THE AUTHOR'S FAREWELL TO HIS NATIVE COUNTRY. The gloomy night is gathering fast, The Autumn mourns her ripening corn She sees the scowling tempest fly: 'Tis not the surging billow's roar, But round my heart the ties are bound, Farewell, old Coila's hills and dales, Farewell, my friends! farewell, my foes! Burns. WINTER. The wintry west extends his blast, And hail and rain does blaw; Or, the stormy north sends driving forth While, tumbling brown, the burn* comes down, And bird and beast in covert rest * Brook. The sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast, Let others fear, to me more dear Than all the pride of May: The tempest's howl, it soothes my soul, The leafless trees my fancy please, Their fate resembles mine! Thou Power Supreme, whose mighty scheme These woes of mine fulfil, Here, firm, I rest, they must be best, Because they are Thy will! Then all I want (Oh! do thou grant This one request of mine!) Since to enjoy Thou dost deny, Burns. BONNIE BELL. The smiling Spring comes in rejoicing, Now crystal clear are the falling waters, And bonnie blue are the sunny skies; Fresh o'er the mountains breaks forth the morning, The evening gilds the ocean's swell; All creatures joy in the sun's returning, And I rejoice in my bonnie Bell. The flowery Spring leads sunny Summer, But never ranging, still unchanging Burns. CONTENTMENT. My mind to me a kingdom is; That world affords, or grows by kind: Though much I want what most men have, Yet doth my mind forbid me crave. Content I live-this is my stay ; I seek no more than may sufficeI press to bear no haughty sway; Look-what I lack my mind supplies. Lo! thus I triumph like a king, Content with that my mind doth bring. I see how plenty surfeits oft, Mishap doth threaten most of all; |