Air—“ Mary's Dream.”
THE sun had kissed green Erin's waves,
The dark blue mountains tower'd between,
Mild evening's dews refresh'd the leaves,
The moon unclouded rose serene ;
When Ellen wandered forth, unseen,
All lone her sorrows to deplore ;
False was her lover, false her friend,
And false was hope to Ellen More.
Young Henry was fair Ellen's love,
Young Emma to her heart was dear ;
Nor weal nor woe did Ellen prove,
But Emma ever seemed to share.
Yet envious still, she spread the wile,
That sullied Ellen's virtues o'er ;
Her faithless Henry spurn'd the while,
His fair, his faithful Ellen More.
She wander'd down Loch Mary side,
Where oft at ev'ning hour she stole,
To meet her love with secret pride ;
Now deepest anguish wrung her soul.
O'ercome with grief, she sought the steep
Where Yarrow falls with sullen roar ;
Oh, pity ! veil thine eyes and weep !
A bleeding corpse lies Ellen More.
The sun may shine on Yarrow Braes,
And woo the mountain flow'rs to bloom,
But never can his golden rays
Awake the flow'r in yonder tomb.
There oft young Henry strays forlorn,
When moonlight gilds the abbey tower ;
There oft from eve till breezy morn,
He weeps his faithful Ellen More.
The scene of this dirge is in the Parish of Yarrow Selkirkshire where many a mournful event has occurred, and been preserved in minstrelsy. Loch Mary, or Saint Mary's Loch, is a well-known lake, and the River Yarrow is also equally well known. Saint Mary's Chapel was situated on the north-west side of Saint Mary's Loch.—Ed.
[Semple 111]