Bear witness many a pensive sigh
Of thoughtful Herdsman when he strays
Alone upon Loch Veol's Heights,

And by Loch Lomond's Braes!

And, far and near, through vale and hill, Are faces that attest the same;

The proud heart flashing through the eyes, At sound of ROB ROY's name.

X.

COMPOSED AT

CASTLE.

DEGENERATE Douglas! oh, the unworthy Lord!
Whom mere despite of heart could so far please,
And love of havoc (for with such disease
Fame taxes him) that he could send forth word
To level with the dust a noble horde,

A brotherhood of venerable Trees,

Leaving an ancient Dome, and Towers like these,
Beggared and outraged! - Many hearts deplored
The fate of those old Trees; and oft with pain.
The Traveller, at this day, will stop and gaze
On wrongs, which Nature scarcely seems to heed :
For sheltered places, bosoms, nooks, and bays,
And the pure mountains, and the gentle Tweed,
And the green silent pastures, yet remain.

XI.

YARROW UNVISITED.

(See the various Poems the Scene of which is laid upon the Banks of the Yarrow; in particular, the exquisite Ballad of Hamilton, beginning

"Busk ye, busk ye, my bonny, bonny Bride,

Busk ye, busk ye, my winsome Marrow !”—)

FROM Stirling Castle we had seen
The mazy Forth unravelled;

Had trod the banks of Clyde, and Tay,
And with the Tweed had travelled;
And when we came to Clovenford,
Then said my "winsome Marrow,"
"Whate'er betide, we'll turn aside,
And see the Braes of Yarrow."

"Let Yarrow Folk, frae Selkirk Town, "Who have been buying, selling,

"Go back to Yarrow, 'tis their own;
"Each Maiden to her Dwelling!

"On Yarrow's banks let herons feed,
"Hares couch, and rabbits burrow!
"But we will downwards with the Tweed,
"Nor turn aside to Yarrow.

"There's Galla Water, Leader Haughs, "Both lying right before us;

"And Dryborough, where with chiming Tweed

"The Lintwhites sing in chorus ;

"There's pleasant Tiviot-dale, a land

"Made blithe with plough and harrow :

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Why throw away a needful day

"To go

in search of Yarrow?

"What's Yarrow but a River bare,

"That glides the dark hills under ?

"There are a thousand such elsewhere

"As worthy of your wonder."

Strange words they seemed of slight and scorn;

My True-love sighed for sorrow;

And looked me in the face, to think

I thus could speak of Yarrow !

"Oh! green," said I," are Yarrow's Holms, "And sweet is Yarrow flowing!

"Fair hangs the apple frae the rock*,

"But we will leave it growing.

"O'er hilly path, and open Strath,

"We'll wander Scotland thorough;

“But, though so near, we will not turn "Into the Dale of Yarrow.

"Let beeves and home-bred kine partake "The sweets of Burn-mill meadow; "The swan on still St. Mary's Lake "Float double, swan and shadow ! "We will not see them; will not go, "To-day, nor yet to-morrow;

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Enough if in our hearts we know

"There's such a place as Yarrow.

"Be Yarrow Stream unseen, unknown!

"It must, or we shall rue it:

"We have a vision of our own;

"Ah! why should we undo it?

"The treasured dreams of times long past, "We'll keep them, winsome Marrow ! "For when we 're there, although 'tis fair, ""Twill be another Yarrow!

* See Hamilton's Ballad as above.