HOPE AND LOVE.

Sometimes they turn'd aside to bless
Some Muse and her wild numbers,
Or breathe a dream of holiness

On Beauty's quiet slumbers.

"Fly on," said Wisdom, with cold sneers;
"I teach my friends to doubt you:"
"Come back," said Age, with bitter tears,
"My heart is cold without you."

When Poverty beset their path,
And threaten'd to divide them,
They coax'd away the beldame's wrath,
Ere she had breath to chide them,
By vowing all her rags were silk,

And all her bitters honey,

And showing taste for bread and milk,
And utter scorn of money.

They met stern Danger in their way,

Upon a ruin seated;

Before him kings had quaked that day,
And armies had retreated:

But he was robed in such a cloud,

As Love and Hope came near him, That though he thunder'd long and loud, They did not see or hear him.

A gray-beard join'd them, Time by name; And Love was nearly crazy,

To find that he was very lame,

And also very lazy:

Hope, as he listen'd to her tale,

Tied wings upon his jacket; And then they far outran the mail, And far outsail'd the packet.

66

HOPE AND LOVE.

And so, when they had safely pass'd
O'er many a land and billow,
Before a grave they stopp'd at last,
Beneath a weeping willow:
The moon upon the humble mound
Her softest light was flinging;
And from the thickets all around

Sad nightingales were singing.

"I leave you here," quoth Father Time,

As hoarse as any raven;

And Love kneel'd down to spell the rhyme
Upon the rude stone graven:

But Hope look'd onward, calmly brave,
And whisper'd, "Dearest brother,
We're parted on this side the grave,-

We'll meet upon the other."

WITHIN A MILE OF EDINBRO'.

Jocky was a wag that never would wed,
Though long he had follow'd the lass:
Contented she earn'd and eat her brown bread,

And merrily turn'd up the grass.

Bonnie Jocky, blythe and free,

Won her heart right merrily:

Yet still she blush'd, and frowning cried, "No, no, it will not do;

I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot, mannot buckle to."

But when he vow'd he would make her his bride,

Though his flocks and herds were not few,

She

gave him her hand, and a kiss beside,

And vow'd she'd for ever be true.

Bonnie Jocky, blythe and free,

Won her heart right merrily:

At church she no more frowning said, "No, no, it will not do ;

I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot, mannot buckle to."

ALLEN-A-DALE,

ALLEN-A-DALE has no faggot for burning,
Allen-a-Dale has no furrow for turning,
Allen-a-Dale has no fleece for the spinning,
Yet Allen-a-Dale has red gold for the winning.
Come, read me my riddle! come, hearken my

And tell me the craft of bold Allen-a-Dale.

tale!

The baron of Ravensworth prances in pride,
And he views his domains upon Arkindale side,
The mere for his net, and the land for his game,
The chase for the wild, and the park for the tame;
Yet the fish of the lake, and the deer of the vale,
Are less free to Lord Dacre than Allen-a-Dale!

Allen-a-Dale was ne'er belted a knight,

Though his spur be as sharp, and his blade be as bright; Allen-a-Dale is no baron or lord,

Yet twenty tall yeomen will draw at his word;

And the best of our nobles his bonnet will vail,

Who at Rere-cross on Stanmore meets Allen-a-Dale.

Allen-a-Dale to his wooing is come;

The mother, she ask'd of his household and home :

'Though the castle of Richmond stands fair on the hill,

My hall," quoth bold Allen, " shows gallanter still; 'Tis the blue vault of heav'n, with its crescent so pale, And with all its bright spangles!" said Allen-a-Dale.