Born 1743. Mrs Barbauld. Died 1825. ANN LETITIA AIKEN was born in Leicestershire, in 1743. Her father, Dr Aikin, was classical tutor in an academy. In 1773 she published a volume of miscellaneous poems which met with great success. In 1774 she married a French Protestant clergyman, the Rev. R. Barbauld, who had opened a boarding-school in Suffolk. In 1802 Mr Barbauld became pastor at Stoke-Newington, where he laboured till his death in 1808. Mrs Barbauld is the author of many poetical and prose works. Her lyrical pieces are sweet and harmonious; and her "Evenings at Home," and other prose works have been circulated in tens of thousands. She died in 1825. HYMN TO CONTENT. О THOU, the nymph with placid eye! Receive my temperate vow: Not all the storms that shake the pole And smooth the unaltered brow. No more by varying passions beat, The modest virtues dwell. Simplicity in Attic vest, And Innocence with candid breast, And Hope, who points to distant years, There Health, through whose calm bosom glide That rarely ebb or flow; And Patience there, thy sister meek, To meet the offered blow. Her influence taught the Phrygian sage With settled smiles to wait: When eve, her dewy star beneath, If such an hour was e'er thy choice, SONG. Sylvia. Leave me, simple shepherd, leave me, I cannot like, nor would deceive thee; Corin. Tho' more gentle nymphs surround me, Only you have power to wound me, Sylvia. Corin, cease thy idle teasing, Love that's forced is harsh and sour; Corin. 'Tis in vain, in vain to fly me, Twenty thousand times deny me, Lovers' sighs, and tears, and anguish, Corin. Still I vow with patient duty, I for constant love was born. And the shepherd of his love. U Michael Bruce. Born 1746. Died 1767. A SCOTTISH poet, whose early promise was cut short by a premature death. He was born at Portmoak, in Kinross-shire. ELEGY-WRITTEN IN SPRING. 'Tis past the iron North has spent his rage; The blooming hawthorn variegates the scene. The lily of the vale, of flowers the queen, Puts on the robe she neither sewed nor spun ; Soon as o'er eastern hills the morning peers, Now is the time for those who wisdom love, Hector M'Neill. Born 1746. Died 1818. A SCOTTISH poet, author of "The Harp," "Scotland's Skaith," "The Links of Forth," and some beautiful lyrics. MARY OF CASTLE-CARY. "SAW ye my wee thing, saw ye my ain thing, Crossed she the meadow yestreen at the gloaming, Red, red are her ripe lips, and sweeter than roses, Where could my wee thing wander frae me?" "I saw nae your wee thing, I saw nae your ain thing, Red were her ripe lips, and sweeter than roses- "It was nae my wee thing, it was nae my ain thing, "Away wi' beguiling," cried the youth smilingOff went the bonnet, the lint-white locks flee, The belted plaid fa'ing, her white bosom shawing, Fair stood the loved maid wi' the dark rolling e'e. "Is it my wee thing, is it my ain thing, Is it my true love here that I see?" “O Jamie, forgie me; your heart's constant to me ; I'll never mair wander, dear laddie, frae thee." Miss Susan Blamire. Born 1747. Died 1794. A CUMBERLAND lady, who during a short residence in Scotland acquired a thoroughly idiomatic acquaintance with the Scottish language, and wrote some exquisite songs. She also wrote a poem in the Cumbrian dialect. WHAT AILS THIS HEART O' MINE? WHAT ails this heart o' mine? What ails this watery e'e? What gars me a' turn pale as death When I take leave o' thee? When thou art far awa', Thou'lt dearer grow to me; But change o' place and change o' folk When I gae out at e'en, Or walk at morning air, And live aneath the tree, I'll ca't a word frae thee. I'll hie me to the bower, That thou wi' roses tied, And where wi' mony a blushing bud I'll doat on ilka spot Where I ha'e been wi' thee, And ca' to mind some kindly word By ilka burn and tree. |