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The BANKS of the DEE.
'TWas ſummer & ſoftly the breezes were blowing,
And ſweet the nightingale ſung from the tree,
At the foot of a rock where the river was flowing,
I ſat myself down on the banks of the Dee:
Flow on lovely Dee, flow on thou ſweet river,
Thy banks, pureſt ſtream, ſhall be dear to me ever,
For there firſt I gain'd the affectionate favour,
Of Jamie the glory and pride of the Dee.
But now he's gone from me and left me thus mourning
To quell the proud en'my for valiant is he:
And ah! there's no hope of his ſpeedy returning,
To wander again on the banks of the Dee,
He's gone hapleſs youth, o'er the loud roaring billows,
The kindeſt and ſweeteſt of all the gay fellows,
And left me to ſtray 'mongſt theſe once loved willows
The lonlieſt maid on the banks of the Dee.
But time and my prayers may perhaps yet reſtore him,
Bleſt peace may reſtore my dear ſhepherd to me,
And when he returns with ſuch care I'll watch o'er him,
He never ſhall leave the ſweet banks of the Dee.
The Dee then ſhall flow, all its beauties diſplaying,
The lambs on the banks ſhall again be ſeen playing,
While I with my Jamie am careleſsly ſtraying,
And taſting again all the ſweets of the Dee.
The ANSWER.
THy voice my dear jewel the winds have waſt to me,
Tho' now at great diſtance at this time we be,
But yet I hope ſoon that time will reſtore me,
When happy we'll be on the banks of the Dee.
Thy purling clear ſtreams, thou ſweet running river,
Where I and my Jean will be happy for ever,
It was the firſt ſpot where ſhe gained the favour,
And call'd me her lover and pride of the Dee.
