And oh, thy little light, soft hair,
Parted on thy forehead fair,
Doth seem to take its own delight
In leaning smooth and looking bright.
Thy figure small, and tiny feet,
Dotting the carpet round us, greet
Our hearts with joy, and feed the sense
Of love for utter innocence.
These beauties, Fanny, are to thee,
As yet, unknown society;-
And so, they're a befitting dress
For thy mental prettiness ;-
For thy simple thoughts, that seem
Fragments of a summer dream ;-
For thy merry lips' first sayings,
For thy fancy's fairy strayings:
Thou art wiser far than many
That in years are richer, Fanny!
The best of wisdom dwells with thee,
In thy white simplicity,-
In thy young imaginings,
Which float about on spotless wings;
In thy prattlings, kindly meant,
And in thy beautiful content.
Thine is the bloom of life, and we
Are jarrers in society,-
Opposers of each other's good,
Despoilers of all neighbourhood;
Prone to pain, and serious folly,
And framers of self melancholy.
Thou dost wander light and free,
In thine own heart's company;
Making mirth wherever chance
May lead thee in thy mazy dance;
Like the linnet wild, that weaves
Glad liberty amid the leaves:
Little copyer of the lives
Of thy playmate relatives,-
Mocker of the elder ones,-
How thy wayward fancy runs,
By light from thine own laughing eyes,
Its circle of sweet mimicries.
Oft in thy little face, I find
The flitting shadows of the mind
Pass and repass, as thou dost tease
That mind with infant sophistries:-
And then, when no conclusion's near,
Thou, like a true philosopher,
Dost seek the joyous heart again,
And leave at rest the little brain.
Fare thee well, I've found in thee
Blithe and sweet society;
Merriment in drooping pain;
Pictures given back again
Of the pranks of childishness,
Ere I tasted of distress.
Fare thee well! may youth be slow
Το pass from thee, who wear'st it so;
For years are but the links of care,
To one so innocent and fair.
Around thee joy, within thee truth,
Thou'rt worthy of perpetual youth ;-
Worthy of that delight which lies
Within thy blue and pleasant eyes;
Worthy thy mother's fond caressing :-
I owe thee, Fanny, many a blessing,
For pranks of kindliness and glee,
And words of childish charity;
For pleasures generous, light, and many,-
And therefore do I bless thee, Fanny!
IT WAS NOT FOR THE DIAMOND RING.
It was not for the diamond ring upon your lily hand, It was not for your noble name, it was not for your
I saw no gem, no lordly name, no broad domain with thee,
The day you stole my trusting heart and peace of mind from me.
You came-I knew not whence you came-we met'twas in the dance
There was honey in each word of yours and glamour in each glance.
Though many were around me then, I nothing saw but him,
Before whose brow of starry sheen fresh fallen snow were dim.
You're gone!-it was a weary night we parted at the burn;
You swore by all the stars above that you would soon return;
That you would soon return, light love! and I your bride should be,
But backward will the burnie roll, ere you come back
They say that soon a smiling dame of lineage like to thine,
Will take thee by the fickle hand, thy falsehood placed in mine;
The music and the rose red wine to greet her will appear
For wedding song a sigh I'll have, for bridal pledge
IT WAS NOT FOR THE DIAMOND RING.
O would that thou hadst pass'd me by in coldness or in pride!
Nor wrought this deadly wrong to her who on thy truth relied:
The hunter's to the greenwood gone, his spear is in its rest,
But he'll not wound the trusting dove that shelters in his breast.
BEHAVE YOURSEL' BEFORE FOLK.
BEHAVE yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk,
And dinna be sae rude to me,
As kiss me sae before folk.
It wouldna' give me meikle pain,
Gin we were seen and heard by nane,
To tak' a kiss, or grant you ane;
But gudesake! no before folk.
Behave yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk-
Whate'er you do when out o' view,
Be cautious aye before folk!
Consider, lad, how folks will crack,
And what a great affair they'll mak
O' naething but a simple smack,
That's gi'en or ta'en before folk.
Behave yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk—
Nor gi'e the tongue o' old and young
Occasion to come o'er folk.
BEHAVE YOURSEL' BEFORE FOLK.
I'm sure wi' you I've been as free
As ony modest lass should be;
But yet it doesna' do to see
Sic freedom used before folk.
Behave yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk-
I'll ne'er submit again to it;
So mind you that before folk!
Ye tell me that my face is fair:
It may be sae-I dinna care-
But ne'er again gar't blush so sair
As ye hae done before folk.
Behave yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk-
Nor heat my cheeks wi' your mad freaks,
But aye be douce before folk!
Ye tell me that my lips are sweet:
Sic tales, I doubt, are a' deceit ;-
At ony rate, it's hardly meet
To prie their sweets before folk.
Behave yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk-
Gin that's the case, there's time and place,
But surely no before folk!
But gin ye really do insist
That I should suffer to be kiss'd,
Gae get a license frae the priest,
And mak' me yours before folk!
Behave yoursel' before folk,
Behave yoursel' before folk
And when we're ane, baith flesh and bane,
Ye may tak' ten-before folk!
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