UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 37 



the young of these birds. This is mentioned in 

 the life of Dr. Buchanan, who says that the 

 blaze of light dazzles the eyes of the bats. A 

 friend of my uncle's has written some lines on 

 the glow-worm, which I wilj copy here. 



TO THE GLOW-WORM. 



THOU little gem of purest hue, 



That, from thy throne o'erspread with dew, 



Shedd'st lustre o'er the brightest green 



That ever clothed a woodland scene, 



I hail thy pure and tranquil light 



Thou lovely living lamp of night ! 



Thy haunt is in the deepest shade 



By purple heath and bracken made : 



By thee the sweetest minstrel sings, 



That courts the shady grove ; 



O'er thee the woodlark spreads his wings, 



And sounds his notes of love 



Companion of the lights of heaven 1 



Thine is the softest breeze of even ; 



For thee the balmy woodbine lives, 



The meadow-grass its fragrance gives. 



And thou canst make thy tranquil bower 



In Summer's sweetest, fairest flower. 



The hour of peace is all thy own ; 



Thy lamp is lit for one alone ; 



Shedding no transitory gleams, 



No rays to kindle or destroy ; 



Constant, innocuous still it beams 



The light of life, of love, of joy. 



My aunt has been so kind as to permit me to 

 make an extract from my cousin Hertford's last 

 letter to her. I enclose it with my journal, which 

 my uncle is going to dispatch to-morrow. 



ft At last I have overcome every obstacle ; and 

 have visited Staffa and its curious caves. 



VOL. i. E 



