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Scarce had one pale moon pass'd away,
And fill'd her silver urn again,
When in the devious chase to stray,

Afar from all his woodland train,

To Carron's banks his fate consign'd,
And, all to shun the fervid hour,
He sought some friendly shade to find,
And found the visionary bower.

VI.

Led by the golden star of love,
Sweet Ellen took her wonted way,
And in the deep defending grove
Sought refuge from the fervid day.-
Oh!-who is he, whose ringlets fair
Disorder'd o'er his green vest flow,
Reclined in rest-whose sunny hair
Half hides the fair cheek's ardent glow?

'Tis he, that sprite's illusive guest,

(Ah me! that sprites can fate control!) That lives still imaged on her breast, That lives still pictured in her soul.

As when some gentle spirit fled

From earth to breathe elysian air,
And, in the train whom we call dead,
Perceives its long loved partner there-

Soft, sudden pleasure rushes o'er,
Resistless, o'er its airy frame,

To find his future fate restore
The object of its former flame :

So Ellen stood-less power to move
Had he, who, bound in slumber's chain,

Seem'd, haply, o'er his hills to rove,
And wind his woodland chase again.

She stood, but trembled-mingled fear
And fond delight and melting love
Seized all her soul, she came not near,
She came not near that fated grove.
She strives to fly-from wizard's wand
As well might powerless captive fly-
The new cropp'd flower falls from her hand----
Ah! fall not with that flower to die.

VII.

Hast thou not seen some azure gleam
Smile in the morning's orient eye,
And skirt the reddening clouds' soft beam,
What time the sun was hasting nigh?

Thou hast and thou canst fancy well,
As any Muse that meets thine ear,
The soul-set eye of Nithisdale,

When, waked, it fix'd on Ellen near.

Silent they gazed-that silence broke,

"Hail, Goddess of these groves," he cried, "O let me wear thy gentle yoke,

"O let me in thy service bide.

"For thee I'll climb the mountain steep,
"Unwearied chase the destined prey,
"For thee I'll pierce the wild wood deep,
And part the sprays that vex thy way.

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For thee"-" O stranger, cease," she said, And swift away, like Daphne, flew ; But Daphne's flight was not delay'd

By aught that to her bosom grew.

"Twas Atalanta's golden fruit,

The fond idea that confined

Fair Ellen's steps, and bless'd his suit,
Who was not far, not far behind.

VIII.

O Love! within those golden vales,
Those genial airs where thou wast born,
Where Nature, listening thy soft tales,
Leans on the rosy breast of morn—
Where the sweet smiles, the Graces dwell,
And tender sighs the heart emove,
In silent eloquence to tell

Thy tale, O soul-subduing Love!

Ah! wherefore should grim Rage be nigh, And dark Distrust with changeful face, And Jealousy's reverted eye,

Be near thy fair, thy favor'd place?

IX.

Earl Barnard was of high degree,
And lord of many a Lowland hind,
And long for Ellen love had he,

Had love, but not of gentle kind.
From Moray's halls her absent hour

He watch'd with all a miser's care: The wide domain, the princely dower, Made Ellen more than Ellen fair. Ah wretch! to think the liberal soul May thus with fair affection part! Though Lothian's vales thy sway control, Know, Lothian is not worth one heart. Studious he marks her absent hour, And winding far where Carron flows,

Sudden he sees the fated bower,

And red rage on his dark brow glows. For who is he ?-'tis Nithisdale !

And that fair form with arm reclined 'tis Ellen of the vale,

On his

"Tis she (0 powers of vengeance!) kind. Should he that vengeance swift pursue ? No-that would all his hopes destroy ! Moray would vanish from his view, And rob him of a miser's joy. Unseen to Moray's halls he hiesHe calls his slaves, his ruffian band, "And haste to yonder groves," he cries, "And ambush'd lie by Carron's strand. "What time ye mark, from bower or glen, "A gentle lady take her way,

"To distance due, and far from ken, "Allow her length of time to stray. Then ransack straight that range of groves; "With hunter's spear, and vest of green, "If chance a rosy stripling roves— “Ye well can aim your arrows keen.” And now the ruffian slaves are nigh, And Ellen takes her homeward way, Though stay'd by many a tender sigh, She can no longer, longer stay. Pensive, against yon poplar pale, The lover leans his gentle heart, Revolving many a tender tale,

And wondering still how they could part. Three arrows pierced the desert air,

Ere yet his tender dreams depart;

And one struck deep his forehead fair,
And one went through his gentle heart.

Love's waking dream is lost in sleep-
He lies beneath yon poplar pale :
Ah! could we marvel ye should weep,

Ye maidens fair of Marlivale !

X.

When all the mountain gales were still,
And the wave slept against the shore,
And the sun, sunk beneath the hill,
Left his last smile on Lemmermore;

Sweet Ellen takes her wonted way
Along the fairy-featured vale,
Bright o'er his wave does Carron play,
And soon she'll meet her Nithisdale.

She'll meet him soon-for at her sight
Swift as the mountain deer he sped:
The evening shades will sink in night-
Where art thou, loitering lover, fled ?
Oh! she will chide thy trifling stay;
Evin now the soft reproach she frames:
"Can lovers brook such long delay?
"Lovers that boast of ardent flames !""

He comes not-weary with the chase,
Soft slumber o'er his eyelids throws
Her veil-we'll steal one dear embrace,
We'll gently steal on his repose.

This is the bower-we'll softly tread-
He sleeps beneath yon poplar pale—
Lover, if e'er thy heart has bled,
Thy heart will far forego my tale!

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