To harmonize disorder,

Till far and near the swelling sound Was heard the answering hills around, 'PEACE TO THE TROUBLED BORDER!'

Moved with the shepherds' artless lays,
War smooth'd his rugged feature;
A softening murmur whisper'd praise,
Waked by the strains of nature;
The youthful warrior felt love's flame,
The plund'rer, blushing deep with shame,
Forgot his purpose dire;

And deeper still, the Minstrel crew

Blush'd, conscience struck!-in haste withdrew, And dropt the Border Lyre.

The songsters smiling, raptured saw
The power of nature's sovereign law,
And blest the pastoral strain;
And as they swept with willing hand
The sounding chords, around the lan
The Virtues bloom'd again;

And as they bloom'd, they odours shed
Rich o'er the wild, where Mercy led
Her train to social rest,

And Peace, long doom'd by strife to roam,
Call'd love and friendship to her home,
And nursed them at her breast.

Among the band that softened rage,
Was one, whose skill and reverend age

Attracted notice due ;

For as he struck his Doric lyre,

His sparkling eye shot youthful fire,

As rapt, his numbers flew;

Prepared to sound a warning call
At once to soften and appal

The turbulence of feud,

He tun'd his voice to sorrrow's wail, And bending to his mournful tale, Thus sung in pensive mood.

DORNOCK HA.'

A BALLAD.

CANTO THIRD.

THE night blew cauld thro' snaw and sleet, Loud rair'd the blast wi' deaf'ning din; A voice cam' sad, yet mournfu' sweet; Unbar the door, and let me in!

On feckless eild, wi' waes down borne,
Bereft o' hame, friends, kith or kin,
Some pity tak'!-till cheerin morn
Unbar the door!-Oh let me in!'

To feckless eild, or sorrow's mane
My door was aye unbarr'd and free,
Come in auld man!-tho' left alane,

The friends o' pity here ye'll see :

Come in auld man! our house, tho' sma',
Has aye a nook for want and wae;
There's shelter here frae wind and snaw,
And kindness too, for night and day.

We led him to our cozie nook;

His cheek was wan-his strength was gane!

My Grizzie cast saft pity's look,

As frae her heart burst sorrow's mane;

She brought the best things frae her hoard,
The bicker ream'd wi' nappy brown,
And smiles o' kindness round the board
Made welcome's feast gang sweeter down.

Cheer'd wi' my Grizzie's kindly treat,
The carle's heart began to glow;
Our wee things crap around his seat,
Our ingle bleez'd a canty low;

Afttimes he sigh'd, and sometimes smil❜d,
Then shook his head as white as snaw;
And aft a thought his peace beguil'd,
Whan down a tear wad trickling fa'!

"Blissfu' the lot!' at length he cries,
'When kindred virtues mingle round;
Unbind the cords that misery ties,

And pour their balm in sorrow's wound!

'Twas sae, alas! when plenty shed
Her heart'ning joys within my ha';
Ilk strave to mak' the mourner glad,
And dry the tears that grief let fa'!

The cauldest night snell winter blaws

Could warm the freezing heart o' care; Skreen'd safe within my sheltering wa's,

Smiles bright'ning brak' through mirk despair;

The feast, the sang, the tale gae'd round
To cheat the pang that sorrow gae,
And aye wi' cheering, saftening sound
I wak'd to mirth the minstrel lay!'

What brak the joys that plenty shed?-
What banish'd safety frae your ha'?
Was't poortith, aye in sorrow clad,

That sent ye mourning thro' the snaw?

'It was na poortith wrought the change; It was na want owrturn'd my ha'; 'Twas deadly feud, and black revenge Sent frail fourscore thro' blast and snaw!

Ae fearfu' night-(oh! night of fate!)
Loud beat the storm wi' thund'ring thud,
The waters raise, and in a spate

Updash'd in foam the neighb'ring flood;

A cry o' horror through the blast

Reach'd where my family quak'd wi' fear ; Starting I raise in wilder'd haste,

And frae the wa' upsnatch'd my spear;

"Oh gang na forth!" my Marian cried, As fast she held me to her breast, "The rain has swell'd the raging tideOh gang na forth!" she sigh'd and prest.

"A horseman rides the roaring flood," Loud cried our warden frae the tower, "He's miss'd the ford at Dornock wood, Nor horse, nor man, will reach the shore!"

Fearless I flew whar danger led,

The horse was gane; the rider seen Struggling for life in death's deep bed,

Dash'd round in Kirtle's whirling linn !--