They minded us in prayer When the books were ta'en at e'en; And her mother smil'd with joy, While the tear stood in her e'e, Thus contentment, peace, and love, That the glen should be "improved :" And levell'd with the dust Were the cottages we lov'd! The neighbours couldna speak, And rustics, in their prime, To the spot which gave them birth; And they gnash'd their teeth, and cried, In a deep sepulchral tone "Shall vengeance sleep for aye? It belongs to God alone!" Oh! what sickness of the soul, And what bursts of wild despair! And, alas! unhallow'd words Fell from many a lip in prayer; For the mother, with her babes Shiv'ring houseless at her knee, Couldna mind the blest command, "Ye may suffer-but forgi'e." Agus fòs aig cathair gràis Ghuidh gach là dhuinn beannachd Dhé; Bha 'màthair aoibhneach, ait, Ged a thuit o gruaidh an deur, Gu'm biodh a h-ìoghnag chòir Pòsd' ri òigfhear mar 'mi féin. Bha gràdh a's sonas caomh Air a mheasgadh dhuinn neo-ghann, Gus an tàinig uachd'ran baoth Air na croitean anns a' ghleann : Fhuair sinn uile òrdugh triall Gu'n robh 'n gleann r'a chur "fo fhéidh," Agus leagadh sìos gu làr Ar fàrdaichean gu léir! Bho aon cha chualas smid, Ged a sheall iad suas ri nèamh Oir am breitheanas so thuit Oirnn mar smachdachadh ro gheur; A's an t-aosda lag a's sgìth, A bha 'g éiridh suas ri ciad, An òigridh 'n tréin' an làith’ As an àit a bha cho chaomh; Ged a chum iad orra féin, "Ach dioghaltas gu dearbh Buinidh dhuitse 'mhain, a Dhé!" O! bu trioblaideach ar dìol, 'Sinn fo mhi-ghean a's fo ghruaim! Agus b'iomadh guidhe 's grìos A chuir cuid a suas 's an uair ; Oir a' mhàthair a's a clann, Air am meileachadh le fuachd, Dhearmaid àithne Dhé 's an àm, "Sinn a mhaitheadh d' ar luchd fuath." But though Jeanie's father griev❜d, O'er his prospects lorn and lone, Yet he trusted in his God, And his energy alone; "There is space on earth," he cried, "For ourselves and for our childWe shall find a cottage-home, In the dark Canadian wild. "We'll cut the pristine pine, And we'll chase the bounding roe, And we'll urge the slipp'ry sledge, Over trackless mounds of snow: And we'll tend our lusty steers In the forests and the pen, And we'll snap our fingers, thus,At the tyrant of our Glen!" The fated bark arriv'd, For one tide in Allan-bay; And the exiles steep'd in tears, Left their native land for aye; The swelling sails were spread To the early summer breeze; And bonny Jeanie Ballantyne Glides o'er the western seas! I watch'd the vessel's course, On that inauspicious day, The welkin lower'd around, Ach athair Shine ghrinn, Ged a bha fo smalan geur, Chuir e 'earbsa ann an Dia, A's na dhìchioll tapaidh féin : "Na craobhan leagaidh nuas, Feadh nam fàsaichean 's nam beann, A's cha toir sinn buinneag chàil Air fear-fàsachaidh nan Gleann!" Chunnacas long nan crannag àrd Fad aon làin a stigh 's a bhàgh; A's an oiteag shamhraidh shéid, O! sheall mi as an déigh Le sùilean deurach, trom, O! an trioblaid a's a' phéin A fhuair mis' air là mo chràidh, Ion's ga m' reubadh as a chéil' 'S a toirt na feòla bhàrr mo chnàmh! Bha 'n t-iarmailt uile gruamach Ach ri ùine dh' fhalbh an duibhre Agus leagh na neòil bha ùdlaidh And incense rose to heaven Then I thought upon the vows We had vowed in early youth; I shall join her in the wild, Where a tyrant may not come; And together we shall live, Till we slumber in one tomb; We shall build a bower of bliss Far from those busy haunts of men. Then farewell,-a long farewell To my native Allan-Glen! THE MESSIAH, Who hath our report believed? Not received by his own: Promis'd branch from root of Jesse, David's offspring sent to bless you, Comes too lowly to be known. Tell me, O thou favour'd nation, Like a tender plant that's growing |