peared in the Paisley Advertiser, and the favour with which they were received induced him to offer some poetical compositions to the Fife Herald, a newspaper which had lately been established in the capital of his native county. Under the signature of Theta, he has since been a regular contributor of verses to that journal. He has likewise contributed articles in prose and poetry to other newspapers and some of the periodicals.

While conquering warrior's burning brand, amid his gory path,

The emblem is of pain and woe, of man's destructive wrath.

Soon therefore may the spear give place unto the shepherd's crook,

And the conqueror's flaming sword be turn'd into a Reaping Hook!

THE SHEPHERD OF GLENSHEE.
I WANDER Over hill and dale;

I breathe the healthful mountain gale;
Far from the city's busy throng,
I listen to the warbler's song;

I guide and tend my fleecy flocks,
Among the muirs, around the rocks;
And wander unconfined and free,
By bank and burn amid Glenshee.
While roaming o'er the mountain's side,
I mark the seasons onward glide;
See winter clothe the hills with snow,
And make the rivers overflow;
Behold the sunshine and the showers,
In spring renew the leafless bowers;
And list the hum of busy bee,
Among the blossoms in Glenshee.

When summer shines on howm and height,
And fills the bosom with delight;
When bloom adorns the sylvan dell,
And purple heath flowers deck the fell;
At gloaming grey, amid the glade,
I wander with my mountain maid;
And there is none like her I see,
The fairest flower in all Glenshee!

I love to mark, begemm'd with dew,
In shady dell, the vi'let blue;

I joy to view the crystal stream
In morning's cloudless radiance gleam;
But dearer, sweeter, lovelier far
Than op'ning rose, or shining star,—
Than all I know, than all I see,
The blossom that adorns Glenshee!

WILLIAM BLAIR.

WILLIAM BLAIR, author of the "Highland Maid," was born at Dunfermline in 1800. The son of respectable parents of the industrial class, he received an ordinary education at the burgh school. Apprenticed to the loom, he became known as a writer of verses; and having attracted the notice of an officer's lady, then resident in the

place, he was at her expense sent to the grammar school. He was recommended for educational employment in Dollar Academy; but no suitable situation being vacant at the period of his application, he was led to despair of emanating from the humble condition of his birth. A settled melancholy was afterwards succeeded by symptoms of permanent imbecility. For a number of years Blair has been an inmate of the Dunfermline poor-house.

Receiving an ordinary
Abandoning the loom,

ARCHIBALD MACKAY was born at Kilmarnock in 1801. school education, he was apprenticed to a handloom weaver. he subsequently acquired a knowledge of bookbinding, and has continued to prosecute that trade. From his youth devoted to the Muse, he produced in 1828 a metrical tale, entitled, "Drouthy Tam," which, passing through numerous editions, brought a local reputation to the writer. In 1830 he published a small volume of poems, and in 1832 a little work in prose and verse, entitled, "Recreations of Leisure Hours." In 1848 appeared his "History of Kilmarnock," which was afterwards reprinted in an enlarged form. A collection of his best songs was published in 1855 under the title of "Ingleside Lilts." Mackay has contributed extensively to the local journals, and has established a circulating library for the use of his fellow-townsmen.

VICTORIOUS BE AGAIN, BOYS.

HURRAH! hurrah! we've glory won,
And brighter blazes freedom's sun;
But daring deeds must yet be done

To curb Oppression's reign, boys.
Like wintry clouds in masses roll'd,
Our foes are thickening on the wold;
Then up! then up! be firm-be bold-
Victorious be again, boys.

The hearts-the blessings of the brave-
Of those who scorn the name of slave,

Are with you on the ocean's wave,

And on the battle-plain, boys:
Then rouse ye, rouse ye, every one
And gird your brightest armour on;
Complete the work so well begun—
Victorious be again, boys!

Though red with gore your path may be,
It leads to glorious liberty;
Remember, God is with the free,

The brave He will sustain, boys:
The tyrant fears the coming fight,
He fears the power of Truth and Right;
Then up! then up! in all your might—
Victorious be again, boys.

CHARLES MARSHALL,

THE REV. CHARLES MARSHALL is a native of Paisley. In early life he engaged in mercantile concerns. At the University of Glasgow he studied for two sessions, and in 1826 completed a philosophical curriculum at the University of Edinburgh. In the following year he was chosen governor of John Watson's Institution, Edinburgh, where he remained for thirteen years. During that time the directors of the institution expressed their approbation of his services by increasing his official emoluments; they also afforded him permission to attend the Divinity Hall. In 1840, on the completion of his theological studies, he was licensed as a probationer of the Established Church. In 1841 he accepted a call to the North Extension Church, Dunfermline. At the Disruption in 1843, he adhered to the Free Church. He laboured many years as minister of the Free North Church, Dunfermline; but having retired from ministerial duty, he is now resident in Edinburgh.

To the moral and religious reformation of the industrial classes, as well as the improvement of their physical condition, Mr Marshall has long been earnestly devoted. In 1853 he published a small volume of prose and poetry, addressed to industrial females, with the title, "Lays and Lectures to Scotia's Daughters of Industry." This work rapidly passed through various editions. In 1856 he appeared as the author of a similar publication, entitled "Homely Words and Songs for Working Men and Women," to which his former work has been added as a second part. His latest publication, entitled "The Watchman's Round," appeared in 1867; it contains, like his former works, terse and homely counsel adapted to the peculiar feelings and condition of the Scottish peasantry.

THE JEWEL OF A LAD.
AIR-" Fye, gae rub her ower wi” strae.”

As sunshine to the flowers in May,
As wild flowers to the hinny bee,
As fragrant scent o' new mown hay,
So my true love is sweet to me.

As costly jewels to the bride,

As beauty to the bridegroom's ee-
To sailors, as fair wind and tide,
So my true love is dear to me.

As rain-draps to the thirsty earth,
As waters to the willow-tree,
As mother's joy at baby's birth,
So my true love is dear to me.

Though owning neither wealth nor lan'
He's ane o' Heaven's pedigree;
His love to God, his love to man,
His goodness makes him dear to me.

The lass that weds a warly fool

May laugh, and sing, and dance a wee;
But earthly love soon waxes cool,
And foolish fancies turn ajee.

My laddie's heart is fu' o' grace,
His loving ee blinks bonnily,
A heavenly licht illumes his face;

Nae wonder though he's dear to me.

TWILIGHT JOYS.

MUSING, we sat in our garden bower,
In the balmy month of June,
Enjoying the pensive gloamin' hour
When our daily task was done.

We spake of the friends of our early days,
Some living, some dead and gane,

And fancy skimm'd o'er the flow'ry bracs
Of our morning life again.

A bless'd, a lightsome hour was that,
And joyful were we to see

The sunny face of ilk bonnie brat,
So full of frolicsome glee.

They ran, they row'd, they warsl'd, they fell,
Whiles whirl'd in a fairy ring-
Our hearts ran o'er like a gushing well,
And we bless'd each happy thing.

In our wee dwelling the lamp of love,
Trimm'd daily by faith and prayer,
Flings light on earth, on heaven above,
Sheds glory everywhere.

This golden lamp shines clear and bright,
When the world looks dark and doure,
It brightens our morning, noon, and night,
And gladdens our gloamin' hour.

WILLIAM WILSON.

WILLIAM WILSON was born on the 25th December 1801, in the village of Crieff, Perthshire. His parents being of the industrial class and in indigent circumstances, he was early devoted to a life of manual labour. While employed in a factory at Dundee, some of his poetical compositions were brought under the notice of Mrs Grant of Laggan, who interested herself in his behalf, and enabled him to begin business as a coal merchant. He married early in life, and continued after marriage to write as ardent poetry about his wife as he had done before marriage. On her death, he married a lady of respectable connections in the county of Roxburgh. In December 1833, he emigrated to America, and has since been in business as a publisher at Poughkeepsie, in the state of New York. He has repeatedly delivered lectures to scientific institutions, and is well known to the higher class of literary men in America. Many of his earlier poems were contributed to the Edinburgh Literary Journal; and he has published several of his own and other songs, with music composed by himself.