Robert Nicoll: 'Poems and Lyrics'.

POEMS AND LYRICS

BY

ROBERT NICOLL

WITH

A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR

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"Finds tongues in trees—books in the running brooks—
Sermons in stones—and good in everything."—As You Like It.

――――♦――――

TO MRS. JOHNSTONE,

AUTHORESS OF "ELIZABETH DE BRUCE," ETC.,

THIS VOLUME IS

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR.

NOTE.
_____

It was originally intended that an entirely new Life of ROBERT NICOLL should have been written for this Edition, and a distinguished writer had promised to undertake that work; but it was found, after considerable inquiry, that no fresh material for that purpose was in existence, whilst nothing could be in better taste than the Life and Criticism which formerly appeared.

CONTENTS.
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THE POEMS MARKED THUS * IN THE TABLE OF CONTENTS ARE ALL
POSTHUMOUS PIECES.

	PAGE
Criticism of the Life and Writings of Robert Nicoll.	XI
Sketch of the Life of Robert Nicoll	XXI

PART FIRST.

POEMS, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS,
AND OF THE CONDITION AND FEELINGS, OF THE
SCOTTISH PEASANTRY.

The Ha' Bible	1.
The Toun where I was born	3.
Youth's Dream	5.
Ordé Braes	6.
*The Place that I love best	8.
The folk o' Ochtergaen	10.
The Spinning-wheel	11.
*Our Auld Hearthstane	12.
*We'll a' go pu' the heather	15.
My Hame	16.
*My Grandfather	18.
*Our Auld Gudeman	20.
*Janet Dunbar	21.
Janet Macbean	22.
Minister Tam	23.
The Dominie	25.
*The Smith	27.
*Auld Donald	28.
*Bonnie Bessie Lee	29.
Fiddler Johnny	30.
*The Provost	31.
*The Bailie	33.
*The Hopes of Age	34.
*Home Thoughts	35.
The Battle Word	36.

PART SECOND.

SONGS, CHIEFLY SCOTTISH.

Thae lips o' yours are cherries twa;
    But floutin' words they speak;
An ahint the door o' cauld disdain
    My heart I canna' steek.
Your bonnie e'en an' your jeerin' words
    Are ever grievin' me;
Ye cuttie quean! it's an awfu' thing
    That ye winna let me be.

                               From.....Ye Winna Let Me Be

The Muir o' Gorse and Broom	37.
The Beloved One	38.
*The Making o' the Hay	39.
*Menie	40.
*Down by the Wood	41.
My Auld Gudewife	42.
The Courtin' Time	43.
The Bonnie Hieland Hills	44.
The Thistle	45.
The Heather of Scotland	46.
The Bagpipes	48.
Fading Away	49.
Regrets	49.
The Hieland Plaid	50.
What shall I do	52.
The Wooing	53.
The Lament of Benedict the Married Man	55.
There's never an end o' her Flytin' an' Din	56.
A Maiden's Meditations	57.
My Minnie mauna ken	59.
*Kate Carnegie	61.
The Maid I daurna name	62.
*The Packman	63.
The Bonnie Rowan Bush	64.
The Auld Beggar Man	65.
Ye winna let me be	66.
The Banks of Tay	67.
The Lass o' Turrit Ha'	69.
Mary Hamilton	70.
Janet	72.
The False One	73.
Summer Wooing	75.
The Prisoner's Song	77.
We are Brethren a'	79.
Steadfastness	80.
The Honest and True	81.
The World's fn' o' Skaith and Toil	82.
*The Shepherdess	82.
*Be still, be still, thou Beating Heart!	83.
To the Lady of my Heart	84.
A Castle in the Air	85.
The Lasses	86.

PART THIRD.

POEMS, CHIEFLY IN THE SCOTTISH DIALECT, ILLUSTRATIVE OF
THE FEELINGS OF THE INTELLIGENT AND RELIGIOUS AMONG THE
WORKING- CLASSES OF SCOTLAND.

THE braw folk crush the poor folk down,
    An' blood an' tears are rinnin' het;
An' meikle ill and meikle wae,
    We a' upon the earth have met.
An' Falsehood aft comes boldly forth,
    And on the throne of Truth doth sit;
But true hearts a'—gae work awa'—
    We'll mak' the Warld better yet!

                      From....We'll mak the Warld better yet

Stanzas on the Birthday of Burns	89.
*We are Lowly	90.
We'll mak' the Warld better yet	91.
The Hero	93.
*Our King	94.
The Puir Folk	96.
The Bursting of the Chain	98.
We are Free	99.
*Endurance	101.
Bacchanalian	102.
The Poor Man's Death-bed	103.
The Cairn	105.
Dare not Scorn	106.
The People's Anthem	107.
The Questioner: a Chant	108.

PART FOURTH.

POEMS, SERIOUS AND PATHETIC.

THE milk-white blossoms of the thorn
    Are waving o'er the pool,
Moved by the wind that breathes along
    So sweetly and so cool.
The hawthorn clusters bloom above,
    The primrose hides below,
And on the lonely passer by
    A modest glance doth throw!

                                   From.... The Primrose

*Thoughts of Heaven	109.
Arouse Thee, Soul !	111.
Visions	113.
*The Herd Lassie	114.
I am Blind	115.
Wild Flowers	118.
*The Anemone	119.
Time's Changes	120.
The Forsaken	124.
A Thought	126.
The Thought Spirit	127.
*Forest Musings	128.
The Sick Child's Dream	130.
The Mother	133.
The Bereaved	134.
The Parting	135.
The Grave of Burns	137.
*The Village Church	138.
A Dirge	139.
My Auld Gudewife	140.
God is Everywhere	142.
My Only Sister	144.
A Day among the Mountains	146.
The Widow's Child	149.
The Mountain Orphan	151.
The Mother's Monody	153.
*My Lily	155.
*The Primrose	157.
*The Nameless Rivulet	158.
*The Bramble	161.
*Alice	162.
The Dying Maiden	165.
*A Woodland Walk	168.

PART FIFTH.

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

I would be laid among the wildest flowers,
    I would be laid where happy hearts can come:—
The worthless clay I heed not; but in hours
    Of gushing noontide joy, it may be some
Will dwell upon my name; and I will be
A happy spirit there, affection's look to see.

                                                                          From..... Death

*Thomas Clarkson	173.
Thoughts and Fancies: Milton: a Sonnet	175.
………………….........……Despondency: a Sonnet	175.
*The Morning Star	176.
The Exile's Song	178.
The Death-Song of Hofer	179.
The Swiss Mother to her Son	180.
The German Ballad-Singer	182.
*The Mother's Memories of her Infant Child	184.
A Romaunt	185.
*The Mossy Stane	186.
The Wanderer	188.
The Ruined Manor-House	190.
*The Saxon Chapel	192.
Madness	194.
*Life's Pilgrimage	195.
*Song for a Summer Evening	198.
*It's nae Fun, that!	199.
*Sonnet to Mr. J. R. F.	200.
*The Linnet	201.
*Death	202.