Prevailing, gaining Dismayed, terrified. Aid, help. Vain, useless. Lamenting, mourning loudly. I'll meet the raging of the skies, But not an angry father." The boat has left a stormy land, A stormy sea before her When, oh! too strong for human hand, * 40 For sore dismayed* through storm and shade, 45 One lovely hand she stretched for aid,* And one was round her lover. "Come back! come back!" he cried in grief, "Across this stormy water; And I'll forgive your Highland chief; My daughter!-oh! my daughter! 50 "Twas vain the loud waves lashed the shore, Return or aid preventing; The waters wild went o'er his child, And he was left lamenting.* 55 TO A FIELD MOUSE.-Burns. ROBERT BURNS (1759-1796), the great lyric poet of Scotland, was the son of a small farmer in Ayrshire. He owed little or nothing to education, and, in his genius, followed the impulse of nature alone. Chief poems: Hallowe'en, The Cottar's Saturday Night, Tam o' Shanter, and a magnificent collection of songs. 5 IO 15 20 25 30 35 WEE,* sleekit,* cow'rin',* tim'rous beastie,* Wi' bickering brattle ! * I wad be laith* to rin and chase thee I'm truly sorry man's dominion Which makes thee startle At me, thy poor earth-born companion, I doubt na, whyles,* but thou may thieve; 'S a sma' request: I'll get a blessin' wi' the lave,* Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin! * And bleak December's winds ensuin',* * Thou saw the fields laid bare and waste, And cozie* here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till, crash! the cruel coulter* past That wee bit heap o' leaves and stibble * To thole the winter's sleety dribble Wee, very little. Beastie, little beast. Laith, unwilling, loath. Pattle, the stick used for clearing away the clodsfrom the plough Whyles, sometimes. A daimen icker, &c., an ear of corn now and then from the bundle. Thrave, twenty-four The lave, the rest, Big, build. Foggage, after-grass. Snell, biting. Cozie, comfortable, happy. Coulter, plough-iron. Cell, nest. Stibble, stalks of corn left in the ground after reaping. But house, &c., without a dwelling place. Thole, bear. Cranreuch, hoarfrost. Dew, the moisture which falls upon the earth from the air, chiefly at night. Espied, saw. Kine, cows. Tether'd, fastened. THE PET LAMB.-Wordsworth. * THE dew was falling fast, the stars began to I heard a voice; it said "Drink, pretty creature, And looking o'er the hedge, before me I espied* Nor sheep, nor kine* were near; the lamb was And by a slender cord was tether'd* to a stone; While to that mountain lamb she gave its even- The lamb, while from her hand he thus his Seem'd to feast with head and ears; and his tail such a tone That I almost received her heart into my own. 'Twas little Barbara Lewthwaite, a child of I watch'd them with delight, they were a lovely pair; Now with her empty can the maiden turn'd away; 15 she stay. Right towards the lamb she look'd; and from that shady I unobserved could see the workings of her face; If Nature to her tongue could measured numbers bring, Measured 20 Thus, thought I, to her lamb that little maid might sing: numbers, 25 verse, "What ails thee, Young one? what? Why pull so at poetry. Is it not well with thee? well both for bed and board? Thy limbs are they not strong? and beautiful thou art! peers; * And that green corn all day is rustling in thy ears. "If the sun be shining hot, do but stretch thy woollen Peers, equals Covert,cover 30 This beech is standing by, its covert* thou canst gain; For rain and mountain-storms!-the like thou need'st ing; it could not fear, The rain and storm are things that scarcely can come Rest, little Young one, rest; thou hast forgot the day 40 45 none, And thy mother from thy side for evermore was gone. "He took thee in his arms, and in pity brought thee home : A blessed day for thee !-then whither wouldst thou A faithful nurse thou hast ; the dam * that did thee yean this can lie in the shade of the beech-tree. Dam, a female sheep having lambs. ten it to the cart like a horse, to har Fresh water from the brook, as clear as ever ran; ness it. Fold, an enclosed place for keeping sheep. "It will not, will not rest!-Poor creature, can it be That 'tis thy mother's heart which is working so in thee? Belike, perhaps, Things that I know not of belike* to thee are dear, probably. And dreams of things which thou canst neither see Raven, a bird of prey. nor hear. "Alas, the mountain-tops that look so green and fair I've heard of fearful winds and darkness that come there; The little brooks that seem all pastime and all play, 55 When they are angry, roar like lions for their prey. "Here thou need'st not dread the raven* in the sky; Night and day thou art safe,—our cottage is hard by.* Hard by, close Why bleat so after me? Why pull so at thy chain? Sleep-and at break of day I will come to thee again !” at hand, near. Damsel, a girl. -As homeward through the lane I went with lazy This song to myself did I oftentimes repeat; Again, and once again, did I repeat the song; For she look'd with such a look, and she spake with That I almost received her heart into my own." RESIGNATION.-Longfellow. 60 65 THERE is no flock, however watched and tended,* But one dead lamb is there! There is no fire-side, howso'er defended,* The air is full of farewells to the dying, The heart of Rachel * for her children crying, Let us be patient! These severe afflictions But oftentimes celestial* benedictions * * 5 ΙΟ |