22 ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
The Simple Joys Are Dearer Far
THE midges dance aboon the burn ;
The dews begin to fa*;
The pairtricks down the rushy holm
Set up their e'ening ea5.
Now loud and clear the blackbird's sang
Rings through the briery shaw,
While, flitting gay, the swallows play
Around the castle wa*.
Beneath the golden gloamin' sky
The mavis mends her lay ;
The redbreast pours his sweetest strains
To charm the lingering day ;
While weary yeldrins seem to wail
Their little nestlings torn,
The merry wren, frae den to den,
Gaes jinking through the thorn.
The roses fauld their silken leaven,
The foxglove shuts its bell;
The honeysuckle and the birk
Spread fragrance through the dell.
Let others crowd the giddy court
Of mirth and revelry,
The simple joys that Nature yields
Are dearer far to me.
Robert TannaMtt
George Gremlins Proud Boast
I PURCHASED a magnificent collection of pictures by Vandyke and
Rubens; the works are not equalled, perhaps, in the kingdom.
I made a noble approach to the Castle through the solid-rock, built a
porter's lodge, and founded a library of books, some valuable and
scarce, all well chosen.
I made an armoury, and built walls round the court and pleasure-
gardens. I built a noble greenhouse, and filled it with beautiful
plants ; I placed in it a vase, considered the finest remains of Grecian
Art for its size and beauty. I made a noble lake, from SOO to
4€0 feet broad and a mile long. I planted trees, now worth £100,000,
besides 100 acres of ash. I built a stone bridge of 105 feet in span,
every stone from 2000 to 3800 pounds weight; the weight of the first
tier on the centre was estimated at 100 tons. I gave the bridge to
the town with no toll on it.
I will not enumerate a great many other things done by me*
Let Warwick Castle speak for itself.
George Gr&viUe, Ecwi of Warwick