The poetical works of John Nicholson ... Carefully edited from the original editions, with additional notes and a sketch of his life and writings. By W. G. Hird |
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 | The poetical works of John Nicholson |  |
8
And its pure waters scarcely seem to flow;
Where cattle fed, and scarce a wall was seen,
But all one wide extended park of green;
Or, when the native butter-flow'rets blew,
The valley shone in robes of golden hue,
The mountain's side with ash was spotted o'er,
Which Nature planted centuries before;
Above, the huge grey rocks, which ne'er had broke
Since the creation with the hammer's stroke,
Where prickly furze for ages blossomed round,
And the brown heath the lofty mountains crowned,
From whence the crystal rills did gushing flow,
To seek repose within the vale below;
Where the young shepherds sought the cooling shade,
And underneath the far spread branches laid,
Tuned their sweet pipes, their flocks all grazing round,
While their loved nymphs stood list'ning to the sound.
Then near some lonely grange upon the green,
Where the old yew-trees had for cent'ries been,
In rural bliss the loving pairs would play,
And quite forget the labours of the day,—
Sing of some ancient warriors whom they knew,
Firm to their king, and to their country true;
Or of some maid, who loved, but could not gain
The fickle heart of her too haughty swain,—
How oft she wandered in the fields alone,
Till reason and her beauty all were gone.
9
And not a heart was there but heaved a sigh.
Next, on his staff, oppressed with weight of years,
The father comes, and calls them in to prayers;
His reverend looks they dare not disobey,—
The worst from ev'ning worship could not stay:
Then from his heart the Pater Noster flows,—
He worships God as truly as he knows;
No new fanatics can with him compare,
In true devotion, and the fervent prayer.
| The poetical works of John Nicholson | |