prevailing in Scotland, and having no bishops. 13 Flanders, now Belgium and Holland. 14 Lorraine, now a province of Germany. 15 serried, pressed or crowded closely together. 16 Leith, the port of Edinburgh, situated on the Frith of Forth. 17 welkin, the vault of the sky and the clouds. 19 Caledonia, the ancient Roman name of Scotland. 19 Red Lion, an emblem of Scotland. 20 bland, soft, soothing. 21 runic, belonging to the ancient races of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Scotland, and other parts of northern Europe.

12

COWPER'S TAME HARES.

ap-pel'-la-tive

sig nif-i-cant-ly

ha-bit'-u-at-ed
symp -toms
mis-in-ter'-pret ir-re-sis'-ti-ble

In the year 1774, being much indisposed both in mind and body, incapable of 1 diverting myself either with company or books, and yet in a condition that made some diversion necessary, I was glad of anything that would engage my attention, without fatiguing it. The children of a neighbour of mine had a 2 leveret given them for a plaything; it was at that time about three months old. Understanding better how to tease the poor creature than to feed it, and soon becoming weary of their charge, they readily consented that their father, who saw it pining and growing leaner every day, should offer it to my acceptance. I was willing enough to take the prisoner under my protection, perceiving that, in the management of such an animal, and in the attempt to tame it, I should find just that sort of employment which my case required. It was soon known among the neighbours that I was pleased with the present, and the consequence was, that in a short time I had as many leverets offered to me as would have stocked a 3 paddock. I undertook the care of three, which it is necessary that I should here distinguish by the names I gave them--Puss, Tiney, and Bess. Notwithstanding the two 'feminine' appellatives, I must inform you that they were all males. Immediately commencing carpenter, I built them houses to sleep in; each had a separate apartment, the floor of which was cleansed every day, and thus kept sweet and free from dirt. In the daytime they had the range of a hall, and at night each returned to his own bed, never intruding into that of another.

Puss grew presently familiar, would leap into my lap, raise himself upon his hinder feet, and bite the hair from

my temples. He would suffer me to take him up, and to carry him about in my arms, and has more than once fallen asleep upon my knee. He was ill three days, during which time I nursed him, kept him apart from his fellows, that they might not molest him (for, like many other wild animals, they persecute one of their own species that is sick),

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and by constant care, and trying him with a variety of herbs, restored him to perfect health. No creature could be more grateful than my patient after his recovery; a sentiment which he most significantly expressed by licking my hand, first the back of it, then the palm, then every finger separately, then between all the fingers, as if anxious to leave no part of it unsaluted; a ceremony which he

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