The Phantom.

"Come with me, come with me, no longer delay!
Or else, silly child, I will drag thee away."

"O father! O father! now, now, keep your hold!
The Erl-King has seized me-his grasp is so cold."-
Sore trembled the father; he spurred through the wild.
Clasping close to his bosom his shuddering child.
He reaches his dwelling in doubt and in dread;
But, clasped to his bosom, the infant was dead!

That chafes against the scaur's red side.-P. 6.

A scaur is a shelving rock or bank.

Exalt the crescents and the star.-P. 8.

The arms of the Kerrs were, on a cheveron, vert betwixt three unicorns' heads erased, argent, three mullets, sable: crest, a unicorn's head erased proper. The Scotts of Buccleuch bore or on a bend azure; a star of six points between two crescents of the first.

She called to her William of Deloraine.-P. 8.

The estate of Deloraine, in Ettricke Forest, was possessed by the Buccleuchs in occupancy without a charter.

Were't my neck-verse at Hairibee.-P. 9. Miserere mei, the beginning of the 51st Psalm, was of old read by criminals. Hairibee was the place of execution at Carlisle.

On Minto Crags the moon-beams glint.-P. 9.

A range of cliffs in the vale of Teviot, near the family seat of the Mintos.

O gallant Chief of Otterburne.-P. 13.

The fight at Otterburne was on 15th August 1388, between Henry Percy and the Earl of Douglas. The Scots won, taking Percy and losing Douglas.

And thine, dark Knight of Liddesdale.-P. 13.

The Knight of Liddesdale, William Douglas, lived in the reign of David II. It was he who slew Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie, because the king had conferred on him the sheriffship of Teviotdale. So weak was the royal authority then, that the king felt himself obliged to give the honour to the murderer.

The words that cleft Eildon hills in three.-P. 14.

The old story of Michael Scott being bound to find employment for a spirit, and his request to have a cauld or damhead built across the Tweed, and the Eildon hills split at the top, is well known.

The Baron's Dwarf his courser held.-P. 18. Lord Cranstoun's dwarf is a version of the story of Gilpin Horner, a kind of brownie who stayed at a farm-house on the Borders.

For there, beside our Ladye's lake.-P. 19.

The lake connected with the Loch of the Lowes.

But the Ladye of Branksome gathered a band.-P. 19.

An allusion to the legend that Lady Buccleuch of the Beaton family, with men in armour, went to the kirk of St Mary of the Lowes, to seek for and slay Lord Cranstoun.

Wat of Harden came thither amain.-P. 19.

The famous Walter Scott of Harden in the reign of Queen Mary.

Like a book-bosomed priest should ride.-P. 21.

The book-a-bosom priests were those who went to a distance to haptize or marry with the mass-book in their breasts.

On Penchryst glows a bale of fire.-P. 26.

A Border beacon was a tar-barrel set up on a beam.

Belted Will Howard is marching here.-P. 30.

Introduced here before his time. He was warder of the Western Marches, and resided at Naworth Castle.

Scott of Harden.

Without the bend of Murdieston.-P. 31.

From Yarrow-cleuch to Hindhaugh-swair.---P. 33

A cleuch is a shoulder of a height.

Saw the blanche lion e'er fall back.-P. 38.

The crest of the noble house of Howard.

But he, the jovial Harper.-P. 39.

Rattling, roaring Willie, a jolly beggar, who was hanged at Jedburgh for killing, in a duel, one of his own order, called "Sweet Milk."

Where the Seven Spears of Wedderburne.-P. 42.

These were the seven sons of Sir David Home of Wedderburn, who were slain at Flodden,

And Swinton laid the lance in rest.-P. 42.

The Swintons of Swinton, an old family in Berwickshire. The allusion is to the unhorsing of Thomas, Duke of Clarence, by Sir John Swinton, at the battle of Beauge, in France.

The pledge to Arthur Fire-the-Braes.-P. 54

An Elliot bore this formidable name.

The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall.-P. 55.

The burden is adopted from an old Scottish song.

That mourns the lovely Rosabelle.-P. 59. Henry St Clair, second of the line, married Rosabelle, fourth daughter of the Earl of Stratherne.

Who spoke the spectre-hound in Man.-P. 61.

The ancient Castle of Peeltown in the Isle of Man was said to have been haunted by an apparition called the "Mauthe Doog."

MARMIO N.'

Of Tamworth tower and town. --P. 74.

The principal character of the romance, Lord Marmion, is fictitious, though there was a family of that name, lords of Fontenay, in Normandy, one of whom got a grant of the castle and town of Tamworth, and also Scriveĺby, in Lincolnshire. These were held by the service of being the royal champion: but this office was afterwards adjudged to Sir John Dymoke, to whom the manor of Scrivelby had descended, and it remains still in that family.

And taken his life at the Deadman's-shaw.-P. 75Taken from the recitation of an old Northumbrian woman.

Saint Rosalie retired to God.-P. 79.

Dryden (the poet's son) in his "Voyage to Sicily," says that Santa Rosalia, born of a noble family in Palermo, so abhorred the vanities of the world that she dedicated herself entirely to God, and, by divine inspiration, forsook her father's house, and was never more heard of, till her body was found in a cleft of a rock, on that inaccessible mountain where now the chapel stands.

Good St Rule.-P. 81.

St Regulus or St Rule, a monk in Achaia, landed at St Andrews in 370, where he founded a chapel and tower, the latter of which is still standing, and is one of the most ancient edifices in Scotland. The place got the name of St Andrews, because the monk brought with him the bones of that saint.

Where erst the Outlaw drew his arrow.-P. 83.

The "Border Minstrelsy" contains the tale of the outlaw Murray, who held out Newark Castle against the king.

By lone St Mary's silent lake.-P. 85.

St Mary's Lake is the head of the Yarrow; it is connected with the Loch of the Lowes. The Flower of Yarrow, Mary Scott, was born in Dryhope Tower, near the lower extremity of the lake.

Hath laid Our Lady's chapel low.-P. 85.

On the eastern side of the Lake of the Lowes was the chapel of St Mary. The lake belongs to Lord Napier.

To sit upon the Wizard's grave.-P. 86.

A small mound near the chapel is called Binram's Corse, from a tenant of the chaplainry, a necromantic priest.

Like that which frowns round dark Loch-skene.-P. 87. Loch-skene is at the head of Moffat-water. In falling into the river it forms the famous cataract, called "The Gray Mare's Tail."

Marriot, thy harf, m Isis strung.-P. 87.

The "Border Minstrelsy" contains some of M. Marriot's ballads.

The lovely Edelfled.-P. 92.

Daughter of King Oswy, who dedicated Edelfleda to the service of God, in gratitude for his battle against Penda, King of Mercia, in 655.

Even Scotland's dauntless king, and heir,
Before his standard fled.-P. 93.

Reference to the battle of Northallerton, or Cuton-moor, 1138.

And turned the Conqueror back again.-P. 93.

Simeon of Durham says that the saint appeared in a vision to Alfred when lurking in the morasses of Glastonbury. The terror inspired by William the Conqueror made the monks fly to Holy Island with the body of the saint. It was, however, replaced before William left the north.

The sea-born beads that bear his name.-P. 93.

St Cuthbert's beads are the Entrochi found among the rocks, and supposed to be forged at an anvil by St Cuthbert during the night.

Old Colwulf built it, for his fault.-P. 94.

Ceowulf, or Colwulf, a king of Northumberland, of the eighth century. The penitential vaults were the Geissel-gewölbe of the German convents.

To William Erskine, Esq.-P. 100.

William Erskine was a judge of the Court of Session.

For ever quenched in Jena's stream.-P. 101.

The Duke of Brunswick died of his wounds received at the battle of Jena, October 14, 1806.

Seemed in mine ear a death-peal rung.-P. 109. The Scotch peasantry have still faith in the "dead bell," explained by Hogg as a tinkling in the ears before the death of a friend.

The founder of the Goblin Hall.-P. 111.

Under the old hall of Gifford, or Yester, for it is called by both names, there is a vaulted hall, the construction of which is ascribed to magic.

There floated Haco's banner trim.-P. 112.

Haco, King of Norway, made a descent at Largs, on the Frith of Clyde, in 1263. He was defeated by Alexander III., and retired to Orkney, where he died.

Upon his breast a pentacle.-P. 112.

A pentacle is a piece of linen, folded with five corners, hence the name. This represents the five senses, and is inscribed with characters. The magician holds out the pentacle when he invokes.

As born upon that blessed night.-P. 113.

That to be born on Christmas-day or Good Friday is to have the power of seeing spirits, is still an article of faith among the common people.

To James Skene, Esq.-P. 117.

Skene of Rubislaw, Aberdeenshire.

The morn may find the stiffened swain.-P. 119.

The poet says that on the evening these lines were written, a man perished in this manner within five miles of Ashestiel.

Scarce had lamented Forbes paid

The tribute to his Minstrel's shade.-P. 120.

Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, Bart., author of the "Life of Beattie," whom he befriended.

Then he, whose absence we deplore.-P. 121.

Colin M'Kenzie of Portmore; died in 1830.

And thou, and I, and dear-loved Rae.-P. 121.

Sir William Rae.

And one whose name I may not say.-P. 121.

John Hay Forbes.

Been lanthorn-led by Friar Rush.-P. 122.

An esprit follet, Robin Goodfellow, or Jack-o'-Lanthorn, who sometimes got into a monastery as a scullion, and played many tricks.

His cap of maintenance.-P. 124.

A cap of state made of crimson velvet, lined with ermine, carried before our king at his coronation.

Sir David Lindesay of the Mount.-P. 124.

"I am uncertain," says the author, "if I abuse poetical licence by introducing Sir David Lindesay in his character of Lion-Herald sixteen years before he obtained that office."

And fingers red with gore.-P. 130.

See the "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders" for the traditions respecting Bulmer and the spectre called Lhamdearg, or Bloody-hand.

To George Ellis, Esq.-P. 135.

George Ellis, a friend of the author's, who wrought in the "Anti-Jacobin" with Canning, and edited "Specimens of Early English Poetry."

Flinging thy white arms to the sea.-P. 136.

Borrowed from a chorus in Caractacus.'

To Henry meek she gave repose.-P. 137.

Scotland received Henry VI. and his queen after the battle of Towton. The queen came to Edinburgh, but it is doubtful if the king did.

And had made league with Martin Swart.-P. 150.

A German general, who commanded the forces sent by the Duchess of Burgundy. His name is preserved in that of "Swart-moor," where he fell. Dun-Edin's cross a pillared stone.-P. 153.

The Cross of Edinburgh was destroyed in 1756.

This awful summons came.-P. 153.

This supernatural citation is mentioned by all our Scottish historians.

Before a venerable pile.-P. 155.

There was a convent of Cistercian nuns near North Berwick, founded by Duncan, Earl of Fife, in 1216.

One of his own ancestry

Drove the Monks forth of Coventry.-P. 157.

The story of the catastrophe of the real Robert of Marmion, in the reign of King Stephen, is told by William of Newbury.

Though Leyden aids, alas! no more.-P. 162.

John Leyden died in India, August 1811.

He fears the vengeful Elfin King.-P. 162.

The Daoine shi', or Men of Peace, of the Scottish Highlanders, resemble the Scandinavian Duergar rather than the English fairies. They wear green, and are not pleased when mortals do so. See Dr Graham's "Picturesque Sketches of Perthshire."

The very form of Hilda fair.-P. 166.

The Lady Hilda is believed to render herself visible, on some occasions, in the Abbey of Steanshalk, or Whitby.