Sic great wisdom I had ere I tint a' my gear;
I 'm as weel able yet to gie counsel, that 's true,
But I may jist haud my wheesht, for I 'm naebody noo.
I CANNA SLEEP.
I canna sleep a wink, lassie,
When I gang to bed at night,
But still o' thee I think, lassie,
Till morning sheds its light.
I lie an' think o' thee, lassie,
And I toss frae side to side,
Like a vessel on the sea, lassie,
When stormy is the tide.
My heart is no my ain, lassie,
It winna bide wi' me;
Like a birdie it has gane, lassie,
To nestle saft wi' thee.
I canna lure it back, lassie,
Sae keep it to yoursel';
But oh! it sune will break, lassie,
If you dinna use it well.
Where the treasure is, they say, lassie,
The spirit lingers there;
An' mine has fled away, lassie--
You needna ask me where.
I marvel oft if rest, lassie,
On my eyes and heart would bide,
If I thy troth possess'd, lassie,
And thou wert at my side.
WILLIAM M. HETHERINGTON, D.D., LL.D.
An accomplished theologian and historical writer, William Hetherington
was born on the Galloway side of the valley of the Nith, about the year
1805. With an average education at the parish school, he entered the
University of Edinburgh, where he speedily acquired distinction. Amidst
studies of a severer nature, he found relaxation in the composition of
verses, celebrating the national manners and the interesting scenes of
his nativity. These appeared in 1829, in a duodecimo volume, entitled,
"Twelve Dramatic Sketches, founded on the Pastoral Poetry of Scotland."
Having obtained licence as a probationer of the Established Church, he
was in 1836 ordained to the ministerial charge of the parish of
Torphichen in the Presbytery of Linlithgow. He joined the Free Church in
1843, and was afterwards translated to St Andrews. In 1848 he became
minister of Free St Paul's Church, Edinburgh.
Besides his poetical work, Dr Hetherington has published, "The Fulness
of Time," "History of the Church of Scotland," "The Minister's Family,"
and several separate lectures on different subjects. He was, during the
first four years of its existence, editor of the _Free Church Magazine_.
Formerly a frequent contributor to the more esteemed religious
periodicals, he has latterly written chiefly for the _British and
Foreign Evangelical Review_.
'TIS SWEET WI'
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