"Lei-gha-Lei-gha"-he then cried out,
Lei-gha-Lei-gha"-with eager shout;1
Thus did he cry, and thus did pray,
And what he meant was, "Keep away,
And leave me to myself!"

Alas! and when he felt their hands-
You've often heard of magic wands,
That with a motion overthrow
A palace of the proudest show,
Or melt it into air:

So all his dreams-that inward light
With which his soul had shone so bright-
All vanished :- -'twas a heartfelt cross

To him, a heavy bitter loss,

As he had ever known.

But hark! a gratulating voice,
With which the very hills rejoice:

'Tis from the crowd, who tremblingly

Have watched the event, and now can see
That he is safe at last.

And then, when he was brought to land,
Full sure they were a happy band,
Which gathering round, did on the banks
Of that great Water give God thanks,
And welcomed the poor Child.

And in the general joy of heart
The blind Boy's little dog took part;
He leapt about, and oft did kiss
His master's hands in sign of bliss,
With sound like lamentation.

But most of all, his Mother dear,
She who had fainted with her fear,
Rejoiced when waking she espies
The Child; when she can trust her eyes,
And touches the blind Boy.

She led him home, and wept amain,
When he was in the house again:
Tears flowed in torrents from her eyes,
She kissed him-how could she chastise !1
She was too happy far.

Thus after he had fondly braved

The perilous Deep, the Boy was saved;
And, though his fancies had been wild,
Yet he was pleased and reconciled
To live in peace on shore.

And in the lonely Highland dell
Still do they keep the Turtle-shell;
And long the story will repeat

Of the blind Boy's adventurous feat,

And how he was preserved.2

[NOTE. It is recorded in Dampier's Voyages, that a boy, son of the captain of a Man-of-War, seated himself in a Turtle-shell, and floated in it from the shore to his father's ship, which lay at anchor at the

1

1832.

She could not blame him, or chastise.

2 This stanza not in edition 1807.

1807.

distance of half a mile. In deference to the opinion of a Friend, I have substituted such a shell for the less-elegant vessel in which my blind Voyager did actually entrust himself to the dangerous current of Loch Leven, as was related to me by an eye-witness.]

The Loch Leven referred to is a sea-loch in Argyllshire, into which the tidal water flows with some force from Loch Linnhe at Ballachulish. By night and day

The great Sea-water finds its way

Through long, long windings of the hills.

The "friend" referred to, in the preceding note, was doubtless his sister.-ED.

One might believe that natural miseries
Had blasted France, and made of it a land
Unfit for men; and that in one great band
Her sons were bursting forth, to dwell at ease.
But 'tis a chosen soil, where sun and breeze
Shed gentle favours; rural works are there,
And ordinary business without care;

Spot rich in all things that can soothe and please!
How piteous then that there should be such dearth
Of knowledge; that whole myriads should unite
To work against themselves such fell despite:
Should come in phrensy and in drunken mirth,
Impatient to put out the only light

Of Liberty that yet remains on earth!

THERE IS A BONDAGE WORSE, FAR WORSE, TO BEAR.

There is a bondage worse, far worse, to bear1

Than his who breathes, by roof, and floor, and wall,

Pent in, a Tyrant's solitary Thrall :

"Tis his who walks about in the open air,

One of a Nation who, henceforth, must wear
Their fetters in their souls. For who could be,
Who, even the best, in such condition, free
From self-reproach, reproach that he must share 1
With Human nature? Never be it ours

To see the sun how brightly it will shine,
And know that noble feelings, manly powers,
Instead of gathering strength, must droop and pine;
And earth with all her pleasant fruits and flowers
Fade, and participate in man's decline.

These times strike monied worldlings with dismay:
Even rich men, brave by nature, taint the air
With words of apprehension and despair:
While tens of thousands, thinking on the affray,
Men unto whom sufficient for the day

And minds not stinted or untilled are given,
Sound, healthy, children of the God of heaven,
Are cheerful as the rising sun in May.
What do we gather hence but firmer faith

That every gift of noble origin

Is breathed upon by Hope's perpetual breath;

That virtue and the faculties within

Are vital, and that riches are akin

To fear, to change, to cowardice, and death?

1 1836.

which he must share

1807.

ENGLAND! THE TIME IS COME WHEN THOU SHOULD'ST WEAN.

England! the time is come when thou should'st wean

Thy heart from its emasculating food;

The truth should now be better understood;

Old things have been unsettled; we have seen

Fair seed-time, better harvest might have been
But for thy trespasses; and, at this day,

If for Greece, Egypt, India, Africa,

Aught good were destined, thou would'st step between.
England! all nations in this charge agree:

But worse, more ignorant in love and hate,

Far-far more abject, is thine Enemy:

Therefore the wise pray for thee, though the freight
Of thy offences be a heavy weight:

Oh grief that Earth's best hopes rest all with Thee!

When, looking on the present face of things,

I see one Man, of men the meanest too!
Raised up to sway the world, to do, undo,
With mighty Nations for his underlings,
The great events with which old story rings
Seem vain and hollow; I find nothing great:
Nothing is left which I can venerate;

So that a doubt almost within me springs

Of Providence, such emptiness at length
Seems at the heart of all things. But, great God!
I measure back the steps which I have trod;
And tremble, seeing whence proceeds the strength 1

1 1827.

seeing, as I do, the strength

1807.