The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd Centenary Edition. With a Memoir of the Author, by the Rev. Thomas Thomson ... Poems and Life. With Many Illustrative Engravings [by James Hogg] |
 |
 |
|
|
|
| 1. | PART FIRST. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd |  |
1. PART FIRST.
Of all the lasses in fair Scotland,
That lightly bound o'er muir and lee,
There's nane like the maids of Yarrowdale,
Wi' their green coats kilted to the knee.
That lightly bound o'er muir and lee,
There's nane like the maids of Yarrowdale,
Wi' their green coats kilted to the knee.
Oh! there shines mony a winsome face,
And mony a bright and beaming e'e;
For rosy health blooms on the cheek,
And the blink of love plays o'er the bree.
And mony a bright and beaming e'e;
For rosy health blooms on the cheek,
And the blink of love plays o'er the bree.
127
But ne'er by Yarrow's sunny braes,
Nor Ettrick's green and wizard shaw,
Did ever maid so lovely won
As Mary Lee of Carelha'.
Nor Ettrick's green and wizard shaw,
Did ever maid so lovely won
As Mary Lee of Carelha'.
Oh! round her fair and sightly form
The light hill-breeze was blithe to blow,
For the virgin hue her bosom wore
Was whiter than the drifted snow.
The light hill-breeze was blithe to blow,
For the virgin hue her bosom wore
Was whiter than the drifted snow.
The dogs that wont to growl and bark,
Whene'er a stranger they could see,
Would cower, and creep along the sward,
And lick the hand of Mary Lee.
Whene'er a stranger they could see,
Would cower, and creep along the sward,
And lick the hand of Mary Lee.
On form so fair, or face so mild,
The rising sun did never gleam;
On such a pure untainted mind
The dawn of truth did never beam.
The rising sun did never gleam;
On such a pure untainted mind
The dawn of truth did never beam.
She never had felt the stounds of love,
Nor the waefu' qualms that breed o' sin;
But ah! she showed an absent look,
And a deep and thoughtfu' heart within.
Nor the waefu' qualms that breed o' sin;
But ah! she showed an absent look,
And a deep and thoughtfu' heart within.
She looked with joy on a young man's face,
The downy chin, and the burning eye,
Without desire, without a blush;
She loved them, but she knew not why.
The downy chin, and the burning eye,
Without desire, without a blush;
She loved them, but she knew not why.
She learned to read, when she was young,
The books of deep divinity;
And she thought by night, and she read by day,
Of the life that is, and the life to be.
The books of deep divinity;
And she thought by night, and she read by day,
Of the life that is, and the life to be.
And the more she thought, and the more she read
Of the ways of Heaven and Nature's plan,
She feared the half that the bedesmen said
Was neither true nor plain to man.
Of the ways of Heaven and Nature's plan,
She feared the half that the bedesmen said
Was neither true nor plain to man.
Yet she was meek, and bowed to Heaven
Each morn beneath the shady yew,
Before the laverock left the cloud,
Or the sun began his draught of dew.
Each morn beneath the shady yew,
Before the laverock left the cloud,
Or the sun began his draught of dew.
And when the gloaming's gouden veil
Was o'er Blackandro's summit flung,
Among the bowers of green Bowhill
Her hymn she to the Virgin sung.
Was o'er Blackandro's summit flung,
Among the bowers of green Bowhill
Her hymn she to the Virgin sung.
And aye she thought, and aye she read,
Till mystic wildness marked her air;
For the doubts that on her bosom preyed
Were more than maiden's mind could bear.
Till mystic wildness marked her air;
For the doubts that on her bosom preyed
Were more than maiden's mind could bear.
And she grew weary of this world,
And yearned and pined the next to see;
Till Heaven in pity earnest sent,
And from that thraldom set her free.
And yearned and pined the next to see;
Till Heaven in pity earnest sent,
And from that thraldom set her free.
One eve when she had prayed and wept
Till daylight faded on the wold—
The third night of the waning moon,
Well known to hind and matron old;
Till daylight faded on the wold—
The third night of the waning moon,
Well known to hind and matron old;
For then the fairies boun' to ride,
And the elves of Ettrick's greenwood shaw;
And aye their favourite rendezvous
Was green Bowhill and Carelha'—
And the elves of Ettrick's greenwood shaw;
And aye their favourite rendezvous
Was green Bowhill and Carelha'—
There came a wight to Mary's knee,
With face, like angel's, mild and sweet;
His robe was like the lily's bloom,
And graceful flowed upon his feet.
With face, like angel's, mild and sweet;
His robe was like the lily's bloom,
And graceful flowed upon his feet.
He did not clasp her in his arms,
Nor showed he cumbrous courtesy;
But took her gently by the hand,
Saying, “Maiden, rise and go with me.
Nor showed he cumbrous courtesy;
But took her gently by the hand,
Saying, “Maiden, rise and go with me.
“Cast off, cast off these earthly weeds,
They ill befit thy destiny;
I come from a far distant land
To take thee where thou long'st to be.”
They ill befit thy destiny;
I come from a far distant land
To take thee where thou long'st to be.”
She only felt a shivering throb,
A pang defined that may not be;
And up she rose, a naked form,
More lightsome, pure, and fair than he.
A pang defined that may not be;
And up she rose, a naked form,
More lightsome, pure, and fair than he.
He held a robe in his right hand,
Pure as the white rose in the bloom;
That robe was not of earthly make,
Nor sewed by hand, nor wove in loom.
Pure as the white rose in the bloom;
That robe was not of earthly make,
Nor sewed by hand, nor wove in loom.
When she had donn'd that light seymar,
Upward her being seemed to bound;
Like one that wades in waters deep,
And scarce can keep him to the ground.
Upward her being seemed to bound;
Like one that wades in waters deep,
And scarce can keep him to the ground.
Tho' rapt and transient was the pause,
She scarce could keep to ground the while;
She felt like heaving thistle-down,
Hung to the earth by viewless pile.
She scarce could keep to ground the while;
She felt like heaving thistle-down,
Hung to the earth by viewless pile.
The beauteous stranger turned his face
Unto the eastern streamers sheen;
He seemed to eye the ruby star
That rose above the Eildon green.
Unto the eastern streamers sheen;
He seemed to eye the ruby star
That rose above the Eildon green.
He spread his right hand to the heaven,
And he bade the maid not look behind,
But keep her face to the dark blue even:
And away they bore upon the wind.
And he bade the maid not look behind,
But keep her face to the dark blue even:
And away they bore upon the wind.
She did not linger, she did not look,
For in a moment they were gone;
But she thought she saw her very form
Stretched on the greenwood's lap alone.
For in a moment they were gone;
But she thought she saw her very form
Stretched on the greenwood's lap alone.
As ever you saw the meteor speed,
Or the arrow cleave the yielding wind,
Away they sprung, and the breezes sung,
And they left the gloaming star behind;
Or the arrow cleave the yielding wind,
Away they sprung, and the breezes sung,
And they left the gloaming star behind;
And eastward, eastward still they bore,
Along the night's gray canopy;
And the din of the world died away,
And the landscape faded on the e'e.
Along the night's gray canopy;
And the din of the world died away,
And the landscape faded on the e'e.
128
They had marked the dark blue waters lie
Like curved lines on many a vale;
And they hung on the shelve of a saffron cloud,
That scarcely moved in the slumbering gale.
Like curved lines on many a vale;
And they hung on the shelve of a saffron cloud,
That scarcely moved in the slumbering gale.
They turned their eyes to the heaven above,
And the stars blazed bright as they drew nigh;
And they looked to the darksome world below,
But all was gray obscurity.
And the stars blazed bright as they drew nigh;
And they looked to the darksome world below,
But all was gray obscurity.
They could not trace the hill nor dale,
Nor could they ken where the greenwood lay;
But they saw a thousand shadowy stars,
In many a winding watery way;
And they better knew where the rivers ran
Than if it had been the open day.
Nor could they ken where the greenwood lay;
But they saw a thousand shadowy stars,
In many a winding watery way;
And they better knew where the rivers ran
Than if it had been the open day.
They looked to the western shores afar,
But the light of day they could not see;
And the halo of the evening star
Sand like a crescent on the sea.
But the light of day they could not see;
And the halo of the evening star
Sand like a crescent on the sea.
Then onward, onward fast they bore
On the yielding winds so light and boon,
To meet the climes that bred the day,
And gave the glow to the gilded moon.
On the yielding winds so light and boon,
To meet the climes that bred the day,
And gave the glow to the gilded moon.
Long had she chambered in the deep,
To spite the maidens of the main,
But now frae the merman's couch she sprang,
And blushed upon her still domain.
To spite the maidens of the main,
But now frae the merman's couch she sprang,
And blushed upon her still domain.
When first from out the sea she peeped,
She kythed like maiden's gouden kemb,
And the sleepy waves washed o'er her brow,
And bell'd her cheek wi' the briny faem.
She kythed like maiden's gouden kemb,
And the sleepy waves washed o'er her brow,
And bell'd her cheek wi' the briny faem.
But the yellow leme spread up the lift,
And the stars grew dim before her e'e,
And up arose the Queen of Night
In all her solemn majesty.
And the stars grew dim before her e'e,
And up arose the Queen of Night
In all her solemn majesty.
Oh! Mary's heart was blithe to lie
Above the ocean wastes reclined,
Beside her lovely guide so high,
On the downy bosom of the wind.
Above the ocean wastes reclined,
Beside her lovely guide so high,
On the downy bosom of the wind.
She saw the shades and gleams so bright
Play o'er the deep incessantly,
Like streamers of the norland way,
The lights that danced on the quaking sea.
Play o'er the deep incessantly,
Like streamers of the norland way,
The lights that danced on the quaking sea.
She saw the wraith of the waning moon,
Trembling and pale it seemed to lie;
It was not round like golden shield,
Nor like her moulded orb on high,
Trembling and pale it seemed to lie;
It was not round like golden shield,
Nor like her moulded orb on high,
Her image cradled on the wave,
Scarce bore similitude the while;
It was a line of silver light,
Stretched on the deep for many a mile.
Scarce bore similitude the while;
It was a line of silver light,
Stretched on the deep for many a mile.
The lovely youth beheld with joy
That Mary loved such scenes to view;
And away, and away they journeyed on,
Faster than wild bird ever flew.
That Mary loved such scenes to view;
And away, and away they journeyed on,
Faster than wild bird ever flew.
Before the tide, before the wind,
The ship speeds swiftly o'er the faem;
And the sailor sees the shores fly back,
And weens his station still the same:
The ship speeds swiftly o'er the faem;
And the sailor sees the shores fly back,
And weens his station still the same:
Beyond that speed ten thousand times,
By the marled streak and the cloudlet brown,
Pass'd our aerial travellers on
In the wan light of the waning moon.
By the marled streak and the cloudlet brown,
Pass'd our aerial travellers on
In the wan light of the waning moon.
They kept aloof as they passed her bye,
For their views of the world were not yet done;
But they saw her mighty mountain form
Like Cheviot in the setting sun.
For their views of the world were not yet done;
But they saw her mighty mountain form
Like Cheviot in the setting sun.
And the stars and the moon fled west away,
So swift o'er the vaulted sky they shone;
They seemed like fiery rainbows reared,
In a moment seen, in a moment gone.
So swift o'er the vaulted sky they shone;
They seemed like fiery rainbows reared,
In a moment seen, in a moment gone.
Yet Mary Lee as easy felt
As if on silken couch she lay;
And soon on a rosy film they hung,
Above the beams of the breaking day.
As if on silken couch she lay;
And soon on a rosy film they hung,
Above the beams of the breaking day.
And they saw the chambers of the sun,
And the angels of the dawning ray
Draw the red curtains from the dome,
The glorious dome of the God of Day.
And the angels of the dawning ray
Draw the red curtains from the dome,
The glorious dome of the God of Day.
And the youth a slight obeisance made,
And seemed to bend upon his knee:
The holy vow he whispering said
Sunk deep in the heart of Mary Lee.
And seemed to bend upon his knee:
The holy vow he whispering said
Sunk deep in the heart of Mary Lee.
I may not say the prayer he prayed,
Nor of its wondrous tendency;
But it proved that the half the bedesmen said
Was neither true nor ever could be.
Nor of its wondrous tendency;
But it proved that the half the bedesmen said
Was neither true nor ever could be.
Sweet breaks the day o'er Harlaw cairn,
On many an ancient peel and barrow,
On bracken hill, and lonely tarn,
Along the greenwood glen of Yarrow.
On many an ancient peel and barrow,
On bracken hill, and lonely tarn,
Along the greenwood glen of Yarrow.
Oft there had Mary viewed with joy
The rosy streaks of light unfurled:
Oh! think how glowed the virgin's breast,
Hung o'er the profile of the world;
The rosy streaks of light unfurled:
Oh! think how glowed the virgin's breast,
Hung o'er the profile of the world;
On battlement of storied cloud
That floated o'er the dawn serene,
To pace along with angel tread,
And on the rainbow's arch to lean.
That floated o'er the dawn serene,
To pace along with angel tread,
And on the rainbow's arch to lean.
Her cheek lay on its rosy rim,
Her bosom pressed the yielding blue,
And her fair robes of heavenly make
Were sweetly tinged with every hue.
Her bosom pressed the yielding blue,
And her fair robes of heavenly make
Were sweetly tinged with every hue.
129
And there they lay, and there beheld
The glories of the opening morn
Spread o'er the eastern world afar,
Where winter wreath was never borne.
The glories of the opening morn
Spread o'er the eastern world afar,
Where winter wreath was never borne.
And they saw the blossom-loaded trees,
And gardens of perennial blow
Spread their fair bosoms to the day,
In dappled pride, and endless glow.
And gardens of perennial blow
Spread their fair bosoms to the day,
In dappled pride, and endless glow.
These came and passed, for the earth rolled on,
But still on the brows of the air they hung;
The scenes of glory they now beheld
May scarce by mortal bard be sung.
But still on the brows of the air they hung;
The scenes of glory they now beheld
May scarce by mortal bard be sung.
It was not the hues of the marbled sky,
Nor the gorgeous kingdoms of the East,
Nor the thousand blooming isles that lie
Like specks on the mighty ocean's breast;
Nor the gorgeous kingdoms of the East,
Nor the thousand blooming isles that lie
Like specks on the mighty ocean's breast;
It was the dwelling of that God
Who oped the welling springs of time;
Seraph and cherubim's abode;
The Eternal's throne of light sublime.
Who oped the welling springs of time;
Seraph and cherubim's abode;
The Eternal's throne of light sublime.
The virgin saw her radiant guide
On nature look with kindred eye;
But whenever he turned him to the sun,
He bowed with deep solemnity.
On nature look with kindred eye;
But whenever he turned him to the sun,
He bowed with deep solemnity.
And ah! she deemed him heathen born,
Far from her own nativity,
In lands beneath the southern star,
Beyond the sun, beyond the sea.
Far from her own nativity,
In lands beneath the southern star,
Beyond the sun, beyond the sea.
And aye she watched with wistful eye,
But durst not question put the while;
He marked her mute anxiety,
And o'er his features beamed the smile.
But durst not question put the while;
He marked her mute anxiety,
And o'er his features beamed the smile.
He took her slender hand in his,
And swift as fleets the stayless mind,
They scaled the glowing fields of day,
And left the elements behind.
And swift as fleets the stayless mind,
They scaled the glowing fields of day,
And left the elements behind.
When past the firmament of air,
Where no attractive influence came;
There was no up, there was no down,
But all was space, and all the same.
Where no attractive influence came;
There was no up, there was no down,
But all was space, and all the same.
The first green world that they passed by
Had 'habitants of mortal mould;
For they saw the rich men and the poor,
And they saw the young and they saw the old.
Had 'habitants of mortal mould;
For they saw the rich men and the poor,
And they saw the young and they saw the old.
But the next green world the twain pass'd by,
They seemed of some superior frame;
For all were in the bloom of youth,
And all their radiant robes the same.
They seemed of some superior frame;
For all were in the bloom of youth,
And all their radiant robes the same.
And Mary saw the groves and trees,
And she saw the blossoms thereupon;
But she saw no grave in all the land,
Nor church, nor yet a church-yard stone.
And she saw the blossoms thereupon;
But she saw no grave in all the land,
Nor church, nor yet a church-yard stone.
That pleasant land is lost in light,
To every searching mortal eye;
So nigh the sun its orbit sails,
That on his breast it seems to lie.
To every searching mortal eye;
So nigh the sun its orbit sails,
That on his breast it seems to lie.
And though its light be dazzling bright,
The warmth was gentle, mild, and bland,
Such as on summer days may be
Far up the hills of Scottish land.
The warmth was gentle, mild, and bland,
Such as on summer days may be
Far up the hills of Scottish land.
And Mary Lee longed much to stay
In that blest land of love and truth,
So nigh the fount of life and day;
That land of beauty and of youth.
In that blest land of love and truth,
So nigh the fount of life and day;
That land of beauty and of youth.
“O maiden of the wistful mind,
Here it behoves not to remain;
But Mary, yet the time will come
When thou shalt see this land again.
Here it behoves not to remain;
But Mary, yet the time will come
When thou shalt see this land again.
“Thou art a visitant beloved
Of God and every holy one;
And thou shalt travel on with me,
Around the spheres, around the sun,
To see what maid hath never seen,
And do what maid hath never done.”
Of God and every holy one;
And thou shalt travel on with me,
Around the spheres, around the sun,
To see what maid hath never seen,
And do what maid hath never done.”
Thus spoke her fair and comely guide,
And took as erst her lily hand;
And soon in holy ecstasy
On mountains of the sun they stand.
And took as erst her lily hand;
And soon in holy ecstasy
On mountains of the sun they stand.
Here I must leave the beauteous twain,
Casting their raptured eyes abroad
Around the valleys of the sun,
And all the universe of God:
Casting their raptured eyes abroad
Around the valleys of the sun,
And all the universe of God:
And I will bear my hill-harp hence,
And hang it on its ancient tree;
For its wild warblings ill become
The scenes that oped to Mary Lee.
And hang it on its ancient tree;
For its wild warblings ill become
The scenes that oped to Mary Lee.
Thou holy harp of Judah's land,
That hung the willow boughs upon,
Oh leave the bowers on Jordan's strand,
And cedar groves of Lebanon;
That hung the willow boughs upon,
Oh leave the bowers on Jordan's strand,
And cedar groves of Lebanon;
That I may sound thy sacred string,
Those chords of mystery sublime,
That chimed the songs of Israel's King,
Songs that shall triumph over time.
Those chords of mystery sublime,
That chimed the songs of Israel's King,
Songs that shall triumph over time.
Pour forth the trancing notes again,
That wont of yore the soul to thrill,
In tabernacles of the plain,
Or heights of Zion's holy hill.
That wont of yore the soul to thrill,
In tabernacles of the plain,
Or heights of Zion's holy hill.
130
Oh come, ethereal timbrel meet,
In shepherd's hand thou dost delight;
On Kedar hills thy strain was sweet,
And sweet on Bethlehem's plain by night:
In shepherd's hand thou dost delight;
On Kedar hills thy strain was sweet,
And sweet on Bethlehem's plain by night:
And when thy tones the land shall hear,
And every heart conjoins with thee,
The mountain lyre that lingers near
Will lend a wandering melody.
And every heart conjoins with thee,
The mountain lyre that lingers near
Will lend a wandering melody.
The extravagant and heterodox position pretended to be established throughout the poem, of the throne of the Almighty being placed in the centre of the sun, must be viewed only as of a piece with the rest of the imaginary scenes exhibited in the work; infinitude and omnipresence being attributes too sacred and too boundless for admission into an enthusiast's dream.
A friend of mine from the country, himself a poet, made particular objections to this stanza, on the ground of its being false and unphilosophical; “For ye ken, sir,” said he, “that wherever a man may be, or can possibly be, whether in a bodily or spiritual state, there maun aye be a firmament aboon his head, and something or other below his feet. In short, it is impossible for a being to be anywhere in the boundless universe in which he winna find baith an up and a down.” I was obliged to give in, but was so much amused with the man's stubborn incredulity, that I introduced it again in the last part.
| The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd | |