That she who gave it birth was sick to death. We gathered round her bed, and bent our knees Of Mercy; and perfumed our prayers with sighs Sincere, and penitential tears, and looks Of self-abasement; but we sought to stay An angel on the earth; a spirit ripe For heaven; and Mercy, in her love, refused : Most merciful, as oft, when seeming least! Most gracious when she seemed the most to frown! Too, wept, tho' not to weeping given; and all This I remember well; but better still, I do remember and will ne'er forget The dying eye-that eye alone was bright, Reflected from the thunder cloud that soon Came down, and o'er the desert scattered far And wide its loveliness. She made a sign To bring her babe-'twas brought, and by her placed. She looked upon its face, that neither smiled Nor wept, nor knew who gazed upon 't, and laid Her hand upon its little breast, and sought For it, with look that seemed to penetrate Was come, and faithful to his promise stood Prepared to walk with her thro' death's dark vale. SIMPLICITY. ONE man there was, and many such you might The word philosophy he never heard * And never had an unbelieving doubt. * But thought the visual line, that girt him round, No broader than his father's shield. He lived,- WILLIAM MOTHERWELL. 1797-1835. MOTHERWELL was born in Glasgow, but, after his eleventh year, was brought up under the care of an uncle in Paisley. At the age of twenty-one he was appointed deputy to the sheriff-clerk of that town. He early evinced a love of poetry, and in 1819 became editor of a miscellany entitled the "Harp of Renfrewshire." A taste for antiquarian research divided with the muse the empire of Motherwell's genius. and he attained an unusually familiar acquaintance with the early history of our native literature, particularly in the department of traditional poetry. The result of this erudition appeared in Minstrelsy. Ancient and Modern (1827), a collection of Scottish ballads, prefaced by a historical introduction. The following year he became editor of a weekly journal in Paisley. The talent and spirit which he evinced in his editorial duties were the means of advancing him to the more important office of conducting the Glasgow Courier, in which situation he continued till his death. The taste, enthusiasm, and social qualities of Motherwell, rendered him very popular among his townsmen and friends. As a poet, he was happiest in pathetic or sentimental lyrics. An eloquent writer (Mr. Turnbull) says of him:-"Motherwell was of small stature, but thick set and muscular. His head was large and finely formed; his eyes were bright and penetrating. In mixed society he was rather reserved, 'but appeared internally to enjoy the feast of reason and the flow of soul.' Somewhat pensive in his mood, he lived much in the solitude of his own thoughts, and at times gave way to a profound melancholy. This spirit pervades his poetry. The wailings of a wounded heart mingle with his fine descriptions of nature, and his lofty aspirations after the beautiful and true. |