554 Professor J. Stuart Blaclcie [April 29, 



In the corrie of the Fern 

 With light-hearted unconcern ; 

 Or by the smooth green loan 

 Of Achalacler were shown, 

 Or by the ruined station 

 Of the old heroic nation 



Of the Fin, 

 Or by the willow rock 

 Or tlie witch-tree on the knock, 

 The branchy crested flock 



Might be seen* 

 Nor will they stint the measure 

 Of their frolic and their pleasure 



And their play, 

 When with airy-footed amble 

 At their freakish will they ramble 



O'er the brae. 

 With their prancing and their dancing, 

 And their ramping and their stamping, 

 And their splashing and their washing 



In the pools. 

 Like lovers newly wedded, 

 Light-hearted, giddy-headed 



Little fools. 

 No thirst have they beside 

 The mill-brook's flowing tide 

 And the pure well's lucid pride 



Honey-sweet ; 

 A spring of lively cheer. 

 Sparkling cool and clear, 

 And filtered through the sand 



At their feet ; 

 'Tis a life-restoring flood 

 To repair the wasted blood 

 The cheapest and the best in all the land ; 

 And vainly gold will try 

 For the Queen's own lips to buy 



Such a treat. 

 From the rim it trickles down 

 Of the mountain's granite crown 



Clear and cool ; 

 Keen and eager though it go 

 Through your veins with lively flow, 

 Yet it knoweth not to reign 

 In the chambers of the brain 



With misrule ; 

 Where dark water-cresses grow 

 You will trace its quiet flow, 

 With mossy border yellow. 

 So mild, and soft, and mellow, 



la its pouring. 

 With no slimy dregs to trouble 

 The brightness of its bubble 

 As it threads its silver way 

 From the granite shoulders grey 



Of Ben Dorain. 

 Then down the sloping side 

 It will slip with glassy slide 



Gently welling. 



