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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.

Loch Katrine

Loch Katrine

By Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832)

(From The Lady of the Lake)

THE SUMMER dawn’s reflected hue

To purple changed Loch-Katrine blue;

Mildly and soft the western breeze

Just kissed the lake, just stirred the trees,

And the pleased lake, like maiden coy,

Trembled, but dimpled not for joy;

The mountain shadows on her breast

Were neither broken nor at rest;

In bright uncertainty they lie,

Like future joys to fancy’s eye.

The water-lily to the light

Her chalice reared of silver bright;

The doe awoke, and to the lawn,

Begemmed with dew-drops, led her fawn;

The gray mist left the mountain side,

The torrent showed its glistening pride;

Invisible in flecked sky,

The lark sent down her revelry;

The blackbird and the speckled thrush

Good-morrow gave from brake and bush;

In answer cooed the cushat dove

Her notes of peace and rest and love.