p. 45GALLIA p. 45 Lady, lady neat Of the roguish eye, Wherefore dost thou hie, Stealthy, down the street, On well-booted feet? From French novels I Gather that you fly, Guy or Jules to meet. Lady Furtive dost thou range, Oft thy cab dost change; So, at least, ’tis said: Oh, the sad old tale Passionately stale, We’ve so often read! p. 46THE FAIRY MINISTER p. 46 The Rev. Mr. Kirk of Aberfoyle was carried away by the Fairies in 1692. People of Peace! a peaceful man, Well worthy of your love was he, Who, while the roaring Garry ran Red with the life-blood of Dundee, While coats were turning, crowns were falling, Wandered along his valley still, And heard your mystic voices calling From fairy knowe and haunted hill. He heard, he saw, he knew too well The secrets of your fairy clan; You stole him from the haunted dell, Who never more was seen of man. Now far from heaven, and safe from hell, Unknown of earth, he wanders free. p. 47Would that he might return and tell Of his mysterious Company! For we have tired the Folk of Peace; No more they tax our corn and oil; Their dances on the moorland cease, The Brownie stints his wonted toil. No more shall any shepherd meet The ladies of the fairy clan, Nor are their deathly kisses sweet On lips of any earthly man. And half I envy him who now, Clothed in her Court’s enchanted green, By moonlit loch or mountain’s brow Is Chaplain to the Fairy Queen. People p. 47 p. 48TO ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON p. 48 WITH KIRK’S ‘SECRET COMMONWEALTH’ WITH KIRK’S ‘SECRET COMMONWEALTH’ O Louis! you that like them maist, Ye’re far frae kelpie, wraith, and ghaist, And fairy dames, no unco chaste, And haunted cell. Among a heathen clan ye’re placed, That kensna hell!
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