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1818]
Anecdotes of the Shepherd's Dog.
621
Now lying so serenely beautiful,
Ne'er felt one passing storm, but on its breast
Retained for aye the silent imagery
Of those untroubled heavens.
Ne'er felt one passing storm, but on its breast
Retained for aye the silent imagery
Of those untroubled heavens.
How still yon Isle,
Scarcely distinguished from its glimmering shadow
In the water pure as air! Yon little Flock,
How snow-white lying on the pastoral mount,
Basking in the sunshine. That lone Fisherman,
Who draws his net so slowly to the shore,
How calm an Image of secluded Life!
While the boat moving with its twinkling oars,
On its short voyage to yon verdant point,
Fringed with wild birch-wood, leaves a shining track,
Connecting by a pure and silvery line
The quiet of both shores.
Scarcely distinguished from its glimmering shadow
In the water pure as air! Yon little Flock,
How snow-white lying on the pastoral mount,
Basking in the sunshine. That lone Fisherman,
Who draws his net so slowly to the shore,
How calm an Image of secluded Life!
While the boat moving with its twinkling oars,
On its short voyage to yon verdant point,
Fringed with wild birch-wood, leaves a shining track,
Connecting by a pure and silvery line
The quiet of both shores.
So deep the calm
I hear the solitary Stock-dove's voice
Moaning across the Lake, from the dark bosom
Of the old Pine Grove. Hark, the village clock
Tolls soberly, and, 'mid the tufted Elms,
Reveals the spire still pointing up to Heaven.
I travel on unto the noisy City,
And on this sunny bank mine hour of rest,
Stream-like has murmured by—yet shall the music
Oft rise again—the Lake, Hills, Wood, and Grove,
And that calm House of God. Sweet Vale, Farewell!
Eremus.
I hear the solitary Stock-dove's voice
Moaning across the Lake, from the dark bosom
Of the old Pine Grove. Hark, the village clock
Tolls soberly, and, 'mid the tufted Elms,
Reveals the spire still pointing up to Heaven.
I travel on unto the noisy City,
And on this sunny bank mine hour of rest,
Stream-like has murmured by—yet shall the music
Oft rise again—the Lake, Hills, Wood, and Grove,
And that calm House of God. Sweet Vale, Farewell!
Eremus.
Marischal College, Aberdeen.
SONNET.
The Lake lay hid in mist, and to the sand
The little billows, hastening silently,
Came sparkling on, in many agladsome band,
Soon as they touched the shore, all doom'd to die!
I gazed upon them with a pensive eye.
For on that dim and melancholy strand,
I saw the image of Man's destiny.
So hurry we, right onwards, thoughtlessly,
Unto the coast of that Eternal Land!
Where, like the worthless billows in their glee,
The first faint touch unable to withstand,
We melt at once into Eternity.
O Thou who weigh'st the waters in thine hand,
My awe-struck spirit puts her trust in Thee!
Eremus.
The little billows, hastening silently,
Came sparkling on, in many agladsome band,
Soon as they touched the shore, all doom'd to die!
I gazed upon them with a pensive eye.
For on that dim and melancholy strand,
I saw the image of Man's destiny.
So hurry we, right onwards, thoughtlessly,
Unto the coast of that Eternal Land!
Where, like the worthless billows in their glee,
The first faint touch unable to withstand,
We melt at once into Eternity.
O Thou who weigh'st the waters in thine hand,
My awe-struck spirit puts her trust in Thee!
Eremus.
Marischal College, Aberdeen.
THE ROSES.
Inscribed to Miss T.
Two Roses, just culled, and yet glistening with dew,
As fair as a garden e'er graced,
Were twined with the breast-knot and ribband of blue,
That bound Anna's delicate waist.
As fair as a garden e'er graced,
Were twined with the breast-knot and ribband of blue,
That bound Anna's delicate waist.
The one, like the bosom it peered from, was white,
The other, in hue was the same
As the cheek of the fair, when the gossip in spite
Hath blabbed out some favourite name.
The other, in hue was the same
As the cheek of the fair, when the gossip in spite
Hath blabbed out some favourite name.
I gazed on the roses, but quickly bethought
Of an object more lovely to view:
But still as the fair one my truant eye caught,
To the flowers, as a shield, it withdrew.
Of an object more lovely to view:
But still as the fair one my truant eye caught,
To the flowers, as a shield, it withdrew.
But Anna, half frowning, her blushing cheek fanned,
And strove from my glances to fly;
As the sensitive plant shuns the touch of the hand,
Her modesty shrinks from the eye!
And strove from my glances to fly;
As the sensitive plant shuns the touch of the hand,
Her modesty shrinks from the eye!
Yet quickly relenting, she said, looking kind,
As she drew from her bosom the flowers:
A covetous eye speaks a covetous mind,
So take them—the roses are yours.
As she drew from her bosom the flowers:
A covetous eye speaks a covetous mind,
So take them—the roses are yours.
Scarce pausing to thank her, I snatched them in haste;
And when to my lips they were pressed,
I could number each blossom her breath had embraced,
So fragrant it seemed by the rest.
And when to my lips they were pressed,
I could number each blossom her breath had embraced,
So fragrant it seemed by the rest.
You frowned, lovely maid! when I dared to avow,
That I coveted more than you named;
And I fear, while you live, and are peerless as now,
For this fault I shall often be blamed!
That I coveted more than you named;
And I fear, while you live, and are peerless as now,
For this fault I shall often be blamed!
But would you reform the offender you chide,
O let him not covet in vain!
The earth holds no treasure he prizes beside,
And he never would covet again!
M'D.
O let him not covet in vain!
The earth holds no treasure he prizes beside,
And he never would covet again!
M'D.
Dumfries.
FURTHER ANECDOTES OF THE SHEPHERD'S DOG.
Eltrieve-Lake, Feb. 22, 1818.
MR EDITOR,
In a former Number of your Miscellany there appeared an affecting instance of the sagacity of a Shepherd's Dog, the truth of which I can well attest, for the owner, John Hoy, was my uncle; that is, he was married to my mother's sister. He was all his life remarkable for breeding up his dogs to perform his commands with wonderful promptitude and exactness, especially at a distance from him; and he kept always by the same breed. It may be necessary to remark here, that there is no species of animals so varied in their natures and propensities as the