TO M. S. G. I. WHEN I dream that you love me, you'll surely forgive, Extend not your anger to sleep; For, in visions alone, your affection can live, 2. Then, Morpheus! envelope my faculties fast, Shed o'er me your languor benign; Should the dream of to-night but resemble the last, 3. They tell us that Slumber, the sister of Death, Mortality's emblem is given; To fate how I long to resign my frail breath, If this be a foretaste of Heaven. 4. Ah! frown not, sweet Lady, unbend your soft brow, Nor deem me too happy in this; If I sin in my dream, I atone for it now, 5. Tho' in visions, sweet Lady, perhaps, you may smile, When dreams of your presence my slumbers beguile, SONG. I. WHEN I rov❜d, a young Highlander, o'er the dark heath, And climb'd thy steep summit, oh! Morven of Snow (1), To gaze on the torrent, that thunder'd beneath, Or the mist of the tempest that gather❜d below (2); Untutor❜d by science, a stranger to fear, And rude as the rocks, where my infancy grew, bosom was dear, No feeling, save one, to my Need I say, my sweet Mary, 'twas centred in you? 2. Yet, it could not be love, for I knew not the name, As I felt, when a boy, on the crag-cover'd wild : I lov'd my bleak regions, nor panted for new, And few were my wants, for my wishes were blest, And pure were my thoughts, for my soul was with you. (1) Morven, a lofty Mountain in Aberdeenshire : « Gormal of Snow,» is an expression frequently to be found in Ossian. (2) This will not appear extraordinary to those who have been accustomed to the mountains; it is by no means uncommon on attaining the top of Ben e vis, Ben y bourd, etc., to perceive, between the summit and the valley, clouds pouring down rain, and, occasionally, accompanied by lightning, while the spectator literally looks down on the storm, perfectly secure from its effects. 3. I arose with the dawn, with my dog as my guide, No dreams, save of Mary, were spread to my view I left 4. my bleak home, and my visions are gone, The mountains are vanish'd, my youth is no more; As the last of my race, I must wither alone, And delight but in days I have witness'd before; Ah! splendour has rais'd, but embitter'd my lot, More dear were the scenes which my infancy knew ; Though my hopes may have fail'd, yet they are not forgot, Tho' cold is my heart, still it lingers with you. 5. When I see some dark hill point its crest to the sky, I think of those eyes that endear'd the rude scene; (1) « Breasting the lofty surge. » you. SHAKESPEARE. (2) The Dee is a beautiful river, which rises near Mar Logde, and falls into the sea, at New Aberdeen. (3) Colbleen is a mountain near the verge of the Hig lands, not far from the ruins of Dee Castle. 6. Yet, the day may arrive, when the mountains, once more, Adieu! then, ye hills, where my childhood was bred, No home in the forest shall shelter my head, Ah! Mary, what home could be mine, but with you? ΤΟ 1. Он! yes, I will own we were dear to each other, The friendships of childhood, tho' fleeting, are true; The love which you felt, was the love of a brother, Nor less the affection I cherish'd for you. 2. But Friendship can vary her gentle dominion, 3. Full oft have we wander'd through Ida together, 4. No more with affection shall memory blending 5. However, dear S-, for I still must esteem you, 6. I will not complain, and tho' chill'd is affection, That both may be wrong, and that both should forgive. 7. You knew that my soul, that my heart, my existence, You knew me unalter'd by years or by distance, 8. You knew, but away with the vain retrospection, Too late you may droop o'er the fond recollection, 9. For the present, we part,-I will hope not for ever, |