The following version of Auld Robin Gray' is a curiosity in its way-both as an illustration of the diversity of national character, and as being from the hand of Florian:

"LE VIEUX ROBIN GRAY.

ROMANCE.

Quand les moutons sont dans la bergerie,
Que le sommeil aux humains est si doux,
Je pleure, hélas ! les chagrins de ma vie,

Et près de moi dort mon bon vieux époux.
Jame m'aimait,-pour prix de sa constance
Il eut mon cœur; mais Jame n'avait rien;

Il s'embarqua dans la seule espérance

A tant d'amour de joindre un peu de bien.

Après un an notre vache est volée,

Le bras cassé mon père rentre un jour,—
Ma mère était malade et désolée,

Et Robin Gray vint me faire la cour.
Le pain manquait dans ma pauvre retraite,
Robin nourrit mes parens malheureux ;
La larme à l'œil, il me disait, 'Jeannette,
Epouse moi, du moins pour l'amour d'eux !'
Je disais, 'Non-pour Jame je respire,'-
Mais son vaisseau sur mer vint à périr;
Et j'ai vécu je vis encore, pour dire—
'Malheur à moi de n'avoir pu mourir!'

Mon père alors parla du mariage,—
Sans en parler ma mère l'ordonna;
Mon pauvre cœur était mort du naufrage,
Ma main restait-mon père la donna.

Un mois après, devant ma porte assise,
Je revois Jame, et je crus m'abuser,
'C'est moi,' dit-il, 'pourquoi tant de surprise?
Ma chère amour, je reviens t'épouser !'

Ah! que de pleurs ensemble nous versâmes!
Un seul baiser, suivi d'un long soupir,
Fut notre adieu-tous deux nous répétâmes,
'Malheur à moi de n'avoir pu mourir !'

Je ne vis plus, j'écarte de mon ame
Le souvenir d'un amant si chéri ;

Je veux tâcher d'être une bonne femme,
Le vieux Robin est un si bon mari."

No. XLVIII.-PAGE 334.

Versions from the German, by Lady Margaret Lindsay, by marriage Fordyce.

I.

ELEONORA.

(By BÜRGER.)

Red glow'd the morn, when, sprung from bed,
Ellen, with heavy dreams affrighted,
Cried, "William! William! art thou dead?
Or is my love forgot or slighted ?"

-Now William, with King Frederick's might,
Was gone against the foe to fight,

Ne word had sent, ne line had written,

To say if he were well or smitten!

Frederick, and eke the Empress Queen,
Vex'd with long wars and failing strength,
Scant both of treasure and of men,

Agreed on gentle peace at length.
From camp to camp the cling and clang
Of bells, drums, fifes, and trumpets rang;
Dress'd in green boughs, each merry man
To his own home full lightly ran.

To meet them o'er each dale or hill,
O'er highway, path, or ferry,
Ran old and young, with voices shrill
Of glee, that could not tarry.

"Praise God!” cried mother, wife, and child,
"Welcome!" said many a blushing bride;

But, woe is me! for Eleonora,

Ne kiss, ne bliss, but dole and sorrow!

As up and down the lines she flew,

Breathless and cold, she ask'd each one

If any aught of William knew?

But word or tidings gat she none.

When all were pass'd, all hush'd and still,
Her shrieks the welkin round did fill;
She tore her hair, she beat her breast,
And in the dust her body cast.

Her mother, at the mournful noise,
Ran forth and clasp'd her in her arms;
"Now God forfend! my Ellen's voice?
What is it that my child alarms?"

"Oh mother! mother! all is gone!
My life, my love, my world in one!
And now for me with God Almighty
There's neither grace, nor hope, nor pity."

"Help, gracious Lord of power and might! Let's kneel, my child, and say a prayer; What God has done must still be right,

"Tis for our good He sends us care."

-"Mother, such prejudice is vain—

God neither heeds nor spares my pain!
I've wept-I've pray'd—I'll pray no more;
My love lies weltering in his gore."

"Help, Jesus! thou the cup of woc
Drank'st freely; at the Father's will

Thy sacramental blood did flow,
And flows for us in pity still!"
Oh mother, what I now endure

No sacrament, alas! can cure;
Nor can the blood of Jesus give
The dead again to breathe and live!”

"Yet listen, child! for men are light,
They make and break full many a vow;
And, out of mind when out of sight,
Their hearts a newer love allow !
Should he thy plighted faith deceive,
He shall have heavy cause to grieve!
Child! let him go; leave him to God,--
Guilt never 'scaped his chastening rod !”

-"Oh, mother! what is gone is gone,
And what is lost is lost for ever;
Death, death for me I crave alone-
Oh mother, had ye borne me never!

Go out, go out, life's weary light!

Go out in black and dismal night!

For me, for me, with God Almighty

There's neither grace, nor hope, nor pity!"

"Mercy, kind Heaven! nor sin in aught
Impute, oh God! to this thy child!
Her tongue would be far better taught,
Were not her heart with sorrow wild!

Forget, my child, thy earthly grief,
Think of the Lord of bliss in heaven;
The holy Bridegroom's kind relief

Shall to thy fainting soul be given."

"Mother, heaven's bliss is but a sound,
Hell's torments but an empty name;
Where William is, there bliss is found,
In heaven, or earth, or hell the same.
Go out, go out, this weary light-
Go out in black and dismal night!
Oh! what have I on earth to do,
Or heaven, my William, wanting you ?"

All wild with grief's intemperance,

Her brain ybrent, her blood inflamed,
'Gainst Heaven and Heaven's high providence
She madly strove, and God blasphemed.
She wrung her hands, her bosom beating,
Till low the western sun was setting,

And till the night her mantle gray

With glittering stars made sheen and gay.

When hark! without- tramp! tramp! tramp! tramp! Like horse's iron hoofs harsh sounding,

Like rider's jingle-horse's champ,

All o'er the balustrade resounding;

And hark, and hark, the door-bell's ring—

Quite slow and low-cling! cling! cling! cling!

And ere that any one appear'd,

Through the keyhole these words she heard :

"Holla! holla! ope, ope the door!

Wake ye, my love, or do ye sleep?

Think ye of me as heretofore?

Or do ye laugh, or do ye weep?"

"My love! my love! my William! you? Oh! I have watch'd and wept till now! Suffer'd-God knows! but now, all's well; Yet why so late, sweet William, tell ?”

"We saddle still! i' th' dead of night

From far Bohemia I be rode;

Late I gat up, and ere 'tis light

I'll carry you to my abode."

-

First, oh, my love! from horse descend; Bleak through the hawthorn blows the wind; Come to my arms-there nought shall harm thee, And in my bosom rest and warm thee!"

-"Let the bleak wind blow through the haws,
Let it blow, darling-let it blow ;

My black horse champs his bit, and paws-
From hence with speed I needs must go.

Spring up behind-come, come, despatch!
There must we be ere morning watch;

A hundred miles I have to ride

Before my bed receives my bride!”

"What! ere the morn a hundred miles,
Ere yet we reach our bridal bed?
And hark! the clock in yonder aisles
Tells us eleven's already sped."-

-"Look there! look here! the moon shines clear!
We and the dead ride fast, sweet dear!
I'll wager, long ere dawn of morn,

Thou to the bridal bed art borne!"

—“Oh, say, where are thy bridesmen all,
And where's our bridal bed to be ?"
"Far, far from hence-still, cool, and small,
Six feet of lissom beech by three!"
"Hast room for me?"-" For me and thee!
Quick, quick, spring up and cling to me,-
Too long the bridal guests have tarried;
The door stands open till we're married!"

The lovely damsel lightly sprung,

And lighted on the horse behind him, Clasping her true love as she flung

Her lily arms around to bind him. Then on and onward-trot, trot, trot, Swung the black horse and halted not,

Snorting full loud, as on he bicker'd,

While from his hoofs red sparkles flicker'd.

Far to the left hand and the right,

Flew woods and lawns, and dykes and ditches;

Too quick almost for thought or sight,

They thunder'd o'er the roads and bridges. "Shudders my love? the moon shines clearHurrah! the dead ride fast! dost fear

To bide with the dead, my lovely one?"
Why ask ye? let the dead alone !"

16

What tolling bells, what deadly knells!
How quick and thick the night-birds hover!
Yon noise-yon voice-the reason tells,-
"Let earth to earth, the body cover!"
And nearer come the mourners all,
With plumes and hearse and velvet pall;
The sound of hissing snakes the brake in
Was like the tongue of woe they spake in!