a

pine-tribe, harmonize admirably. Very rare plants have often rewarded the excursions of the botanist-in particular the Lady's Slipper, Orchis, one of our most rare and beautiful native plants. The heath, for which Scotland is famed, is particularly useful to the Highlanders, who employ it as fuel, as a covering for the cottages, and even brew a kind of beer from the young sprouts; and its rich bloom forms a luxuriant contrast to the desert wilds on which it is found; thus affording great relief to the eye, tired of gazing on barren rocks. Branberries, northberries, and bilberries grow plentifully on the heaths, and the strawberries are truly delicious, and so plentiful are they in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, that, when they are ripe, most families

go in the surrounding country, and give what is called a Strawberry feast; where this charming fruit, cultured in different ways, forms the sole refreshment. The manufactures of Scotland are numerous and important. Every species of weaving, hosiery, &c. is carried to a high pitch of perfection, and in Paisley most of the streets are occupied by róws of manufactories. Education, especially amongst the lower classes, is much attended to, and many peasants' sons possess a very good knowledge of Latin, and the more abstract parts of arithmetic, with a degree of keen good sense, and shrewd observationi, cloaked under a most rustie appearance, and the most uncouth dialect. The religion which chiefly prevails in Scotland is the Presbyterian, though all others are tolerated. The animal productions of · Scotland are more diversified than those of the sister country, owing to the many secluded haunts to which the more timid kinds may retreat. A race of wild cattle, formerly very abundant, with manes resembling those of lions, and white as snow, is still to be found on the extensive estates of the duke of Argyle, while deer af different kinds abound in the woods.

Many kipds of birds nearly extinct in England, are still to be found in the Highlands. Grouşe, Ptarmigan,

the Cock of the woods, various sorts of Falcons, Buzzards, and even Eagles have been observed. Loch Ness, as I before stated, never freezes in winter; and in that season presents a very animated picture, in consequence of the numeroas tribes of aquatic fowl, which seek support there. Fish is very abundant; most of my readers have, I presume, heard of Scotch salmon and oysters. The number of islands which crowd the western coast of Scotland, present much sublime scenery; but as I shall consider these in a future paper, I shall take no further notice of them at present. I need hardly inform my readers that Scotland's heroes and bards will take rank even with those of England: and the education which is given to even the poorest, renders it less wonderful, that so many Scotch peasants have distinguished themselves by their genius, or their mechanical skill. Burns, Tannakill, Fergusson, among the lower orders, and Black, Stewart, Scott, and Playfair, among the higher, are a full proof of the native genius of the Scots. We are accustomed to think lightly of Scotland, because the peasants speak chiefly Gaelic, live on oat cakes, and run about with naked feet. Yet let us remember that the poorest Scotchman would sooner die than come to the parish ;* that crime is far less prevalent among them than in England, and that in short, there is more truth in Cowper's lines, than our national pride would lead us to suppose...

174

HYMNS AND POETICAL RECREATIONS.

THE FLOWER OF TO-DAY.
I saw him whet his scythe anew,

I saw him lower the blade;
The bright beam glittering in the herb,

The moving steel betrayed

The tall, ripe grass, that many a day

And many a night had grown,
Through heat and cold its seed matur'd,

Came in its fulness down

The tender blade of yester morn,

Born of the summer shower,
Fell in the freshness of its green,

Boastless of seed or flower.

And there was one in midst of all,

A blossom scarcely blown-
Which never till that day had op'd

Its bosom to the sun.

The colouring of its bud was like

The azure blue of Heaven,
When, faintly mingled, it receives.

The vermil tint of even.

And Oh! it was a lovely thing;

It had not lived an hour;
It had not felt the evening breeze,

Or tasted of the shower.

The mower did not raise his scythe
Or
pause,

when it swept that way.
The weapon did not overpass

The flower of to-day.

I sighed --But O, had it stayed behind,

When all about it died
Had it stay'd to blossom there alone,

When all was gone beside.

What had there been upon the waste

To guard its tender form, Shadow its beauty from the heat,

Or hide it from the storm ?

No, pretty flower; I do not wish

That thou wert growing still ; The shower thou hast not felt is cold,

The evening breeze is chill.

The day-star does not always rise

So bright, so pure as now; Time would have soiled thy pretty leaf,

And fould thy azure brow.

Go, while no touch of thing unkind,

Thy gentle breast has riven, And all that thou hast ever felt,

Is one bright beam from heaven.

WHY WEEPEST THOU ?

O Ask not one, whose heart is drear;

Whose fragile bark is driven,
By wave on wave of earthly care,

Almost from hope of Heav'n.
O ask not him, why he should weep,

Whose wayward treacherous heart,
So lately sunk in sinful sleep,

Forgot its better part..
Bid him go weep, the icy breast,

Insensible to love;
Which wooes the flut'ring soul to rest,

It else could never prove.
Bid him lament the stubborn will,

Still deaf to mercy's voice,
Perversely prone to choose the ill,

And glory in its choice.
O bid him mourn the carnal mind,

Which slights the Pearl of Price;
And, slave to sin, to earth confined

Forgets her native skies.

Yet, lest he sink beneath the fears,

That thus his peace destroy ;
Go whisper, He that sows in tears,

Shall surely reap in joy.

M: