The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume V Part 31

THE MERRY BOWLING-GREEN.

AIR--_"Castles in the Air."_

The gloomy days are gone With the blasts o' winter keen; The flowers are blooming fair, And the trees are budding green; The lark is in the sky, With his music ringing loud, Raining notes of joy From the sunny Summer cloud-- Springing at the dawn With the blus.h.i.+ng light of day, And quivering with delight In the morning's golden ray; But there 's rapture dearer far In the warm and social power Of the merry bowling-green, In the happy evening hour!

The lights and shades of life, Like an April day, are seen, 'Mid the melting sunny showers, On the lively bowling-green.

The Spring and Autumn meet When the old and young are there, And mirth and wisdom chase From the heart the thoughts of care.

When the creaking wheels of life Are revolving weak and slow, And the das.h.i.+ng tide of hope May be ebbing dark and low, The sons of wealth and toil Feel the sweet and soothing power Of the merry bowling-green, In the charming leisure hour!

The streams of life run on Till they fall into the sea; And the flowers are left behind, With their fragrance on the lea.

The circling flight of time Will soon make the young folk old; And pleasure dances on Till the springs of life grow cold.

We 'll taste the joys of life As the hours are gliding fast, And learn to live and love From the follies of the past; And remember with delight, When misfortunes intervene, The happy days we 've spent On the merry bowling-green.

THOMAS TOD STODDART.

Thomas Tod Stoddart, well-known through his ingenious works on angling, was born on the 14th February 1810 in Argyle Square, Edinburgh. In the chamber of his birth Dr Robertson is said to have written the "History of Scotland." His father, a rear-admiral in the navy, shared in several distinguished services: he was present at Lord Howe's victory at the landing in Egypt; at the battles of the Nile and Copenhagen, and in many desperate encounters between Russia and Sweden. Young Stoddart was educated at a Moravian establishment at Fairfield, near Manchester, and subsequently pa.s.sed through a course of philosophy and law in the University of Edinburgh. Early devoted to verse-making, he composed a tragedy in his ninth year; and at the age of sixteen was the successful compet.i.tor in Professor Wilson's cla.s.s, for a poem on "Idolatry." He was an early contributor to the _Edinburgh Literary Journal_.

Mr Stoddart studied for the Bar, and pa.s.sed advocate in 1833. Finding the legal profession uncongenial, he soon relinquished it; and entering upon the married state in 1836, he has since resided at Kelso. For many years he has divided his time between the pursuits of literature, and the recreation of angling. In 1831, he published "The Deathwake, or Lunacy, a Poem;" in 1834, "The Art of Angling;" in 1836, "Angling Reminiscences;" in 1839, "Songs and Poems;" and in 1844, "Abel Ma.s.singer; or the Aeronaut, a Romance." The second of these publications has been remodelled, and under the t.i.tle of "The Angler's Companion," has exhausted several impressions, and continues in general favour. The volume of "Songs" having been sold out, a new edition, along with a tragedy, ent.i.tled "The Crown Jewel," and "The Aeronaut," both still in MS., may be expected. Living at Kelso, Mr Stoddart has every opportunity of prosecuting his favourite pastime in the Tweed, and enjoying scenery calculated to foster the poetic temperament.

ANGLING SONG.

Bring the rod, the line, the reel!

Bring, oh, bring the osier creel!

Bring me flies of fifty kinds, Bring me showers, and clouds, and winds, All things right and tight, All things well and proper, Trailer red and bright, Dark and wily dropper; Casts of midges bring, Made of plover hackle, With a gaudy wing, And a cobweb tackle.

Lead me where the river flows, Shew me where the alder grows, Reel and rushes, moss and mead, To them lead me--quickly lead, Where the roving trout Watches round an eddy, With his eager snout Pointed up and ready, Till a careless fly, On the surface wheeling, Tempts him, rising sly From his safe concealing.

There, as with a pleasant friend, I the happy hours will spend, Urging on the subtle hook, O'er the dark and chancy nook, With a hand expert Every motion swaying, And on the alert When the trout are playing; Bring me rod and reel, Flies of every feather, Bring the osier creel, Send me glorious weather!

LET ITHER ANGLERS.

Let ither anglers choose their ain, An' ither waters tak' the lead; O' Hieland streams we covet nane, But gie to us the bonnie Tweed!

An' gie to us the cheerfu' burn That steals into its valley fair-- The streamlets that at ilka turn, Sae saftly meet an' mingle there.

The lanesome Tala and the Lyne, An' Manor wi' its mountain rills, An' Etterick, whose waters twine Wi' Yarrow, frae the forest hills; An' Gala, too, an' Teviot bright, An' mony a stream o' playfu' speed; Their kindred valleys a' unite Amang the braes o' bonnie Tweed.

There 's no a hole abune the Crook, Nor stane nor gentle swirl aneath, Nor drumlie rill, nor fairy brook, That daunders through the flowrie heath, But ye may fin' a subtle troot, A' gleamin' ower wi' starn an' bead, An' mony a sawmon sooms aboot, Below the bields o' bonnie Tweed.

Frae Holylee to Clovenford, A chancier bit ye canna hae, So gin ye tak' an' angler's word, Ye 'd through the whins an' ower the brae, An' work awa' wi' cunnin' hand Yer birzy hackles black and reid; The saft sough o' a slender wand Is meetest music for the Tweed!

THE BRITISH OAK.

The oak is Britain's pride!

The lordliest of trees, The glory of her forest side, The guardian of her seas!

Its hundred arms are brandish'd wide, To brave the wintry breeze.

Our hearts shall never quail Below the servile yoke, Long as our seamen trim the sail, And wake the battle smoke-- Long as they stem the stormy gale, On planks of British oak!

Then in its native mead, The golden acorn lay; And watch with care the bursting seed, And guard the tender spray; England will bless us for the deed, In some far future day!

Oh! plant the acorn tree Upon each Briton's grave; So shall our island ever be, The island of the brave-- The mother-nurse of liberty, And empress o'er the wave!

PEACE IN WAR.

Peace be upon their banners!

When our war-s.h.i.+ps leave the bay-- When the anchor is weigh'd, And the gales Fill the sails, As they stray-- When the signals are made, And the anchor is weigh'd, And the sh.o.r.es of England fade Fast away!

Peace be upon their banners, As they cross the stormy main!

May they no aggressors prove, But unite, Britain's right To maintain; And, unconquer'd, as they move, May they no aggressors prove; But to guard the land we love, Come again!

Long flourish England's commerce!

May her navies ever glide, With concord in their lead, Ranging free Every sea, Far and wide; And at their country's need, With thunders in their lead, May the ocean eagles speed To her side!

ALEXANDER MACLAGAN.[12]

Alexander Maclagan was born at Bridgend, Perth, on the 3d of April 1811.

His father, Thomas Maclagan, was bred to farming, but early abandoning this occupation, he settled in Perth as a manufacturer. Unfortunate in business, he removed to Edinburgh, with a young family of three children; the subject of the present memoir being the eldest. Catherine Stuart, the poet's mother, was descended from the Stuarts of Breadalbane, a family of considerable rank in that district. At the period of his father's removal to Edinburgh, Alexander was only in his fifth year. Not more successful in his pursuits in Edinburgh, where three additional children were born to him, Thomas Maclagan was unable to bestow upon his son Alexander the liberal education which his strong natural capacity demanded; but acquiring the common rudiments of knowledge at several schools in the Old Town, he was at the early age of ten years taken thence, and placed in a jeweller's shop, where he remained two years. Being naturally strong, and now of an age to undertake more laborious employment, his father, rather against the son's inclinations, bound him apprentice to a plumber in Edinburgh, with whom he served six years. About this time he produced many excellent drawings, which received the approbation of the managers of the Edinburgh School of Design, but the arduous duties of his occupation precluded the possibility of his following his natural bent. His leisure time was chiefly devoted to the cultivation of literature. So early as his thirteenth year he entered the Edinburgh Mechanics' Library as a member; and from this early age he dates his taste for poetry.

In 1829, while yet an apprentice, Maclagan became connected with the _Edinburgh Literary Journal_, edited by Mr Gla.s.sford Bell. As a contributor to that publication, he was introduced to the Ettrick Shepherd, Professor Wilson, William Tennant, and William Motherwell, who severally commended his verses. On the expiry of his apprentices.h.i.+p he worked for some time as a journeyman plumber. He was married in his eighteenth year; and he has three surviving children. In 1831, he commenced on his own account, in a shop at the head of the Mound, Edinburgh; but finding he had inadequate capital, he proceeded to London in quest of employment in some managing department of his trade. In the metropolis he was well received by Allan Cunningham, and was, through his recommendation, offered an appointment under Mr Cubitt, the well known builder. A strike among Mr Cubitt's workmen unfortunately interfered with the completion of the arrangement, and the poet, much disappointed, returned to Edinburgh. He now accepted an engagement as manager of a plumbery establishment in Dunfermline, where he continued two years. He afterwards devoted himself to literary and educational pursuits.

In 1841, Maclagan published a collected edition of his poems, which immediately attracted the favourable notice of Lord Jeffrey. He invited the poet to his residence, and on many occasions proved his benefactor.