Horace in Homespun by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] A New Edition with Illustrations by A. S. Boyd |
Hughie at the Maiden's Well. |
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Horace in Homespun by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] | ||
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Hughie at the Maiden's Well.
“Fies nobilium tu quoque fontium.”
—Car. iii. 13.
—Car. iii. 13.
Thou bonnie modest mountain spring,
That tinkles oot aneth a stane,
An' seems to thy ainsel' to sing—
For listener near is nane—
There's neither birk nor rowan tree
Bends owre thy brink to shelter thee,
An' but ae gowan fra the lea
Has wander'd here its lane.
That tinkles oot aneth a stane,
An' seems to thy ainsel' to sing—
For listener near is nane—
There's neither birk nor rowan tree
Bends owre thy brink to shelter thee,
An' but ae gowan fra the lea
Has wander'd here its lane.
I thocht nae cretur near e'en-noo,
Till, as I loutit doun to drink,
Awa' wi' flichterin' flurry flew
A lintie fra the brink.
I'm dootfu' if it was a bird,
Sae still it sat afore it stirr'd,
Then, swifter than I'll say the wird,
Gaed by me in a blink.
Till, as I loutit doun to drink,
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A lintie fra the brink.
I'm dootfu' if it was a bird,
Sae still it sat afore it stirr'd,
Then, swifter than I'll say the wird,
Gaed by me in a blink.
Was it the fairy o' the fount
Disturbit in her maiden dream,
That, takin' fricht on my account,
Was startled fra her hame?
Thou lovely Thocht o' Solitude!
Nae mair will I wi' footstep rude,
An' harsh an' hasty wirds, intrude
Upon thy haly stream.
Disturbit in her maiden dream,
That, takin' fricht on my account,
Was startled fra her hame?
Thou lovely Thocht o' Solitude!
Nae mair will I wi' footstep rude,
An' harsh an' hasty wirds, intrude
Upon thy haly stream.
Sae fare-thee-weel, sweet Maiden's Well!
Baith sun and weet thy waters spare!
Thou minds me o' a maid thysel',
Sae meek thy modest air.
Thy siller thread is hardly seen
Winding the solemn hills between,
Yet a' the way the banks o' green
Give proof that thou art there.
Baith sun and weet thy waters spare!
Thou minds me o' a maid thysel',
Sae meek thy modest air.
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Winding the solemn hills between,
Yet a' the way the banks o' green
Give proof that thou art there.
Horace in Homespun by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] | ||