tole my affections away;
The mavis sang loud on the sweet hawthorn tree,
But her voice was more sweet and endearing to me.
The sun spread his rays of bright gold o'er the fountain,
The hours glided by without languor or woe,
As we pull'd the sweet flowers from the steep rocky mountains--
My blessings attend thee, sweet maid of Glencoe!

The glen is more rugged, the scene more sublime,
Now hallow'd by love, and by absence, and time!
And fondly resemble the thoughts of my heart,
Untouch'd by the cold soothing fingers of art.
And lo! as I gaze on the charms of my childhood,
Where bright in the heath-bell the dew-drops still glow,
A fairy-like form ushers forth from the wild wood--
'Tis Flora, fair Flora! the maid of Glencoe.

MARION PAUL AIRD.

The accomplished and amiable author of "Heart Histories" and other
poems, Marion Paul Aird, is a native of Glasgow. Her paternal ancestors
were respectable yeomen in the Carrick district of Ayrshire. Her mother,
a niece of Hamilton Paul, formerly noticed,[13] was descended from a
race of opulent landowners in the district of Cunningham. In her youth,
Miss Aird had her abode in a romantic cottage at Govan Hill, in the
vicinity of Glasgow. For a number of years she has resided in
Kilmarnock. She early studied the British poets, and herself wrote
verses. In 1846 she published a duodecimo volume of poems and lyrics,
entitled "The Home of the Heart, and other Poems;" this was followed in
1853 by a volume of prose and verse, under the title of "Heart
Histories." She has two new volumes of poetry ready for the press. Her
poetry is largely pervaded by religious fervour and devoted earnestness.

FOOTNOTES:

[13] See vol. ii., p. 120.

THE FA' O' THE LEAF.

'Tis the fa' o' the leaf, and the cauld winds are blawin',
The wee birds, a' sangless, are dowie and wae;
The green leaf is sear, an' the brown leaf is fa'in',
Wan Nature lamentin' o'er simmer's decay.

Noo drumlie an' dark row the siller-like waters,
No a gowden-e'ed gowan on a' the green lea;
Her snell breath, wi' anger, in darkness noo scatters
The wee flowers, that danced to the sang o' the bee.

The green leaves o' simmer sing hopefu' an' cheerie,
When bonnie they smile in the sun's gowden ray;
But dowie when sear leaves in autumn winds eerie
Sigh, "Life, love, and beauty, as flowers ye dec