Song The Ninth

Babes to their rest!
Friends by the fire in ring and row;—
Quiet eyes to quiet eyes,
The saucy toss, the gay surprise,
Lips of sages dropping slow
Oil of ages—love and law,
Quips at the solemn saw;
Mild general joy, and quick peculiar zest!

Starts, if the leaves but shiver,
The leveret all a-quiver:
Upraised, it snuffs; with mobile ears it listens
Before, behind; its eyeballs, liquid large,
Turn to each leaf that glistens.
See-ho! from out the stirring shade
Wildered it springs—it stops—it scuds across the glade.
Wild pet! be safe in Freedom's charge.

Moon of the May! spell of the listening grove!
Glancing eyes, and whispered love!
Lady Well, the twain by thee
Sit; deep and pure, their emblem be:
And aye, like the sweet secret of the night,
The living water dimples into light.

Above the mist, the sun has kissed
Our Eildons, one yet three:
The triplet smiles, like glittering isles
Set in a silver sea.
Break, glades of morn; burst, hound and horn;
Oh then their woods for me!