m ANNOTATIONS

JOHNSON'S SCOTS MUSICAL MUSEUM,

BY ROBERT BURNS.

I" IN the meantime, at your leisure, give a copy of the 'Museum.' to my -worthy friend, Mr. Peter Hill, bookseller, to bind for me, interleaved with blank leaves, exactly as he did the Laird of GUenriddel's; that I may insert every anecdote I can learn, together with my own criticisms and remarks on the songs." Letter to Johnson, 1794. On the copy so ordered, it ' would appear, the following annotations, or strictures,' as they have been incorrectly called, were made by our Author, and the book presented by him to Captain Riddel. This valuable memorial of friendship (unfortunately interrupted) came ultimately into possession of the Captain's niece, Miss Eliza Bayley, of Manchester. By her permission, Mr. Cromek ex- tracted the Notes for publication among his 'Eeliques' from which we copy them, with Editor's own notes in their place. We may observe, however, that either the order in which Mr. Cromek has arranged them is incorrect, or the binding of the ' Museum' by Mr. Peter Hill has been imperfect for the annotations are by no means always in the order of the songs as they appear in that work. The songs themselves referred to and commented on we would gladly quote in full, but the limits of our present publication prevent it. A few additional notes or corrections, where necessary, have been added by us [in brackets] from other sources.]

is of these is a The Highland Queen. conjecture, one very few ; as the ballad, which is called both tradition and in THE Highland Queen, music and poetry, was composed by long one, by printed collections, "The Lass o' which I take to be in a Mr. M'Vicar, purser of the Solbay man-of-war. This I had Lochroyan," Lochroyan, from Dr. Blacklock. Galloway. [Lochryan.]

The Banks the Tweed. Bess the Qawkie. of THIS is one of the that com- THIS song shews that the Scottish Muses did not all leave song many attempts English have made to imitate the Scottish and which I us when we lost Eamsay and Oswald,* as I have good reason posers manner, shall, in these strictures, beg leave to distinguish the appel- to believe that the verses and music are both posterior to the by lation of Anglo-Scottish productions. The music is days of these two gentlemen. It is a beautiful song, and in pretty good, but the verses are just above contempt. the genuine Scots taste. We have few pastoral compositions, I mean the pastoral of nature, that are equal to this. * in 1750. He a Oswald was a music-seller London, about the year published The Beds of sweet Moses. large collection of Scotish tunes, which he called the Caledonian Pocket Com- panion. Mr. Tytler observes, that his genius in composition, joined to his taste THIS song, as far as I know, for the first time appears here in the performance of Scotish music, was natural and pathetic. KJTSON. in print When I was a boy, it was a very popular song in Ayrshire. I remember to have heard those fanatics, the Oh, Open the Door, Lord Gregory. Buchanites,* sing some of their nonsensical rhymes, which with the name of to this IT is somewhat singular, that in Lanark, Eenfrew, Ayr, they dignify hymns, air.f A set of itinerant fanatics in the West of so denominated from their Wigton, Kirkcudbright, and Dumfries-shires, there is scarcely Scotland, leader, Mrs. Buchan. an old or tune which, from the title, &c., can be guessed " song t Shakspeare, in his Winter's Tale, speaks of a Puritan who sings psalm* to belong to, or be the production of these counties. This, I to hornpipes." 304 LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

What mark has Eoslin Castle. your Maggie, What mark has your Maggie, THESE beautiful verses were the production of a Eichard What mark has your Maggie That ane may ken her be t (by] Hewit,* a young man that Dr. Blacklock, to whom I am in- it no means follows that the silliest verses to an debted for the anecdote, kept for some years as an amanuensis. Though by air for that be the I take I do not know who is the author of the second song to the must, reason, original song ; yet this ballad, of which I have to be the old verses. tune. Tytler, in his amusing history of Scots music, gives quoted part, The in one of them his are the air to Oswald; but in Oswald's own collection of Scots two songs Eamsay, evidently own,

to be met in the fire-side circle of our ; tunes, where he affixes an asterisk to those he himself com- never with peasantry while that which I take to be the old is in posed, he does not make the least claim to the tune. song, every shep- the residence herd's mouth. I had the old verses * Richard Hewit, Ritson observes, was taken when a hoy, during Eamsay, suppose, thought of Dr. Blacklock in Cumberland, to lead him. He addressed a copy of verses to unworthy of a place in his collection. lines : the Doctor on quitting his service. Among the verses are the following " How oft these plains I've thoughtless prest ; Whistled or sung some Fair distrest, The Flowers of Edinburgh. When fate would steal a tear." is of the effusions of Scots Jacobitism. " THIS song one many "Alluding," as it said in a note, to a sort of narrative songs, which make no The "Flowers of has no manner of con- inconsiderable part of the innocent amusements with which the country people title, Edinburgh," was faith- pass the wintry nights, and of which the author of the present piece a nection with the present verses, so I suspect there has been an ful rehearser." older set of words, of which the title is all that remains. Bl'ieklocWs Poems, 1795, 8vo. p. 5. By the bye, it is singular enough that the Scottish Muses were all Jacobites. I have paid more attention to every de- has Saw ye Johnnie cummin ? quo' she. scription of Scots songs than perpaps any body living done, and I do not recollect one stanza, or even the title of THIS song for genuine humour in the verses, and lively single the most Scots air, which has the least panegyrical originality in the air, is unparalleled. I take it to be very old. trifling

reference to the families of Nassau or Brunswick ; while there

are hundreds satirizing them. This may be thought no pane- Clout the Cauldron. gyric on the Scots Poets, but I mean it as such. For myself, I would take it as a to have it said, that A TRADITION is mentioned in the See, that the second Bishop always compliment heart ran before head : and surely the gallant Chisholm, of Dunblane, used to say, that if he were going to my my though unfortunate house of Stewart, the kings of our fathers for so be hanged, nothing would soothe his mind so much by the heroic is a theme way, as to hear Clout the Cauldron played. many ages, I have met with another tradition, that the old song to this tune Jamie Gay. " Hae ye ony pots or pans, JAMIE Gay is another and a tolerable Anglo-Scottish piece. Or onie broken chanlers," was composed on one of the Kenmure family, in the Cavalier dear Jockey. to he My times ; and alluded an amour had, while under hiding, ANOTHER in the disguise of an itinerant tinker. The air is also known Anglo-Scottish production. by the name of " The Blacksmith and his Apron," Fye, Oae rub her o'er wf Strae. which from the rhythm, seems to have been a line of some old IT is self-evident that the first four lines of this song are song to the tune. part of a song more ancient than Eamsay's beautiful verses which are annexed to them. As music is the language of are less or nature ; and poetry, particularly songs, always Saw ye my Peggy, more localized (if I may be allowed the verb) by some of tho THIS charming song is much older, and indeed superior, to modifications of time and place, this is the reason why so Eamsay's verses, "The Toast," as he calls them. There is many of our Scots airs have outlived their original, and another set of the words, much older still, and which I take perhaps many subsequent sets of verses; except a single to.be the original one, but though it has a deal of very great name, or phrase, or sometimes one or two lines, simply to merit, it is not quite ladies' reading. distinguish the tunes by. The original words, for they can be called scarcely verses, To this day among people who know nothing of Eamsay's seem to be as follows; a song familiar from the cradle to verses, the following is the song, and all the song that ever every Scottish ear. I heard : Saw ye my Maggie, Gin ye meet a bonie lassie, Saw ye my Maggie, kiss let Gie her a and her gae ; Saw ye my Maggie But gin ye meet a dirty hizzie, Linkin o'er the lea ' Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae. kilted was High she, Fye, gae rub her, rub her, rub her, kilted was High she, Fye gae rub her o'er wi' strae : kilted was High she, An' gin ye meet a dirty hizzie, Her coat aboon her knee. Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae. ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS.

The Lass o' Liviston. Highland Laddie. THE old song, in three eight-lino stanzas, is well known, As this was a favorite theme with our later Scottish muses, and has merit as to wit and humour but it is rather unfit for there ; are several airs and songs of that name. That which I insertion. It begins, take to be the oldest, is to be found in the Musical Museum, " The bonie lass o' Liviston, beginning, I hae been at Crookie-den." One reason for my Her name ye ken, her name ye ken, thinking so is, that Oswald has it in his collection by the And she has written in her contract, name auld laddie." It is also To lie her lane, to lie her lane. of, "The Highland known by &c. &c. " the name of, Jinglan Johnie," which is a well-known song of four or five stanzas, and seems to be an earlier song than Jacobite times. As a proof of this, it is little known to the The last Time I came o'er the Moor. peasantry by the name of "Highland Laddie;" while every found the first line of this which had been " RAMSAY song, body knows Jinglan Johnie." The song begins as the title of the and then preserved charming air, composed Jinglan John, the meickle man, the rest of the verses to suit that line. This has always a finer He met wi' a lass was blythe and bonie. effect than composing English words, or words with an idea Another Highland Laddie is also in the Museum, vol. V., foreign to the spirit of the old title. Where old titles of songs which I take to be Eamsay's original, as he has borrowed the convey any idea at all, it will generally be found to bo quite chorus "O my bonie Highland lad, &c." It consists of in the spirit of the air. three stanzas, besides the chorus; and has humour in its composition it is an excellent but somewhat licentious song. It begins Jockie's Gray Breeks. As I came o'er the Cairney-Mount, THOUGH this has certainly every evidence of being a Scot- And down amang the blooming heather, &c. tish air, yet there is a well-known tune and song in the North This air, and the common Highland Laddie, seem only to be of Ireland, called, The Weaver and his Shuttle 0, which, -though different sets. sung much quicker, is every note the very tune. Another Highland Laddie, also in the Museum, vol. v., is the tune of several Jacobite fragments. One of these old

songs to it, only exists, as far as I know, in these four lines The Happy Marriage. Whare hae ye been a' day, Bonie laddie, Highland laddie ? ANOTHER, but very pretty, Anglo-Scottish piece. Down the back o' Bell's brae, Courtin Maggie, courtin Maggie.

Another of this name is Dr. Arne's beautiful air, called, the The Lass s Mill. of Peaty' new Highland Laddie.* of this is IN Sinclair's Statistical Account Scotland, song * The following observation was found in a memorandum book belonging to the localized (a verb I must use for want of another to express my poet. The Highlanders' Prayer, at Sherijf-Muir. idea) somewhere in the north of Scotland, and likewise is if not be not us but o L d be thou with us ; but, thou be with us, against ; claimed The anecdote I had from the " by Ayrshire. following leave it between the red coats and us ! present Sir William Cunningham of Eobertland, who had it from the last John Earl of Loudon. The then Earl of London Gentle Swain. and father to Earl John before mentioned, had Bamsay at The the banks of Irvine execrable is Loudon, and one day walking together by To sing such a beautiful air to such verses, * * water, near New-Mills, at a place yet called Peaty's Mill, downright of common sense ! The Scots they were struck with the appearance of a beautiful country verses indeed are tolerable. that she would be a fine theme girl. His lordship observed for a song. Allan lagged behind in returning to Loudon * He stole tender Heart away. Castle, and at dinner produced this identical song. my * but no means a This anecdote is somewhat differently told in Dr. Currie's ed., vol. iv., No. 19. THIS is an Anglo-Scottish production, by no [Difference very slight indeed, and implies contradiction.] bad one.

the Fair. The Turnimspike.* Fairest of [O Nanie wilt thou gang wi' me, THERE is a stanza of this excellent for local humour, song the Nor sigh to leave flaunting town ; the omitted in this set, where I have placed asterisms.t Can silent glens have charms for thee, The cot and russet gown T Museum. They tak the horse then by te head, lowly man with And tere tey mak her stan', ; O Nancy, wilt thou go me, Me tell tern, me hae seen te day, Nor sigh to leave the flaunting town ? Tey no had sic comman', man. Can silent glens have charms for thee,

* ' The cot and russet gown? Percy. ] [Compare note on Clout the Cauldron,' under which present annotation was lowly the name of the tune to which Turnimspike in the probably written, that being IT is too barefaced to take Dr. Percy's charming song, and ' ' Museum is set.] into 10th verses. the means of a few English words Scots, + Burns has placed the asterisms between the 9th and by transposing 3 A I 306 LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

to offer to pass it for a Scots song. I was not acquainted with Tivced-Side.

the Editor until the first volume was nearly finished, else, had [What beauties does Flora disclose ! How sweet are her smiles Tweed ! I known in time, I would have prevented such an impudent upon Yet Mary's, still sweeter than those, absurdity. Both nature and fancy exceed. No daisy nor sweet blushing rose, Nor all the gay flowers of the field, The JBlaithrie o't.* Nor Tweed gliding gently thro' those, Such beauty and pleasure does yield.] THE following is a set of this song, which was the earliest IN Eamsay's Tea-table Miscellany, he tells us that about song I remember to have got by heart. When a child, an old thirty of the songs in that publication were the works of some woman it to me, and I it word, at first sung picked up, every of his are marked young gentlemen acquaintance ; which songs hearing. with the letters D. C. &c. Old Mr. Tytler, of Woodhouselee, weel I I lent hand Willy, mind, you my the and able defender of the beauteous of To a which did worthy queen Scots, sing you song you me command ; But my memory's so bad, I had almost forgot told me that the songs marked C, in the Tea-table, were the That called it the and the blaithrie o't. you gear composition of a Mr. Crawford, of the house of Achnames, who I'll not about or sing confusion, delusion, pride, was afterwards unfortunately drowned coming from France. I'll sing about a laddie was for a virtuous bride ; As was most with Allan Earn- For virtue is an ornament that time will never rot, Tytler intimately acquainted And preferable to gear and the blaithrie o't. say, I think the anecdote may be depended on. Of conse- Tho' my lassie has nae scarlets or silks to put on, quence, the beautiful song of Tweed-Side, is Mr. Crawford's, We not the that sits envy greatest upon the throne ; and indeed does great honor to his poetical talents. He was a 1 wad rather hae my lassie, tho' she cam in her smock, Than a princess wi' the gear and the blaithrie o't. Eobert Crawford;* the Mary he celebrates, was a Mary Stewart, of Tho' we hae nae horses or minziet at command, the Castle-Milk family,! afterwards married to a Mr. John We'll toil on our and we'll work wi' our foot, hand ; Eitchie. And when wearied without rest, we'll find it sweet in any spot, I have seen a itself the And we'll value not the gear and the blaithrie o't. song, calling original Tweed-side, and said to have been a Lord Tester. It con- If hae we'll composed by we ony babies, count them as lent ; sisted Hae we less, has we mair, we will ay be content ; of two stanzas, of which I still recollect the first. For they say they hae mair pleasure that wins but a groat, When Maggy and I was acquaint, Than the miser wi' his the blaithrie o't. gear and I carried noddle fu' hie my ; Nae lintwhite on a' the I'll not meddle wi' th' affairs o' the kirk or the queen; green plain, Nor sae as me : They're nae matters for a sang, let them sink, let them swim : gowdspink happy On kirk I'll But I saw her sae and I lo'ed your near encroach, but I'll hold it still remote, fair, ; I but I came nae Sae tak this for the gear and the blaithrie o't. woo'd, great speed ; So now I maun wander * abroad, "Sfiamefiill the geer and the blad'ry o't," is the turn of an old Scottish song, And lay my banes far frae the Tweed. spoken when a young handsome girl marries an old man, upon the account of his There has been some with this wealth. [* uncertainty respect to Crawford. Stenhouse, on plausible authority, affirms that his name was William Crawford, of the house Kelly's Scots Proverbs, p. 296. of who was also a but of a date. t Wm.it retinue followers. Auchenamcs, Renfrewshire; poet, remoter Kirkpatrick Sharpe, commenting on this, adduces clearer evidence to show, that he was a Piobert Crawford, a cadet of the house of Drumsoy in which respect only, therefore, and not as to his name, our Author's information was incorrect.] May Eve, or Kate of Aberdeen. t If the reader refers to note hi page 307, he will there find that Sir Walter Scott states this song to have been written in honour of another a Miss [The silver moon's enamour'd beams lady, Mary Lilias Scott, the Flower of Yarrow. Steal softly through the night, To wanton in the winding streams, And kiss reflected light. The Posie.

To courts begone ! heart-soothing sleep, IT evident to me that Oswald his Eoslin Where you've so seldom been : appears composed Whilst I May's watchful vigils keep, Castle on the modulation of this air. In the second part of With Kate of Aberdeen : Oswald's, in the three first bars, he has either hit on a With Kate of Aberdeen !] wonderful or else he has KATE of similarity to, entirely borrowed Aberdeen, is, I believe, the work of poor Cunning- the three first bars of the old air ; and the close of both tunes ham the of whom the player ; following anecdote, though told is almost exactly the same. The old verses to which it was before, deserves a recital. A fat dignitary of the church sung, when I took down the notes from a country girl's voice coming past Cunningham one Sunday, as the poor poet was had no great merit. The following is a specimen : busy plying a fishing-rod in some stream near Durham, his There was a pretty may* and a milkin she went native country,* his reverence reprimanded ; Cunningham very Wi' her red rosy cheeks, and her coal-black hair : for such an such And she has met a man a comin o'er the severely occupation on a day. The poor poet, young bent. With a double and adieu to fair with that inoffensive gentleness of manners which was his thee, may. O where are ye goin, my ain pretty may, peculiar characteristic, replied, that he hoped God and his Wi' thy red rosy cheeks, and thy coal-black hair ? reverence would his of that forgive seeming profanity sacred Unto the yowes a milkin, kind sir, she says, "as he had no With a double and adieu to fair day, dinner to eat, but what lay at the bottom of thee, may. What if I wi' ain that pool /" This, Mr. Woods, the player, who knew Cunning- gang alang thee, my pretty may, Wi' thy red rosy cheeks, and thy coal-black hair ham and esteemed him ; well, much, assured me was true. I Wad be aught the warse o' that, kind sir, she says, * was a native of With a double Cunningham Ireland. See Dr. Anderson's Life of Cunningham, and adieu to thee, fair may. British vol. x. Poets, * May Maul young woman. ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBP^RT BURNS. 307

Mary's Dream. Oramachree.

[The moon had elimb'd the highest hill, THE song of Gramachree was a Mr. Poe, a Which rises o'er the source of Dee, composed by And from the eastern summit shed counsellor at law in Dublin. This anecdote I had from a

Her silver on tow'r and tree : light gentleman who knew the lady, the "Molly," who is the When Mary laid her down to sleep, of the and to Her far at subject song, whom Mr. Poe sent the first thoughts on Sandy sea ; When soft and low a voice was heard, manuscript of his most beautiful verses. I do not remember Saying, Mary weep no more for me.] any single line has more true pathos than THE here alluded to is to Mary generally supposed be Miss "How can she break that honest heart that wears her in its core!" Mary Macghie, daughter to the Laird of Airds, in Galloway. But as the song is Irish, it had nothing to do in this The Poet was a Mr. Alexander Lowe, who likewise wrote collection. another beautiful song, called Pompey's Ghost. I have seen a poetic epistle from him in North America, where he now is, The Collier's Bonie Lassie. or lately was, to a lady in Scotland. By the strain of the THE first half verses, it appeared that they allude to some love disappoint- stanza is much older than the days of ment. Eamsay. The old words began thus: The collier has a dochter, and, O, she's wonder bonie ! A laird he was that sought her, rich baith in lands and money. She wad na hae a nor wad she The Maid that tends the Goats. laird, be a lady ; But she wad hae a collier, the color o' her daddie. BY MR. DUDGEON.

THIS Dudgeon is a respectable farmer's son in Berwickshire. My ain kind Dearie, 0. THE old words of this song are omitted here, though much / wish Love were in a Mire. more beautiful than these inserted my ; which were mostly com- in one of I NEVER heard more of the words of this old song than the posed by poor Ferguson, his merry humors. The old words title. began thus ;

I'll rowe thee o'er the lea-rig, ain kind My dearie, O ; Allan Water. I'll rowe thee o'er the lea-rig, My ain kind dearie, O : THIS Allan Water, which the composer of the music has Altho' the night were ne'er sae wat, And I were ne'er sae honoured with the name of the air, I have been told is Allan weary, O, I'll rowe thee o'er the lea-rig, in Strathallan. Water, My ain kind dearie, O.

There's nae Luck about the House. Mary Scott, the Flower of Yarrow.* THIS is one of the most beautiful in the Scots, or songs any [Happy's the love that meets return, in soft flame other language. The two lines, When souls equal burn : But words are wanting to discover, "And will I see his face again? The torments of a hopeless lover. "And will I hear him speak? Ye registers of heaven relate, as well as the preceding ones, are unequalled almost by any If looking o'er the rolls of fate, Did you there see me mark'd to marrow thing I ever heard or read : and the lines, Mary Scott, the Flow'r of Yarrow!] "The present moment is our ain, in his statistical "The niest we never saw" MR. Eobertson account of the parish of Selkirk, says, that Mary Scott, the Flower of Yarrow, was are worthy of the first poet. It is long posterior to Eamsay's descended from the Dryhope, and married into the Harden days. About the year 1771, or 72, it came first on the streets Her was married to as a ballad and I the of the family. daughter a predecessor of the ; suppose composition song was Sir Francis Elliot of Stobbs, and of the late Lord not much anterior to that period.* present * Heathfield. [Our readers are no doubt aware that this beautiful song was the composition in of William Julius Mickle, of Langholm, a man of exquisite taste, both as an There is a circumstance their contract of marriage that original writer and as a translator. This discovery was not made until the year merits attention, as it strongly marks the predatory spirit of 1810; previous to which date, it had been ascribed to one Mrs. Jean Adams, the times. The father-in-law to the Crawford's-Dyke, Greenock. It must be mentioned, however, that the stanza agrees keep daughter, containing the two lines so much admired by our Author, and declared by him to for some time after the marriage; for which the son-in-law be "worthy of the first poet," was not the composition of Mickle, but an addition binds himself to give him the profits of the first Michaelmas by Dr. Beattie at a later date. The song itself could not be much older than 1760.] moon.f

* A very interesting account of "The Flower of Yarrow" appears in a note to Sir Walter Scott's "Marmion." Tarry Woo. "Near the lower extremity of Saint Mary's Lake (a beautiful sheet of water, is but I that the first half forming the reservoir from which the Yarrow takes its source), are the ruins of THIS a very pretty song ; fancy Dryhope tower, the birth-place of Mary Scott, daughter of Philip Scott of Dry- stanza, as well as the tune itself, are much older than the rest hope, and famous by the traditional name of the Flower of Yarrow. She was of the words. married to Walter Scott of Harden, no less renowned for his depredations, than m 308 LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

his bride for her beauty. Her romantic appellation was, in latter days, with The Bonie Brvckct Lassie. of equal justice, conferred on Miss Mary Lilias Scott, the last of the elder branch " bonie brocket the Harden family." Sir Walter proceeds to relate that he well remembers the [The lassie, She's blue beneath the een talent and spirit of the latter Flower of Yarrow, though: age had then injured the ; charms which to the air She was the fairest lassie procured her the name ; and that the words usually sung That danc'd on the of "Tweed-side," beginning, 'What beauties does Flora disclose,' were com- green. in A lad he loo'd her dearly, posed her honour." Notes to Canto ii., p. 38. She did his love return + The time when the moss-troopers and cattle-drivers on the borders begin ; their nightly depredations. But his vows he has broken, And left her for to mourn.] THE two first lines of this song are all of it that is old. The rest of the song, as well as those songs in the Museum Down the Burn, Davie. marked T, are the works of an obscure, tippling, but extra- I HAVE been informed, that the tune of "Down the Burn, ordinary body of the name of Tytler, commonly known by Davie," was the composition of David Maigh, keeper of the the name of Balloon Tytler, from his having projected a blood slough hounds, belonging to the Laird of Eiddel, in balloon : A mortal, who though he drudges about Edin- Tweeddale.* burgh as a common printer, with leaky shoes, a sky-lighted * [The music is considerably older older than 1725.] hat, and knee-buckles as unlike as Greorge-by-the-grace-of- that same unknown God, and Solomon-the-son-of-David ; yet drunken mortal is author and compiler of three-fourths of Slink o'er the Burn, siveet Bettie. Elliot's pompous ' Encyclopedia Britannica,' which he com- * a ! THE old words, all that I remember are, posed at half a guinea week * short sketch of this eccentric character be seen at the end of Remarks. Blink over the Burn, sweet Betty, A may is winter It a cauld night ; It rains, it hails, it thunders, The moon she gies nae light : Sae as we twa ha'e been. It's a' for the sake o' sweet Betty, merry ever I tint That my way ; THIS song is beautiful. The chorus in particular is truly Sweet, let me lie beyond thee I could learn of its author. Until it be break o' day. pathetic. never any thing

Sae merry as we twa ha'e been, O, Betty will bake my bread, Sae merry as we twa ha'e been; And Betty will brew my ale, My heart it is like for to break, And Betty will be my love, When / think on the days ws ha'e seen. When I come over the dale : Blink over the burn, sweet Betty,

Blink over the burn to me ; And while I hae dear lassie, life, The Bush aboon Traquair. My ain sweet Betty thou's be. [Hear me, ye nymphs and every swa'n, I'll tell how Peggy grieves me; Tho' thus I languish and complain, The Blithsome Bridal. Alas ! she ne'er believes me : My vows and sighs, like silent air, I in James Watson's collection never move her FIND the Blithsome Bridal Unheeded ; The bush aboon Traquair of Scots poems, printed at Edinburgh, in 1709. This collec- bonny Was where I first did love her. ] tion, the publisher says, is the first of its nature which has THIS is another beautiful of Mr. Crawford's com- been published in our native Scots dialect it is now extremely song of tradition still scarce.* position. In the neighbourhood Traquair, it in * shews the old "Bush;" which, when I saw the year [Only three parts (1709, 1710, 1711), constituting one volume a small octavo of this book, were ever published : Edinburgh. The book is now, indeed, 1787, was composed of eight or nine ragged birches. The rare a to ; according valued from two to ixtremely single copy, condition, being Earl of Traquair has planted a clump of trees near by, which five guineas. From copy in our own possession we have extracted the of song " Bush."* Old Long Syne, already before our readers.] he calls The new * of ' [Suggesting most probably the planting this very Bush,' we have heard the following anecdote: The Duchess of Gordon (if we mistake not), on some festive occasion, took the heir apparent of the Earldom who was remarkable for it ex- John Hay's Bonie Lassie. large red bushy locks by the hair of the head, and shaking playfully, " claimed, O lad, lad, what wad ye gie, gin this war the Bush aboon Traquair '?" [By smooth-winding Tay a swain was reclining; " '' Not quite so fast," replied the abashed youth, not quite so fast, please your Aft cry'd he, oh hey ! maun I still live pining ladyship."] Myself thus away, and darna discover that I To my bony lass, am her lover ! Nae mair it will the flame waxes bide, stronger ; Cromlet's Lilt. If she's not are nae my bride, my days longer ; all false maid. Then I'll tak a heart, and try at a venture [Since thy vows, ere Are blown to air Maybe, we part, my vows may content her.] ; And my poor heart betrayed JOHN Bonie Lassie was of John Earl sad Hay's daughter Hay, To despair ; or Marquis of Tweeddale, and late Countess Dowager of Into some wilderness My grief I will express, She died at Broomlands, near some time Roxburgh. Kelso, And thy hardheartedness, 1720 and 1740. 1 between the years O cruel fair! ! ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS.

THE account of this following interesting plaintive dirge She rose and let me in. was communicated to Mr. Riddel by Alexander Frazer Tytler, [The night her silent sable wore, Esq., of Woodhouselee. And gloomy were the skies, Of glitt'ring stars appear'd no "In the latter end of the 16th century, the Chisholms were more, Than those in Nelly's eyes. of the estate of Cromlecks the proprietors (now possessed by When to her father's door I came, Where I had Drummonds). The eldest son of that family was very much often been, I begg'd my fair and lovely dame, attached to a daughter of Stirling of Ardoch, commonly To rise and let me in.] known the name of Fair Helen of by Ardoch. THE old set of this song, which is still to be found in printed "At that time the of betwixt the opportunities meeting collections, is much than this but prettier ; somebody, I be- sexes were more rare, consequently more after than sought lieve it was Ramsay, took it into his head to clear it of some now ; and the Scottish ladies, far from themselves on priding seeming indelicacies, and made it at once more chaste and extensive were literature, thought sufficiently book-learned more dull. if they could make out the Scriptures in their mother tongue. Writing was entirely out of the line of female education. At that the most of our men of a period young family sought Go to the Eive-bughts, Marion. fortune or found a in France. when he went grave, Cromlus, [Wifl ye go to the ewe-bughts, my Marion, abroad to the war, was obliged to leave the management of And wear in the sheep wi' me 1 The sun shines sweet, my Marion, his correspondence with his mistress to a lay brother of the But nae half sae sweet as thee ; of in monastry Dumblain, the immediate neighbourhood of The sun shines sweet, my Marion, But nae half sae sweet as Cromleck, and near Ardoch. This man, unfortunately, was thee.] I not if old deeply sensible of Helen's charms. He artfully prepossessed AM sure this and charming air be of the South, her with stories to the of Cromlus and mis- as is or of the North of Scotland. There is disadvantage ; by commonly said, a interpreting or keeping up the letters and messages intrusted song apparently as ancient as "Ewe-bughts, Marion." to his care, he entirely irritated both. All connection was which sings to the same tune, and is evidently of the North.

broken off It thus : betwixt them ; Helen was inconsolable, and Crom- begins lus has left behind him, in the ballad called Cromlet's Lilt, a The Lord o' Gordon had three dochters, and Jean Mary, Marget, ; proof of the elegance of his genius, as well as the steadiness They wad na stay at Bonie Castle Gordon, of his love. But awa to Aberdeen.

"When the artful monk thought time had sufficiently softened Helen's sorrow, he proposed himself as a lover:

: Leiuis Gordon.* Helen was obdurate but at last, overcome by the per- . suasions of her brother with whom she lived, and who [Oh ! send Lewis Gordon hame, And the lad I winna name : a of children, was having family thirty-one probably very Tho' his back be at the wa', well pleased to get her off his hands she submitted, rather Here's to him that's far awa.] than consented to the but there her ceremony: compliance THIS air is a proof how one of our Scots tunes comes to ended; and, when forcibly put to bed, she started quite be composed out of another. I have one of the earliest copies frantic from out that after three it, screaming gentle taps on of the song, and it has prefixed, " the wainscot, at the bed head, she heard Cromlus' s voice, Tune of Tarry Woo" mind me ! Cromlus soon after crying Helen, Helen, coming Of which tune, a different set has insensibly varied into a home, the of the confident was discovered, her treachery different air. To a Scots critic, the pathos of the line, and Helen became Cromlecks." marriage annulled, lady "Tho' his back be at the wa," N.B. Marg. Murray, mother to these thirty-one children, must be very striking. It needs not a Jacobite prejudice to was daughter to Murray of Strewn, one of the seventeen sons be affected with this song. of Tullybardine, and whose youngest son, commonly called * The supposed author of Lewis Gordon was a Mr. Geddes, priest, at Shenval, the Tutor of Ardoch, died in the year 1715, aged 111 years. in the Ainzie. R.B. [Rev. Mr. Geddes projected a new Translation of the Bible, with notes, but died before it was completed.]

Oh ono Chrio.* My Dearie, if thou die. DR. BLACKLOCK informed me that this was [Love never more shall give me pain, song composed My fancy's fix'd on thee : on the infamous massacre of Grlencoe. Nor ever maid my heart shall gain, * A corruption of hone a rie' signifying "Alas for the prince, or chief." My Peggy, if thou die. Thy beauty doth such pleasure give, Thy love's so true to me, Without thee I can never live, ril never leave thee. My deary, if thou die.] [One day I heard Mary say, ANOTHER beautiful song of Crawford's. How shall I leave thee ?

Stay, dearest Adonis, stay ; Why wilt thou grieve me !] LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

in THIS is another of Crawford's songs, but I do not think To the Weaver's gin ye go. his What an to such names happiest manner, absurdity, join THE Chorus of this song is old, the rest of it is mine. Here, as Adonis and once for Mary together. all, let me apologize for many silly compositions of mine in this work. Many beautiful airs wanted words; in the hurry of other avocations, if I could string a parcel of The mucking of Geordie's Byar. rhymes together any thing near tolerable, I was fain to let them He must be an excellent whose [ The mucking of Geordie's Byar, pass. poet indeed, And the shooting the gruip so clean, every performance is excellent. lias aft gart me spend the night sleepless, And brought the salt tears in my e'en.}

THE chorus of this is the rest is the work of song old; Polwarth on the Green. Balloon Tytler. [At Polwart on the Green, If you'll meet me the morn, Where lasses do conveen,

To dance about the thorn : Side ye yet. A kindly welcome you shall meet, Frae her wha likes to view THERE is a beautiful song to this tune, beginning, A lover and a lad compleat, little know" "Alas, my son, you The lad and lover you.] of Dumfries. which is the composition of a Miss Jenny Graham THE author of "Polwarth on the Green," is Capt. John Drummond M'Grigor, of the family of Bochaldie.

Waukin o' the Fauld. Strephon and [My Peggy is a young thing, Lydia. Just enter'd in her teens ; [All lonely on the sultry beach as Fair as the day, and sweet May, Expiring Strephon lay : Fair as the and day, always gay ; No hand the cordial draught to reach, My Peggy is a young thing, Nor clear the gloomy way.

And I'm not auld Ill fated ! very ; youth no parent nigh Yet well I like to meet her, To catch thy fleeting breath, At the wawking o' the fauld.] No bride to fix thy swimming eye, Or smooth the face of Death ] THERE are two stanzas still sung to this tune, which I take THE following account of this I had from Dr. Black- to be the original song whence Ramsay composed his beautiful song lock. song of that name in the Gentle Shepherd. It begins The Strephon and Lydia mentioned in the song were perhaps O will ye speak at our town, the loveliest of their time. As ye come frae the fauld, &c. couple The gentleman was com- monly known by the name of Beau Gibson. The lady was I regret that, as in many of our old songs, the delicacy of " the Gentle Jean," celebrated somewhere in Mr. Hamilton of this old fragment is not equal to its wit and humor. Bangour's poems. Having frequently met at public places, they had formed a reciprocal attachment, which their friends thought dangerous, as their resources were by no means ade- Tranent-Muir. quate to their tastes and habits of life. To elude the bad was a Mr. a "TRANENT-MuiR," composed by Skirvan, very consequences of such a connexion, Strephon was sent abroad farmer near I have heard worthy respectable Haddington. with a commission, and perished in Admiral Vernon's expedi- the anecdote that Lieut. whom he mentions in often, Smith, tion to Carthagena. the ninth stanza,* came to after the Haddington publication The author of this song was William Wallace, Esq., of of the and sent a to Skirvan to meet him song, challenge at Cairnhill, in Ayrshire. Haddington, and answer for the unworthy manner in which " he had noticed him in his song. Gang awa back," said the honest farmer, "and tell Mr. Smith that I hae na leisure to o'er I'm young to marry yet. come to ; but tell him to come here and I'll Haddington ; chorus of this is old. The rest THE song of it, such as it is, tak a look o' him, and if I think I'm fit to fecht him, I'll fecht is mine. did him ; and if no I'll do as he Til rin awa."-

* Stanza ix. " And Major Bowie, that worthy soul, M'Pherson's Was down to the man Farewel. brought ground, ; His horse being shot, it was his lot M'PHERSON, a daring robber, in the beginning of this For to get mony a wound man : was condemned to be Lieutenant Smith, of Irish birth, century, hanged at the assizes at Inver- Frae whom he call'd for aid, man, ness. He is said, when under sentence of death, to have Being full of dread, lap o'er his head, " composed this tune, which he called his own lament, or farewel. And wadna be gainsaid, man ! Gow has published a variation of this fine tune as his own composition, which he calls, "The Princess Augusta." ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS.

My Jo, Janet. Strathallan' s Lament. JOHNSON, the publisher, with a foolish delicacy, refused to THIS air is the composition of one of the worthiest and insert the last stanza of this humorous ballad. best hearted men living Allan Masterton, Schoolmaster in Edinburgh. As he and I were both sprouts of Jacobitism, wo agreed to dedicate the words and air to that cause. To tell the matter of fact, except when my passions were TJie ShepJterd's Complaint.* heated by some accidental cause, my Jacobitism was merely THE words by a Mr. E. Scott, from the town or neighbour- by way of vive la bagatelle. hood of Biggar.

' [Cannot be distinctly traced by this title in Museum.']

Up in the Morning early. The SirJcs mine. of Aberfeldy. THE chorus of this is old ; the two stanzas are I COMPOSED these stanzas standing under the falls of Aber- Up in the morning's no for me, Up in the morning early ; feldy, at, or near, Moness. WJten a' the hills are cover'd wi' snaw, I'm sure it's winter fairly.

Cold blaws the wind frae east to west, TJie 0. Highland Lassie, is The drift driving sairly ; I THIS was a composition of mine in very early life, before Sae loud and shrill's I hear the blast, I'm sure it's winter was known at all in the world. My Highland lassie was a fairly. The birds sit in the warm-hearted, charming young creature as ever blessed a man chittering thorn, A' day they fare but sparely ; with love. After a tract of the most to generous pretty long And lang's the night frae e'en morn ; I'm sure it's winter ardent reciprocal attachment, we met by appointment, on the fairly. second Sunday of May, in a sequestered spot by the Banks, of Ayr, where we spent the day in taking a farewel, before she should embark for the West-Highlands, to arrange matters The Tears of Scotland. among her friends for our projected change of life. At the [Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn, Thy banish'd peace, thy laurels torn!] close of Autumn following she crossed the sea to meet me at Blacklock told me that who was at bottom a Greenock, where she had scarce landed when she was seized DR. Smollett, these beautiful and verses on with a malignant fever, which hurried my dear girl to the great Jacobite, composed pathetic the infamous of the Duke of Cumberland after grave in a few days, before I could even hear of her illness. depredations the battle of Culloden. [See Highland Mary Appendix.]

Fife, and a' the Lands about it. What will I do, gin my Hoggie die. THIS is Dr. Blacklock's. He, as well as I, often gave song Dn. Walker, who was Minister at Moffat in 1772, and is but served as a Johnson verses, trifling enough perhaps, they of now (1791) Professor of Natural History, in the University vehicle to the music. Edinburgh, told the following anecdote concerning this air. He said that some gentlemen riding a few years ago, through Liddesdale, at a hamlet consisting of a few houses, Were na my Heart light, I wad die. stopped were struck with this a she lo'ed na men called Moss-Platt; when they tune, [There was ance May, and ; bow'r in her She biggit her bonny down yon glen ; which an old woman, spinning on a rock at door, was she cries and a ! But now dool, well-a-day it that she was singing. All she could tell concerning was, Come down the green gate, and come hei'e away ! " and it was What will I do When bonny young Johny came o'er the saa, taught it when a child, called, gin He said he saw sae lovely as me, at Moss naething my Hoggie die." No person, except a few females He hecht me baith rings and mony braw things : Platt, knew this fine old tune; which, in all probability, And were na my heart light, I wad die.] would have been lost, had not one of the gentlemen, who a taken it down. [Johny's envious sister prevents happy marriage.] happened to have a flute with him, LORD Hailes, in the notes to his collection of ancient Scots of a poems, says that this song was the composition Lady I dream'd I lay where Flowers were springing. Grissel Baillie, daughter of the first Earl of Marchmont, and I when I was and wife of George Baillie, of Jerviswood. THESE two stanzas composed seventeen, are among the oldest of my printed pieces.

The Young Man's Dream. [One night I dream'd I lay most easy, I the Fate. river's side Ah poor Shepherd's mournful By a murm'ring ; Where lovely banks were spread with daisies, Tune, Gallashiels. And the stream did smoothly glide.] &c. [Ah! the poor Shepherd's mournful fate, When doom'd to and doom'd to languish.] THIS song is the composition of Balloon Tytler. love, LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

THE old title, "Sour Plums o' Gallashiels," probably was indeed been local music in that country in great plenty. trace as the beginning of a song to this air, which is now lost. Johnie Faa is the only old song which I could ever The tune of Gallashiels was composed about the beginning belonging to the extensive county of Ayr. * of the present century by the Laird of Gallashiels' piper. [Notwithstanding the great and varied acquaintance of our Author with Scottish music, &c., there seems to have been a mistake here : The Title of Dum- barton (or Dumbarton's) Drums having been derived not from the ancient and celebrated town of that name, but from a regiment commanded by the Earl of The Banks of Devon. Dumbarton.]

THESE verses were composed on. a charming girl, a Miss Charlotte Hamilton, who is now married to James M'Kitrick Cauld Kail in Aberdeen. Adair, Esq., physician. She is sister to my worthy friend, THIS is the of Gordon. The old verses the song by Duke are, Gavin Hamilton, of Mauchline ; and was born on banks There's Cauld Kail in Aberdeen, of Ayr, but was, at the time I wrote these lines, residing at And Castocks in Strathbogie ; banks of Herveyston, in Clackmannanshire, on the romantic When ilka lad maun hae his lass, the little river Devon. I first heard the air from a lady in Then fye, gie me my coggie. Inverness, and got the notes taken down for this work. Chorus. My coggie, Sirs, my coggie, Sirs, I cannot want my coggie : I wndna gie my three-girr'd cap Mill, Mill, 0. For e'er a quene on liogie.

There's Johnie Smith has a wife . THE original, or at least a song evidently prior to Eamsay'i got That scrimps him o' his coggie ; is still extant. It runs thus, If she were mine, upon my life, Chorus. I wad douk her in a bogie.

The mitt, mill O, and the kill, kill O, My coggie, Sirs, &c. o' Aiid the coggin Peggy's wheel O ; The sack and the sieve, and a' s'/e did leave, And danc'd the miller's reel 0. For lake of Gold. As I cam down yon waterside, left Oh ! And by yon shellin-hill O, [For lake of gold she's me, all that's dear bereft ! There I spied a bonie bonie lass, And of me, Oh And a lass that I lov'd right weel O. She me forsook, for a great duke, And to endless care has left me, Oh ! line THE country girls in Ayrshire, instead of the

We ran and they ran. She me forsook, for a great duke, For Athole's she forsook THE author of "We ran and they ran" was a Rev. Mr. say, duke, me ; Murdoch M'Lennan, minister at Crathie, Dee-side. which I take to be the original reading. These words were composed by the late Dr. Austin, physician at Edinburgh. He had courted a lady, to whom he was married but the Duke of Athole Waly, Waly. shortly to have been ; having IN the west country I have heard a different edition of the seen her, became so much in love with her, that he made pro- second stanza. Instead of the four lines beginning with posals of marriage, which were accepted of, and she jilted the "When cockle shells, &c.," the other way ran thus: doctor. need I survived her first O wherefore busk my head, ["This lady, a Miss Drummond of Megginch, having husband, Or wherefore need I kame my hair, married the late Lord Adam Gordon, uncle to Alexander, the then Duke of Sin my fause luve has me forsook, Gordon" and the Doctor too, notwithstanding his disappointment, "afterwards And says, he'll never luve me mair. married, and had a fine family of children." Stenhouse.]

Duncan Gray. Here's a Health to my true Love, &c. DR. BLACKLOCK informed me that he had often heard the [To me what are riches encumber'd with care 1 To me what is pomp's insignificant glare 1 tradition that this air was a carman in composed by Glasgow. No minion of fortune, no pageant of state, Shall ever induce me to envy his fate.] THIS song is Dr. Blacklock's. He told me that tradition Dumbarton's Drums. IV. of Scotland. gives the air to our James [Dumbarton's drums beat bony, O, When mind me o' they my dear Johny, O !] THIS is the last of the West airs and from Highland ; it, Iley tutti, taiti. over the whole tract of country to the confines of Tweed-side, I HAVE met the tradition universally over Scotland, and par- there is hardly a tune or song that one can has taken its say of that ticularly about Stirling, in the neighbourhood the scene, origin from any place or transaction in that part of Scotland. this air was Robert Bruce''e march at the battle of Bannockburn.* The oldest Ayrshire reel is Stewarton Lasses, which was made * It does not seem at all that the Scots had any martial music in the the father of the Sir Walter probable by present Montgomery Cun- this it their custom at that for man in the time of monarch ; being period, every ningham, alias Lord Lysle; since which period there has host to bear a little horn, with the blowing of which, as we are told by Froissart, ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS. 313

they would make such a horrible noise as if all the devils of hell had been among in, by accident, with a party of the military. The soldiers them. It is not therefore likely that these unpolished warriors would be curious were not exactly acquainted with the person of the reverend " to move " of in some In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood gentleman whom they were search; but, from " Of flutes and self recorders." suspicious circumstances, they fancied that they had got one These horns, indeed, are the only music ever mentioned by Barbour, to whom any of that cloth and opprobrious persuasion among them in march would have been too important a circumstance to be over particular passed the of this "Mass John," to extricate him- in silence so that it must remain a moot Bruce's person stranger. ; point, whether army were cheered by the sound of even a solitary bagpipe. See Ritson's Hist. Essay on self, assumed a freedom of manners, very unlike the gloomy Scotish Song. strictness of his sect and other ; among convivial exhibitions, sung (and some traditions say, composed on the spur of the "Kirk wad let me with such that the Having Winds around her Bloiving. occasion), be," effect, soldiers swore he was a d d honest and that it was I COMPOSED these verses on Miss Isabella M'Leod of Eaza, fellow, he to those impossible could belong hellish conventicles ; and alluding to her feelings on the death of her sister, and the so gave him his liberty. still more melancholy death of her sister's husband, the late The first stanza of this song, a little altered, is a favorite Earl of Loudon ; who shot himself out of sheer heart-break kind of dramatic interlude acted at country weddings, in the at some mortification he suffered, owing to the deranged state south-west parts of the kingdom. A fellow is dressed of his finances. young like an old a of up beggar ; peruke, commonly made carded tow, represents hoary locks; an old bonnet; a ragged plaid, Tak auld Cloak about your ye, or surtout, bound with a straw-rope for a girdle; a pair of his is A PART of this old song according to the English set of it, is old shoes, with straw-ropes twisted round ancles, as quoted in Shakspeare.* done by shepherds in snowy- weather : his face they disguise * as like old as can In this he is In the drinking scene ha Othello lago sings : wretched age they plight " " " astonish- King Stephen was a worthy peer, brought into the wedding-house, frequently to the His breeches cost him but a crown ; ment of strangers who are not in the secret, and begins to He held them sixpence all too dear, With that he called the tailor lown sing ; " He was a wight of high renown, O, I am a silly auld man, it is auld &c. And thou art but of low degree : "My name Glenae,"* 'Tis pride that pulls the country down, He is asked to and and to dance, which, after Then take thine auld cloak about thee." drink, by by some uncouth excuses, he is prevailed on to do, the fiddler The old song from which these stanzas are taken, was recovered by Dr. Percy, " and preserved by him in his Reliques of Antient Poetry." Cromek. playing the tune, which here is commonly called, "Auld " is all the so with that Glenae ; in short, he time plied liquor he is understood to get intoxicated, and with all the ridiculous Ye Gods, was Picture blest ! and Strephon's gesticulations of an old drunken beggar, he dances stag- Tune, Fourteenth of October. falls on the floor still in all his in gers until he ; yet riot, nay [Ye Gods, was Strephon's picture blest or other his rolling and tumbling on the floor, with some With the fair heav'n of Chloe's breast I] drunken motion of his body, he beats time to the music, till THE title of this air shews that it alludes to the famous at last he is supposed to be carried out dead drunk. king Crispian, the patron of the honourable corporation of * in Annandale the seat and of an Glenae, on the small river Ae, ; designation Shoemakers. St. falls on the fourteenth of Crispian's day ancient branch, and the present representative, of the gallant but unfortunate This is the Author's note. October, old style, as the old proverb tells : Dalziels of Camwath. " On the fourteenth of October " Was ne'er a sutor sober." Musing on the roaring Ocean. I COMPOSED these verses out of compliment to a Mrs. Since robVd of all that charm'd my View. M'Lachlan, whose husband is an officer in the East Indies. [Since robb'd of all that charm'd my view, Of all my soul e'er fancied fair; Ye smiling native scenes adieu, With each delightful object there!] Blythe was she. THE old name of this air "The blossom o : the is, Easp- I COMPOSED these verses while I stayed at Ochtertyre with The is Dr. Blacklock's. berry." song Sir William Murray. The lady, who was also at Ochtertyre at the same time, was the well-known toast, Miss Euphemia Murray of Lentrose, who was called, and very justly, The Kirk wad let me be. Flower of Strathmore. TRADITION in the western parts of Scotland tells, that this old song, of which there are still three stanzas extant, once Faa, or the Laddie. saved a covenanting clergyman out of a scrape. It was a Johnny Gypsie cam to our Lord's yett, little prior to the Eevolution, a period when being a Scots [The gypsies And vow but they sang sweetly ; a that one of their who Covenanter was being felon, clergy They sang sae sweet, and sae compleat, was at that very time hunted by the merciless soldiery, fell That down cam the fair lady.] 314 LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

And sae I me on a THE people in Ayrshire begin this song thought time, Outwittens of my daddy, "The cam to Lord Cassilis' gypsies my yett" To fee mysel to a Lawland laird, Wha had a bonny lady.] They have a great many more stanzas in this song than I THIS was founded on fact. A John ancestor ever yet saw in any printed copy. The castle is still re- story Hunter, to a in a in maining at Maybole, where his lordship shut up his wayward very respectable farming family who live place the I spouse and kept her for life. parish, think, of Galston, called Barr-mill, was the luckless hero that "had a horse nae [This Earl of Cassilis is understood to have been the same who was one of the and had mair." For absence Scottish Commissioners to Westminster Assembly of Divines. During his some little youthful follies, he found it necessary to make a there, the elopement may have taken place. His residence of Cassilis {'Cassilis retreat to the West Highlands, where "he feed himself to Downans') was in immediate neighbourhood of Maybole. The lady's prison at a Maybole has been recently restored in very elaborate style, as residence for Mar- Highland Laird," for that is the expression of all the oral of Ailsa's factor. The with of head in quis original window, sculpture gypsy's editions of the song I ever heard. The present Mr. Hunter, rude workmanship outside, of the room in which the poor Countess was shut up who told me the is the to our hero. is still preserved.] anecdote, great-grandchild [William Murray, afterwards the celebrated Earl of Mansfield, is said to have travelled as a to on a small the of youth London, Highland pony ; price which, To daunton me. on sale at the conclusion of his journey, was all the future illustrious Chancellor had in the world to establish himself in the metropolis.] THE two following old stanzas to this tune have some merit : To daunton me, to daunton me, Up and warn a\ Willie. ken ye what it is that'll daunton me 1 There's eighty-eight and eighty-nine, THIS edition of the song I got from Tom Neil,* of facetious And a' that I hae borne sinsyne, fame, in Edinburgh, The expression and warn a', There's cess and press* and Presbytrie, "Up 1 think it will do meikle for to daunton me. Willie," alludes to the Crantars, or warning of a Highland Clan to arms. Not the Lowlanders in But to wanton me, to wanton me, understanding this, " ken what it is wad 1 ye wanton me the west, and south, say, Up and waur them a'," &c. To see corn gude upon the rigs, * Tom Neil was a carpenter in Edinburgh, and lived chiefly by making coffins. And banishment amang the Whigs, He was also Precentor, or Clerk, in one of the churches. He had a good strong And right restored where right sud be, voice, and was his of and his humorous 1 think it would do meikle for to wanton me. greatly distinguished by power mimicry, manner of singing the old Scottish ballads. Cromelt. * Scot and lot. [With all imaginable deference to our Author's judgment, we cannot help believing that his explanation of a title in this instance is erroneous. It seems much more reasonable to suppose that 'the Lowlanders in the west and south' should have The Son,ie Lass made the Bed to me. adopted this title with reference to William of Orange, as the representative of Protestant interests against the Jacobite Roman Catholic party.] "THE Bonie Lass made the Bed to me," was composed on an amour of Charles II. when skulking in the North, about Aberdeen, in the time of the usurpation. He formed une A Hose-bud ly my early Walk. petite affaire with a daughter of the House of Port-letham; THIS song I composed on Miss Jenny Cruikshank, only who was the "lass that made the bed to him:" two verses child to friend Mr. Wm. Cruikshank, of the of it are my worthy High School, Edinburgh. The air is a David Sillar, quondam I kiss'd her lips sae rosy red, by While the tear stood blinkin in her e'e and now Schoolmaster in Irvine. He is the Davie ; Merchant, I said my lassie dinna cry, to whom I address my printed poetical epistle in the measure For ye ay shall mak the bed to me. of the Cherry and the Slae. She took her mither's winding sheet,

And o't she made a sark to me : Blythe and merry may she be, The lass that made the bed to me. Auld Rob Morris.*

refers of to old [Author here, course, original ballad; his own, on the same [There's auld Rob Morris that wins in yon glen, subject, being the of infinitely finer.] He's king good fallows, and wale of auld men ; Has fourscore of black sheep, and fourscore too, And Auld Rob Morris is the man ye maun loo.] A "bsence. " IT is remark-worthy that the song of Hooly and Fairly," A song in the manner of Shenstone. in all the old editions of it, is called "The Drunken Wife o> rivers so and [Ye limpid clear, Galloway," which localizes it to that country. Who reflect, as in cadence you flow, * Our Author has an different All [Revised by Ramsay. entirely song under this the beauties that vary the year, designation.] All the flow'rs on your margin that grow.] THIS song and air are both by Dr. Blacklock. Rattlin, roarin Willie.

stanza of this is mine it THE last song ; was composed out jT had a Horse and I had nae mair. of compliment to one of the worthiest fellows in the world, had a and I [I horse, had nae mair, William writer to the and I Dunbar, Esq., signet, Edinburgh, gat him frae my daddy : was Colonel of the Crochallan a club of wits who took that My purse light, and my heart was sair, corps, But wit it was fu' my ready. title at the time of raising the fencible regiments. ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS.

Where, braving angry Winter's Storms. In addition to the observations on Gill Morice, I add, that of the and THIS song I composed on one of the most accomplished of songs which Captain Eiddel mentions, Kenneth Duncan are The women, Miss Peggy Chalmers that was, now Mrs. Lewis Hay, juvenile compositions of Mr. M'Kenzie, of Forbes and Co.'s bank, Edinburgh. Man of Feeling. M'Kenzie's father shewed them in MSS. to Dr. Blacklock, as the production of his son, from which the Doctor rightly prognosticated that the young poet would Tibbie, I hae seen the Day. make, in his more advanced years, a respectable figure in THIS song I composed about the age of seventeen. the world of letters. This I had from Blacklock. verse of this third verse of * [If our readers compare the last song [p. 134] with In the year 1719, the celebrated poem or ballad of HardyJtnute, first appeared old song, 'The Blaithrie o't' [p. 306], they will find a curious coincidence. It at Edinburgh, as a "fragment," in a folio pamphlet of twelve pages. Ritson. looks as if that old song had been still in our Author's mind when he added that verse.]

Tibbie Duribar. Nancy's Ghost. THIS tune is said to be the composition of John M'Gill, [Where waving pines salute the skies, fiddler in Girvan. He called it after his own name. And silver streams meand'ring flow ; Where verdant mountains gently rise, Thus Sandy sung his tale of woe.] THIS song is by Dr. Blacklock. When I upon thy Bosom lean. THIS song was the work of a very worthy, facetious old Muirkirk which fellow, John Lapraik, late of Dalfram, near ; Tune your Fiddles, &c. little property he was obliged to sell in consequence of some [Tune your fiddles, tune them sweetly, for concerned in that Play the Marquis' Reel discreetly, connection as security some persons Here we are a band compleatly, villainous bubble, THE AYE BANK. He has often told me that Fitted to be jolly. he this one when his wife had been Come, my boys, be blythe and gaucy, composed song day Every youngster choose his lassie, fretting o'er their misfortunes.* Dance wi' life, and be not saucy, * " This is the very song that some kind husband had addrest to some sweet wife," Shy nor melancholy.] alluded to with such exquisite delicacy in the Epistle to J. Lapraik. the " THIS song was composed by Bev. John Skinner, Non- There was ae sart g amang the rest, " Aboon them a' it d me juror Clergyman at Linshart, near Peterhead. He is likewise pleas' best, " That some kind husband had addrest the author of Ewie wi' the Crooked Horn, " Tullochgorum, To some sweet wife : " o' is of still It thrill'd the thro' the breast, John Badenyond, &c. ; and what more con- heart-strings " A' to the life." sequence, he is one of the worthiest of mankind. He is the author of an ecclesiastical history of Scotland. The air is by Mr. butler to the Duke of Gordon the first com- Marshall, ; When I upon thy bosom lean poser of strathspeys of the age. I have been told by somebody And fondly clasp thee a' my ain, I in the sacred ties who had it of Marshall himself, that he took the idea of his glory That made us ane, wha ance were twain. three most celebrated pieces, The Marquis of Huntley's Eeel, A mutual flame inspires us baith, The tender the kiss : His Farewel, and Miss Admiral Gordon's Eeel, from the old look, melting Even years shall ne'er destroy our love, "The German Lairdie." air, But only gie us change o' bliss.

Hae I a wish? it's a' for thee;

I ken wish is me to please ! Gill Morice. thy Our moments pass sae smooth away, numbers on us look and THIS plaintive ballad ought to have been called Child That gaze. Weel pleas'd they see our happy days, Maurice, and not Gill Morice. In its present dress, it has Nor envy's sel finds aught to blame; gained immortal honour from Mr. Home's taking from it the And ay when weary cares arise, bosom still shall be my hame. ground-work of his fine tragedy of Douglas. But I am of Thy opinion that the present ballad is a modern composition; I'll lay me there, and take my rest, And if that aught disturb my dear, not much above the of the middle of last century; perhaps age I'll bid her laugh her cares away, at least I should be glad to see or hear of a copy of the present And beg her not to drap a tear. Hae I a joy ? it's a' her a'.n : words prior to 1650. That it was taken from an old ballad, United still her heart and mine ;

called Child now I am inclined to believe ; but Maurice, lost, They're like the woodbine round the tree, * till shall them the present one may be classed with Hardycanute, Kenneth, That's twin'd death disjoin. Duncan, The Laird of "Woodhouselie, Lord Livingston, Bin- norie, The Death of Monteith, and many other modern pro- Harry was a Gallant gay, ductions, which have been swallowed by many readers, as My Tune, Highlander's Lament. ancient fragments of old poems. This beautiful plaintive title I ever heard to this air was, "The Highland tune was composed by Mr. M'Gibbon, the selector of a THE oldest The -chorus I from collection of Scots tunes. Watch's Farewell to Ireland." picked up in the rest of the is mine. E, E[lDDEL.] an old woman Dunblane ; song 316 LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

in [This song, without the slightest original acknowledgment by our Author Beware o' Bonie Ann.

' the Museum,' has heen accidentally omitted by us in its proper place : we subjoin I COMPOSED this out of to Miss Annie it therefore in full, that its connection with 'Museum' may be known.] song compliment Masterton, the daughter of my friend, Allan Masterton, the MY Harry was a gallant gay, author of the air of Strathallan' s Lament, and two or three Fu' stately strade he on the plain ; others in this work. But now he's banish'd far away, I'll never see him back again. O for him back again, This is no mine ain House. for him back again, THE first half stanza is old, the rest is Eamsay's. The old 1 wad gie a' Knockhaspie's land words are For Highland Harry back again. O this is no mine ain house, ain house My house, my ain ; When a' the lave gae to their bed, This is no mine ain house, I ken by the biggin o't. I wander dowie up the glen ; There's bread and cheese are my door-cheeks, I set me down and greet my fill, Are my door-cheeks, are my door-cheeks ; And ay I wish him back again. There's bread and cheese are my door-cheeks, O for him, &c. And pan-cakes the riggin o't. This is no my ain wean, O were some villains ain ain hangit high, My wean, my wean ;

. . This is no ain And ilka body had their ain ! my wean, I ken by the greetie o't. Then I might see the joyfu' sight, I'll tak the curchie aff back my head, My Highland Harry again. Aff aff head my head, my ; for him back again, I'll tak the curchie aff my head, And row't about the feetie o't. for him back again, land 1 wad gie a' Knockhaspie's The tune is an old Highland air, called Shuan truish willigJian. For Highland Harry back again.

Laddie, lie near me.

The Character, [Hark the loud tempest shakes earth to its center, Highland venture How mad were the task on a journey to ; fire of old the of old Gaul, with the ! of life I [In garb Rome, How dismal's my prospect am weary ; heath-cover'd mountains of Scotia we come From the ;] O listen my love, I beseech thee to hear me !

Hear me, hear me, in tenderness hear me ; THIS tune was the composition of Gen. Eeid, and called " All the long winter night, Laddie be near me.] by him The Highland, or 42d Eegiment's March." THIS song is by Blacklock. The words are by Sir Harry Erskine.

The Gardener wi' his Paidle. Leader Haughs and Yarrow. THIS air is the Gardener's March. The title of the song is [The morn was fair, saft was the air, old ; the rest is mine. All nature's sweets were springing ; The buds did bow with silver dew, Ten thousand birds were singing.] The returns, my Bosom burns. THERE is in several collections, the old song of Leader Day Seventh November. Haughs and Yarrow. It seems to have been the work of one Tune, of to of the of our itinerant minstrels, as he calls himself, at the conclusion I COMPOSED this song out of compliment one and worthiest married in the Eobert of his song, "Minstrel Burn" happiest couples world, Eiddel, Esq. of Glenriddel, and his lady. At their fire-side I [The name of this composer was Nicol Burn, who flourished about middle of than at all the houses sixteenth century. His verses (which consist of twelve stanzas), begin have enjoyed more pleasant evenings to When Phoobus bright the azure skies of fashionable people in this country put together; and With golden rays enlight'neth, their kindness and hospitality I am indebted for many of the He makes all Nature's beauties rise, hours of life. Herbs, trees and flowers he quick'neth : happiest my Amongst all those he makes his choice, And with delight goes thorow, With radiant beams the silver streams The Oal)erlunzie-Man.* O'er Leader Haughs and Yarrow.} Stenhouse. THE Gaberlunzie-Man is supposed to commemorate an intrigue of James the Vth. Mr. Callander, of Craigforth, some an edition of "Christ's Kirk on The Tailor fell thro' the Bed, Thimble an' a\ published years ago the Green," and the "Gaberlunzie-Man," with notes critical THIS air is the march of the Corporation of Tailors, The and historical. James the Vth is said to have been fond of second and fourth stanzas are mine. Gosford, in Aberlady Parish, and that it was suspected by his cotemporaries, that in his frequent excursions to that part ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS.

of the he had other in view besides country purposes golfing Auld Rolin Gray. and archery. Three favourite ladies, Sandilands, Weir, and THIS air was formerly called; "The Bridegroom greets when ; of them resided at and the others in Oliphant (one Gosford, the Sun gangs down." the neighbourhood,) were occasionally visited their by royal [This beautiful song, beginning and gallant admirer, which rise to the satirical gave following When the sheep are in the favid, and a' the ky at hame, advice to his from Sir of Majesty, David the Mount ; was written Anne of Balcarras the Rev. of Lindsay, by Lady Lindsay, ; music by W. Leeves, There were and Lord Lyon.f Wrington. other, very inferior songs, under same title.] Sow not your seed on Sandylands, Spend not your strength in Weir, And ride not on an Elephant, Donald and Flora. For spoiling o' your gear. [When merry hearts were gay, * A wallet-man or tinker, who appears to have been formerly a jack of all trades, Careless of aught but play, t Sir David was Lion King-at-Arms, under James V. Poor Flora slipt away, Sad'ning to Mora.*] * A small valley in Athole, so named by the two lovers. THIS is one of those fine Gaelic from time My Bonnie Mary, tunes, preserved immemorial in the Hebrides; they seem to be the ground- THIS air is Oswald's; the first half-stanza of the song is work of many of our finest Scots pastoral tunes. The words old, the rest mine. of this song were written to commemorate the unfortunate This song, which Burns here acknowledges to he his own, was first introduced of General in in 1777. hy him in a letter to Mrs. Dunlop, as two old stanzas. expedition Burgoyne America, See Letters [Currie's ed.], vol. ii. p. 188.

ivere I on Parnassus Hill. The Slack Eagle. THIS air is Oswald's : the song I made out of compliment THIS is Dr. merits as a song by Fordyce, whose prose to Mrs. Burns. writer are well known.

The Captive Ribband.

come me. ' Jamie, try THIS air is called Eobie donna Gorach.'

THIS air is the mine. a word about the is his Oswald's ; song [Not authorship ; but song own.]

There's a Youth in this City. The lazy Mist. THIS air is claimed by Neil Gow, who calls it his lament THIS song is mine. for his first is old the brother. The half-stanza of the song ; rest is mine.

Jolmie. Cope.

[Hey Johnie Cope are ye waukin yet, Heart's in the Highlands. Or are ye sleeping I would wit 1] My first half-stanza of this is old the rest is mine. THIS satirical song was composed to commemorate General THE song ; Cope's defeat at Preston-Pans, in 1745, when he marched against the Clans. Ca' the Ewes to the Knowes. The air was the tune of an old song, of which I have heard is in the true old Scotch I do some verses, but now only remember the title, which was THIS beautiful song taste, yet or were in before. Will ye go to the coals in the morning. not know that either air, words, print

[Is, in fact, chiefly by our Author.]

/ love my Jean. The Bridal o't. [Of a' the airts the wind can hlaw,] the I out of is the of a Mr. Alexander late school- THIS air is by Marshal ; song composed compli- THIS song work Eoss, of a beautiful Scots ment to Mrs. Burns. master at Lochlee ; and author poem, N.B. It was during the honey-moon. called the Fortunate Shepherdess.

Todlen Hame. Cease, cease, my dear Friend, to explore. [When I hae sax-pence under my thuni, cease, dear friend, to explore I'll credit in ilka town [Cease, my Then get ; whence and how smart From piercing my ; But ay when I'm poor, they bid me gae by of the I Let the charms nymph adore, Oh, poverty parts good company. and todlen Excuse interpret my heart.] Todlen hame, hame ; Dr. Blacklock I but am not O cou'ona my love come todlen hame. THE song is by ; believe, quite THIS is the first bottle that ever w certain, that the air is his too. perhaps song LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

O fare ! The Braes o' Balloclimyle. thee weel, my bonie lass fare O thce weel, my hinnie ! THIS air is the of friend composition my Allan Masterton, Thou art a gay and bonie lass, in Edinburgh. I composed the verses on the amiable and But thou has a waukrife minnie.* The editor thinks it to the to the verses he thus excellent family of Whitefoord's leaving Ballochmyle, when respectful poet preserve recovered. [Cromek.] Sir John's misfortunes had obliged him to sell the estate.

Tullochgorum. a The rantin Dog, the Daddie o't. ['Come, gie's sang,' Montgomery cried, ' all And lay your disputes aside ; I COMPOSED this song pretty early in life, and sent it to a What signifies't for folks to chide,

For what was done before them : young girl, a very particular acquaintance of mine, who was Let Whig and Tory all agree, at that time under a cloud. and Whig Tory, Whig and Tory ; Whig and Tory all agree To drop their Whig-mig-morum : Let Whig and Tory all agree The Shepherd's Preference. To spend the night wi' mirth and glee, And cheerful sing alang wi' me THIS song is Blacklock's. I don't know how it came by The reel o' Tullochgorum ! '] ' ' the name, but the oldest appellation of the air, was, Whistle, THIS, first of songs, is the master-piece of my old friend and I'll come to you, my lad." Skinner. He was passing the day, at the town of Cullen I It has little affinity to the tune commonly known by that think it was, in a friend's house whose name was Montgomery. Mrs. Montgomery observing, en passant, that the beautiful reel of Tullochgorum wanted words, she begged them of Mr. Skinner, who her and the wishes of The bonie BanJcs of Ayr. gratified wishes, every lover of Scottish song, in this most excellent ballad. I COMPOSED this song as I convoyed my chest so far on the These particulars I had from the author's son, Bishop road to Greenock, where I was to embark in a few days for Skinner, at Aberdeen. Jamaica. * I meant it as my farewel Dirge to my native land.

* " ' I had taken the last farewel of few chest to my friends ; my was on the road For a' that and that. Greenock ; I had composed the last song I should ever measure in Caledonia, The THIS is mine, all the chorus. gloomy Sight is gathering fast." song except Letter to Dr. Moore, vol. i. p. 35. Dr. Curriers ed.

[Compare note on this subject in our own edition.] Auld lang syne. RAMSAY here, as usual with him, has taken the idea of the John o' Badenyond. song, and the first line, from the old fragment, which may be seen in the Museum, vol. v. THIS excellent song is the composition of my worthy friend, Various with note on in old Skinner, at Linshart. [See Readings, subject, present edition.]

A Minnie. * Waukrife Willie brew'd a Peck o' Maut. I PICKED this old and tune from a up song country girl in THIS air is Masterton's ; the song mine. The occasion of it Nithsdale. I never met with it elsewhere in Scotland. was this. Mr. Wm. Nicol, of the High School, Edinburgh, Whare are you gaun, my bonie lass, during the autumn vacation being at Moffat, honest Allan, Whare are you gaun, my hinnie ? who was at that time on a visit to I to She answer' d me right saucilie, Dalswinton, and went An errand for my minnie. pay Nicol a visit. We had such a joyous meeting that Mr. O whare live ye, my bonie lass, Masterton and I agreed, each in our own way, that we should O whare live ye, my hinnie ? celebrate the business. By yon burn-side, gin ye maun ken, In a wee house wi' my minnie.

But I foor up the glen at e'en, Killiecrankie. see bonie lassie To my ; of And lang before the gray morn cam, THE battle Killiecrankie was the last stand made by the She was na hauf sae sailcie. Clans for James, after his abdication. Here the gallant Lord O weary fa' the waukrife cock, Dundee fell in the moment of victory, and with him fell the And the foumart lay his crawin ! hopes of the party. General M'Kay, when he found the He wauken'd the auld wife frae her sleep, A wee blink or the dawin. Highlanders did not pursue his flying army, said, "Dundee must be killed, or he never would have overlooked this advan- An angry wife I wat she raise, And o'er the bed she her ' stone the brought ; A great marks spot where Dundee fell. And wi' a mickle hazle rung, She made her a weel pay'd dochter. ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS. 319

The Ewie wf the crooked Horn. At length he looked round about, To see whatever he could spy ; [O were I able to rehearse And there he saw his auld father, My ewie's praise in proper verse, And he was weeping bitterly. I'd sound it out as loud and fierce As ever drone could piper's blaw.] O haud your tongue, my father dear, And wi' let it be ANOTHER excellent song of old Skinner's. your weeping ; Thy weeping's sairer on my heart, Than a' that they can do to me.

And ye may gie my brother John, My sword that's bent in the middle clear, Craigie-burn Wood. And let him come at twelve o'clock, And see me pay the bishop's mare. IT is remarkable of this air, that it is the confine of that And ye may gie my brother James country where the greatest part of our Lowland music (so far My sword that's bent in the middle brown, as from the title, words, &c. we can localize it) has been com- And bid him come at four o'clock, And see his brother cut down. posed. From Craigie-burn, near Moffat, until one reaches the Hugh West Highlands, we have scarcely one slow air of any antiquity. Remember me to Maggy my wife, The neist time ye gang o'er the moor, The song was composed on a passion which a Mr. Gillespie, Tell her she staw the bishop's mare, friend of had for a Miss afterwards a particular mine, Lorimer, Tell her she was the bishop's whore. a Mrs. The was born at Whelpdale. young lady Craigie-burn And ye may tell my kith and kin, I never did their blood wood. The chorus is part of an old foolish ballad. disgrace ; And when they meet the bishop's cloak To mak it shorter by the hood.*

* Burns did not chuse to be quite correct in stating that this copy of the ballad of Graham is from oral tradition in The fact is, that Frae the Friends and Land I love. Hughie printed Ayrshire. four of the stanzas are either added or super-added by himself. have I ADDED the last four lines by way of giving a turn to the Of this number, the third and eighth are original; the ninth and tenth received his corrections. Perhaps pathos was never more touching than in the theme of the such as it is. poem, of picture of the hero singling out his poor aged father from the crowd spectators ; and the simple grandeur of preparation for this afflicting circumstance in the verse that immediately precedes it is matchless. That the reader may properly appreciate the value of Burns's touches, I here in the Hughie Graham. subjoin two verses from the most correct copy of the ballad, as it is printed Border Minntrelsy, vol. ii., p. 334. THERE are several editions of this ballad. This, here in- He looked over his left shoulder is from oral tradition in when I was serted, Ayrshire, where, And for to see what he might see ; There was he aware of his auld a boy, it was a popular song. It, originally, had a simple father, Came tearing his hair most piteouslie. old tune, which I have forgotten. O hald your tongue, my father, he says, Our lords are to the mountains gane, And see that ye dinna weep for me 1 A hunting o' the fallow deer, For they may ravish me o' my life, And have Graham they gripet Hughie But they canna banish me fro' heaven hie. o' the mare. For stealing bishop's [Note by Cromek.]

And they have tied him hand and foot, And led him up, thro' Stirling town : The lads and lasses met him there, A Southland Jenny. Cried, Hughie Graham thou'rt a loon. [A Southland Jenny that was right bonie, O lowse hand free, he says, my right She had for a suitor a Norland Johnie ; braid sword in the same And put my ; But he was sicken a bashful wooer, He's no in town this Stirling day, That he could scarcely speak unto her.] Dare tell the tale to Hughie Graham. THIS is a popular Ayrshire song, though the notes were Up then bespake the brave Whitefoord, before. as well as of the ballad As he sat by the bishop's knee, never taken down It, many Five hundred white stots I'll gie you tunes in this collection, was written from Mrs. Burns's voice. If ye'll let Hughie Graham free.

O baud your tongue, the bishop says, let me be And wi' your pleading ; Tocher's the Jewel* For tho" ten Grahams were in his coat, My Hughie Graham this day shall die. THIS tune is claimed by Nathaniel Gow. It is notoriously o' Geordie's It is also to be Up then bespake the fair Whitefoord, taken from "The Muckin Byre." As she sat the in Aird's Selection by bishop's knee; found, long prior to Nathaniel Gow's sera, Five hundred white pence I'll gie you, the first edition, under the name of to of Airs and Marches, If ye'll gie Hughie Graham me. " The Highway to Edinburgh." O haud your tongue now lady fair, * And wi' your pleading let me be; Tocher Marriage portion. Altho' ten Grahams were in his coat, It's for my honor he maun die. Then guid Wife count the Lawin. They've ta'en him to the gallows knowe, of He looked to the gallows tree, THE chorus of this is part of an old song, one stanza Yet never colour left his cheek, I recollect. Nor ever did he blink his e'e. which 320 LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

Every day my wife tells me Up amang- the hen-bawks, The the That ale and brandy will ruin me . hen-bawks, hen-bawks, But if gude liquor be my dead, Up amang the hen-bawks, This shall be written on my head. Amang the rotten timmcr. gude wife count, &c.

Galloway Tarn. There'll never be Peace till Jamie comes Hame. I HAVE seen an interlude (acted at a wedding) to this tune, THIS tune is sometimes called "There's few gude Fellows called 'The Wooing of the Maiden." These entertainments when Willie's awa." But I never have been able to meet are now much worn out in this part of Scotland. Two are with any thing else of the song than the title. still retained in Nithsdale, viz. Jilly Pure Auld Glenae, and this one, The Wooing of the Maiden.

' [See Note on Kirk wad let me be.']

/ do confess thou art sae fair. THIS song is altered from a poem by Sir Eobert Ayton, As I cam down by yon Castle Wall. private secretary to Mary and Anne, queens of Scotland. [As I cam down by yon castle wa' The is to be found in James Watson's Collection of poem And in by yon garden green, O there I a Scots Poems, the earliest collection printed in Scotland. spied bony bony lass, ~ But the flower borders were us between. I think that I have improved the simplicity of the sentiments, THIS is a by giving them a Scots dress. very popular Ayrshire song. The following are the old words of this song

I do smooth and confess thou'rt fair, Lord Ronald Son. I to my And might have gone near love thee ; where hae Had I not found the slightest prayer [O ye been, Lord Ronald, my son?] That lips could speak had power to move thee ; THIS air, a very favourite one in is the But I can let thee now alone Ayrshire, evidently of As worthy to be lov'd by none. original Lochaber. In this manner, most of our finest more modern airs have had their Some I do confess thou'rt sweet, yet find origin. early minstrel, Thee such an unthrift of thy sweets, or musical shepherd, composed the simple, artless, original Thy favours are but like the wind air , which, being picked up by the more learned musician, That kisseth every thing it meets. took the form it bears. And since thou can'st with more than one, improved Thou'rt worthy to be kiss'd by none.

The morning rose, that untouch'd stands, with Arm'd her briars, how sweetly smells ! O'er the Moor amang the Heather.* But pluck'd and strain'd through ruder hands, THIS is the of a Jean a who Her sweets no longer with her dwells ; song composition Glover, girl But scent and both beauty are gone, was not only a wh-re, but also a thief; and in one or other And leaves fall from her, one by one. character had visited most of the Correction Houses in the Such ere will thee fate, long, betide, West. She was born, I believe, in Kilmarnock. I took the When thou hast handled been awhile, down from her as she was Like sere-flowers to be thrown aside ! song singing strolling through the And I shall sigh, while some will smile, country, with a slight-of-hand blackguard. To see love to one thy every * some of readers will be curious to see this I Hath brought thee to be lov'd by none! Probably my production; here subjoin it : This song be seen in Select may Playford's Ayres, 1659, folio, under the title of a Comin thro" the o' ' craigs Kyle, Song to a forsaken Mistresse.' Amang the bonnie blooming heather, It is also in printed Ellis's Specimens of the Early English vol. 325. Poets, iii., p. There I met a bonnie lassie, [In Watson's Collection it is anonymous title Inconstancy Reproved.'] Keeping a' her yowes thegither. O'er the moor amang the heather, O'er the moor amang the heather, There I met a bonnie The Laddie. lassie, Soger Keeping a' her yowes thegither.

THE first verse of this is old : the rest is by Eamsay. The Says I, my dearie, where is thy hamc, tune seems to be the same a " In moor or dale tell me whether I with slow air, called Jacky pray She says, I tent the fleecy flocks Hume's Lament" or, "The Hollin Buss" or, "Ken ye That feed the " amang blooming heather. what o' the Mill Meg has gotten ? O'er the moor, &c.

We laid us down upon a bank, Sae warm and sunny was the weather, Where wad lonie Annie lie. She left her flocks at large to rove old name of this " Amang the bonnie blooming heather. THE tune is, Whare'U our lie. gudeman O'er the moor, &c. A silly old stanza of it runs thus While thus we she a O whare'll our lay sang sang, gudeman lie, echo Till rang a mile and farther, Gudeman lie, gudeman lie, And ay the burden o' the whare'll sang O our gudeman lie, Was o'er the moor amang the heather. Till he shute o'er the simmer 1 O'er the moor, &c. ANNOTATIONS.] OF ROBERT BURNS. 321

She charm'd my heart, and aye sinsyne, I could na Daintie think on ony ither : Davie. sea and she By sky shall be mine ! [The tradition connected with this old ditty contains a scandal affecting the The bonnie lass amang the heather. lev. David Williamson and Lady Cherrytrees' daughter, in times of the Persecu- O'er the moor, &c. tion, which need not be repeated at this date. It may have had foundation i fact, but would lose certainly nothing in the telling. Our Author has made thtin- itself song entirely new and beautiful.] To the Rose Bud.

THIS is the song composition of a Johnson, a joiner in the of Belfast. Bob o" Dumblane. neighbourhood The tune is by Oswald, altered, from Jockie's as has evidently, Gray Breeks. EAMSAY, usual, modernized this song. The original, which I learned on the spot, from my old hostess in the prin- inn cipal there, is ; Yon wild mossy Mountains. Lassie, lend me your braw hemp heckle, THIS is tune by Oswald. The alludes to of And I'll lend song part my you my thripplin-kame ; My heckle is it cannot be private history, which it is of no consequence to the world broken, gotten, And we'll gae dance the bob o' Dumblane. to know. Twa gaed to the wood, to the wood, to the wood; [See note on song, in present edition, p. Twa to the 280.] gaed wood three came hame : An it be na weel bobbit, weel bobbit, weel bobbit, An it be na weel bobbit, we'll bob it again. It is na, Jean, thy bonie Face. I insert this song to introduce the following anecdote which THESE were verses : I them their I have originally English gave heard well authenticated. In the evening of the day of Scots dress. the of battle Dumblane (Sheriff-Muir) when the action was over, a Scots officer in Argyle's army observed to His Grace, M'Nab. Eppie that he was afraid the rebels would give out to the world that THE old had the song with this title, has more wit than decency. they gotten victory. "Weel, weel," returned his Grace, alluding to the foregoing ballad, "if they think it be na weel bobbit, we'll bob it again." Wha is that at my Bower Door ? THIS is " tune also known by the name of, Lass, an I come near thee." The words are mine. [In concluding these notes, we cannot help remarking the strong resemblance between our Author and Sir Walter Scott, both in their extensive acquaintance with tradition, their power of retaining an immense amount of traditional poetry in their memories, and their to off some of their own . Thou art gane awa. disposition occasionally pass finest as ancient traditional " compositions fragments.] THIS tune is the same with, Haud awa frae me, Donald."

Note referred to in page 308. The Tears I shed must ever fall. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF JAMES TYTLER. THIS song of genius, was composed by a Miss Cranston.* [We extract this notice entire from Cromek's Reliques, being much too in- Ic wanted four lines to make all the stanzas suit the music, teresting in many ways to abridge. From a note by Cromek himself at the which I added, and are the four first of the last stanza. conclusion, it appears that he had been much indebted to Dr. Robert Anderson, of Edinburgh, in its composition.] No cold approach, no alter' d mien, Just what would make start suspicion ; JAMES TYTLER was the son of a country clergyman in the No pause the dire extremes between, presbytery of Brechin, and brother to Dr. Tytler, the trans- He made me blest and broke my heart ! * lator of Callimachus. He was instructed his father in This lady was afterwards married to Professor Dugald Stewart. by classical learning and school divinity, and attained an accu- rate knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages, and an The bonie wee Thing. extensive acquaintance with biblical literature and scholastic " COMPOSED on little The Davies." my idol, charming, lovely theology. Having discovered an early predilection for the medical profession, he was put apprentice to a surgeon in The tither Morn. Forfar, and afterwards sent to attend the medical classes at Edinburgh. While a medical student, he cultivated experi- THIS tune is originally from the Highlands. I have heard mental chemistry and controversial theology with equal a Gaelic song to it, which I was told was very clever, but not assiduity. Unfortunately his religious opinions, not deemed by any means a lady's song. orthodox, or calvinistical, connected him with a society of Glassites, and involved him in a marriage with a member of A Mother's Lament the Death her Son. for of the society, which terminated in a separation. He now settled at as an THIS most beautiful tune is, I think, the happiest composi- Leith, apothecary, depending on the patronage of his tion of that bard-born genius, John Eiddel, of the family of religious connections; but his separation from the society, Glengarnock, at Ayr. The words were composed to com- which happened soon after, with an unsteadiness that was memorate the much lamented, and premature death of James natural to him, disappointed his expectations. When he Ferguson, Esq., jun., of Craigdarroch. ceased to be a Glassite, he ceased not to be a firm believer 3 c "Xrr LIFE AND WORKS [AUTHOR'S

in the Christian revelation, and a zealous advocate of genuine dedication. "Remarks on Mr. Pinkerton's Introduction to the held communion with 8vo. "A Poetical Translation Christianity ; but he never afterwards History of Scotland, of Virgil's any denomination of Christians. The neglect of his business Eclogues," 4to. "A General Index to the Scots Magazine." " " was the unavoidable consequence of his attention to religious A System of Chemistry written at the expense of a gentle- man was to his to dissensions; and having contracted debts to a considerable who put name it, unpublished. He gave his amount, he was obliged to remove to Berwick, and after- assistance in preparing the System of Anatomy published in "Medical wards to Newcastle. In both places he was employed by A. Bell, and was an occasional contributor to the preparing chemical medicines for the druggists; but the Commentaries," and other periodical publications of the time. " an the editor of the 2d edition of the liberality of his employers being insufficient to preserve He was principal Encyclo- increasing family from the evils of penury, he returned to pedia Britannica," and finished, with incredible labour, a large Edinburgh, in the year 1772, in extreme poverty, and took proportion of the more considerable scientific treatises and refuge from the molestation of his creditors within the pre- histories, and almost all the minor articles. He had an apart- cincts of the sanctuary of Holyrood House, where debtors are ment assigned him in the printing-house, where he performed privileged from arrests. At this period his wife deserted him the offices of compiler, and corrector of the press, at a salary and their five children, the youngest only six months old, of sixteen shillings a week ! When the third edition was and returned to her relations. He solaced himself for the undertaken, he was engaged as a stated contributor, upon privation of domestic happiness by composing a humorous more liberal terms, and wrote a larger share in the early " ballad, entitled The Pleasures of the Alley," which was his volumes than is ascribed to him in the general preface. It first attempt in poetry. In a description of its inhabitants, was his misfortune to be continually drawn aside from the the author himself is introduced in the 16th and 17th stanzas. business of his employers by the delight he took in pro- In the avocation of an author by profession, which he was secuting experiments in chemistry, electricity, and mechanics, now compelled to assume, he displayed a versatility of talent which consumed a large portion of his time and money. He and a facility in writing unexampled in the transactions of conducted for some time, with success, a manufacturing pro- the press. He commenced his literary career by a publication cess of which he was the inventor; but after he had disclosed

' ' entitled Essays on the most important Subjects of Natural and his secret to the gentleman at whose expense it was carried on, Revealed Religion," which issued from the asylum for debtors, he was dismissed, without either obtaining a share in the under the peculiar circumstances of being composed by him- business, or a suitable compensation for his services. He was self, at the printing case, from his own conceptions, without the first in Scotland who adventured in a fire balloon, con- a manuscript before him, and wrought off at a press of his structed upon the plan of Montgolfeir. He ascended from own construction, by his own hands. He left this singular Comely Garden, Edinburgh, amidst the acclamations of an work, which was to be completed in two volumes 8vo, un- immense multitude, and descended at a distance of a quarter finished, and turned aside, to attack the opinions of a new of a mile, owing to some unforeseen defect in the machinery. " religious sect called Bereans, in a Letter to Mr. John Barclay The failure of this adventure deprived him of the public on the Doctrine of Assurance,'" in which he again performed favour and applause, and encreased his pecuniary difficulties. the functions of author, compositor, and pressman. He next He again had recourse to his pen for subsistence, and amidst set forth with such assistance as he could find, a monthly the drudgery of writing, and the cares which pressed upon " publication, entitled The Gentleman and Lady's Magazine" him daily, he exhilarated his spirits, at intervals, with a tune " which was soon abandoned for The Weekly Review," a liter- on the Irish Bagpipe, which he played with much sweetness, ary miscellany, which, in its turn, was discontinued in a very interposing occasionally a song of his own composition, sung short time. These publications, unavoidably disfigured with with great animation. A solace of this kind was well suited many typographical deformities, made him. known to the to the simplicity of his manners, the modesty of his disposi- booksellers; and from them he afterwards found constant tion, and the integrity of his character, such as they were employment in compilations, abridgments, translations, and before he suffered his social propensities to violate the rules of miscellaneous essays. He now ventured to leave the miser- sobriety. Forgetting his old friends, he associated with dis- able apartments which he had long occupied in the sanctuary contented persons, and entered into a deliberate exposition of for debtors, for more comfortable lodgings, first at Restalrig, the abuses of the government in "A Pamphlet on the Excise," in the and if his and in a and afterwards city ; prudence steadiness and more systematically periodical publication, entitled " had been equal to his talents and industry, he might have The Historical Register," which gratified malignity by per- earned by his labours a complete maintenance, which never sonal invective and intemperance of language. He was con- fell to his lot. As he wrote for subsistence, not from the cerned in the wild irrational plans of the British Convention, vanity of authorship, he was engaged in many works which and published "A hand bill addressed to the people," written in in were anonymous, and others which appeared with the so inflammatory a style, as rendered him obnoxious to govern- names of his employers. He is editor or author of the follow- ment. A warrant was issued to apprehend him, and he left ing works: "The Weekly Mirror," a periodical publication his native country and crossed the Atlantic for America, where which began in 1780. "A System of Geography," in 8vo. he fixed his residence in the town of Salem, in the state of " A History of Edinburgh," 12mo. "A Geographical, Histori- Massachusetts, where he established a newspaper in con- 2 " cal, and Commercial Grammar," vols. 8vo. A Review of nection with a printer, which he continued till his death, in Dritchkerfs Theory of Inflammation," 12mo, with a practical which happened in the year 1S05, the 58th year of his age.