ain green shaw.
While Heaven supplies each simple want and leaves me still my cot,
I'll bear through life a cheerfu' heart whatever may befa',
Nor envy ither's joys, but aye be happy wi' my lot
When wand'ring in the e'enin' through our ain green shaw.
ELIZA.
In her chamber, vigil keeping,
Fair Eliza sitteth weeping,
Weeping for her lover slain:
Fair Eliza, sorrow-laden,
Once a joyous-hearted maiden
Till her William cross'd the main.
Fatal day that saw them parted!
For it left her lonely-hearted--
Her so full of joy before--
Brought to her the thought of sadness,
Clouding her young spirit's gladness,
That she ne'er might see him more!
Sad Eliza, no blest morrow
Will dispel thy secret sorrow,
Bring thine own true love again.
Mournful is thy William's story:
On the field of martial glory,
Fighting bravely, he was slain!
Now the silent stars above her
Seem to tell her of her lover,
For each night, with pensive gaze
On the blue vault shining o'er her,
Sits Eliza, while before her
Fleet the scenes of other days.
Thus her lonely vigil keeping,
Fair Eliza sitteth weeping,
Weeping for her lover slain:
Fair Eliza, sorrow-laden,
Once a joyous-hearted maiden
Till her William cross'd the main.
JOHN JEFFREY.
The author of "Lays of the Revolutions," John Jeffrey, was born on the
29th March 1822, at the manse of Girthon, in the stewartry of
Kirkcudbright. His maternal granduncle was the celebrated Dr Thomas
Brown of Edinburgh. From his father, who was parish minister of Girthon,
and a man of accomplished learning, he received an education sufficient
to qualify him for entering, in 1836, the University of Edinburgh. In
1844 he became a licentiate of the Free Church, and after declining
several calls, accepted, in 1846, the charge of the Free Church
congregation at Douglas, Lanarkshire. Mr Jeffrey was early devoted to
poetical studies. In his eighteenth year he printed, for private
circulation, a small volume of poems, entitled "Hymns of a Neophyte." In
1849 appeared his "Lays of the Revolutions," a work which, vindicating
in powerful verse the cause of oppressed European nationalities, was
received with much favour by the public. To several of the leading
periodicals Mr Jeffrey has contributed spirited articles
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