Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/St. De'Nick's Well
St. De'Nick's Well.
A well in the Den of Ardo, Aberdeenshire, sacred to St. Devenick.
In simple times, when simple folks
Had faith in simple spell,
How many sought thy healing spring,
O good St. De'nick's Well!
Had faith in simple spell,
How many sought thy healing spring,
O good St. De'nick's Well!
St. De'nick's waters still give back
The sparkling rays of noon;
But who believes their mystic power,
Or craves the mystic boon?
The sparkling rays of noon;
But who believes their mystic power,
Or craves the mystic boon?
No more revered is Methlic's saint,
Nor sought sweet Ardo's vale;
No trusting pilgrim comes to drink,
Nor whisper forth his tale.
Nor sought sweet Ardo's vale;
No trusting pilgrim comes to drink,
Nor whisper forth his tale.
For now the folks so wise are grown,
They mock at holy rill;
And, scoffing at such simple creed,
They pay the doctor's bill!
They mock at holy rill;
And, scoffing at such simple creed,
They pay the doctor's bill!
But though they hug their nostrums dear,
In whispers let me tell—
That, perhaps, as happy cures were wrought
At good St. De'nick's Well!
In whispers let me tell—
That, perhaps, as happy cures were wrought
At good St. De'nick's Well!