aerial beings."* With these references and these extracts I shall rest Margaret's Ghost, and proceed to EDWIN AND EMMA, (p. 73.) It exhibits a beautiful picture of a delicate passion between the lovers, as related in the following verse: A mutual flame was quickly caught, Was quickly too reveal'd ; For neither bosom lodg'd a wish, Which virtue keeps conceal'd. The lesson too to parents and relatives not to oppose virtuous love, merely because the object may have no fortune, is valuable; but, * In the Letter by the Poet Burns to Dr. Moore, giving an account of his life, there is a very curious passage to this effect: "In my infant and boyish days, too, I owed much to an old woman who resided in the family, remarkable for her ignorance, credulity and superstition. She had, I suppose, the largest collection in the country of tales and songs concerning devils, ghosts, fairies, brownies, witches, warlocks, spunkies, kelpies, elf-candles, dead-lights, wraiths, apparitions, cantraips, giants, enchanted towers, dragons and other trumpery. This cultivated the latent seeds of poetry; but had so strong an effect on my imagination, that to this hour, in my nocturnal rambles, 1 sometimes keep a sharp look-out in suspicious places; and though nobody can be more sceptical than I am in such matters, yet it often takes an effort of philosophy to shake off these idle terrors." (See Dr. Currie's Edition of Burn's Works. Vol. I. p. 37.) here, likewise, there is food for superstition. After Emma's last interview with Edwin it is stated, Now, homeward, as she, hopeless, went The Church-yard path along, The blast blew cold, the dark owl scream'd Amid the falling gloom of night, Her startling fancy found In every bush his hovering shade, His groan in every sound. In the last verse but one Emma talks of her lover's angel face. The comparing human beings to angels I certainly do not approve. Mr. Walter Scott, in his Lady of the Lake, has done this with more reserve than poets generally practise, as he makes the comparison with an if. The lines are so beautiful that they are well deserving of insertion in this place : Some feelings are to mortals given, With less of earth in them than heaven; From passion's dross refin❜d and clear, It would not stain an angel's cheek, 'Tis that which pious fathers shed P. 73. In the last verse of this Ballad of Edwin and Emma, it is said, "She shiver'd, sigh'd, and died", on which subject see before, p. 53. NANCY OF THE VALE, by Shenstone," The western sky was purpled o'er", (p. 77.) is a very beautiful Ballad, and is given, with some small alterations, in the second Volume of my Collection. You have omitted it (for which I can see no reason) in your late Volume. To illustrate my ideas on this subject still farther, and to afford my readers some relief from continued comment, I shall subjoin some specimens of what appear to me to be good Ballads and Pastoral Songs, or rather what I will call by the more appropriate name of Rural Songs. BALLADS AND RURAL SONGS. I. THE SAILOR'S LOVE'S CONSOLATION. BY MRS. SLEATH. 1 HUSH'D was the storm-the fleet unmoor'd, And many a gallant youth aboard, 2 But earnest vows and looks of love, 3 Far off her Henry's voice she hears, He calls-she answers; but in vain; Hark! tis the gun-Fast flow her tears; The vessel rides along the main. 4 Awhile sweet hope her bosom cheers, 5 But ah! what terrors wait the Fair, Whose love on trackless seas is tost! She hears, half frantic with despair, The vessel's wreck'd-her Henry's lost. 6 Impatient griefs her bosom tear, She raves-she weeps-nor comfort feels, Victim of woe and wild despair, She thus her sorrowing heart reveals. 7 "Ah, wretched maid! unlov'd, unknown! "Bereft of ev'ry earthly joy! "Ne'er shalt thou cease thy loss to mourn, "And weep thy Henry's destiny. 8 "The treasur'd sorrow, now so dear, "Still cherish'd in thy breast shall live; "Its keenest pangs thy heart revere, ""Twere sinful couldst thou cease to grieve." |