" AULD LANG SYNE " : ITS ORIGIN, POETRY, AND MUSIC. 379

IV. •'' AULD LANG SYNE,"—ITS ORIGIN, POETRY, AND MUSIC. By JAMES DICK, NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. COMMUNICATE ALEXY B D . WOOD INGLIS, F.S.A. SCOT. E EARLTH Y POEMS. thay muco sa t to o " t ht Aul Perhapno ds i Lan t i s g Syne th e s "i best know mosd nan t widely diffused e civilisesonth n gi d worlde Th . use of the sacred song " Old Hundred" is limited by differences of e Nationa th sectd tha f an o ,t l Anthem savd e Queen"th Go e s i " confined to subjects of the British Empire. But sectarianism and nationalit parochiae yar comparison i l wide th eno t domai f humanitno y embrace "y d b Aul d Lang brethreSyne.r Ou " evern ni y quartee th f o r earth kno t i wbette ro ourselves d tha e I hav w nd ean ;hear a d mixed company of Scots, English, Germans, Italians, and French Swiss sing the chorus in an upland hotel in Switzerland. The poetry and the music of the song as now known, have been developed from poetry and music which existed previously. In both its parts, it is an example of e evolutioth t shouli f f art I o nthoughe b d. t that this view deprives Robert Burns of the merit of originality, then so far as Shakspeare has plagiarised " Eome Julietand o Italia" old fro mnan taleHandeand , l has cribbed the " Hailstone " chorus from Carissimi's " Jonah," Burns is e samth e n t i pedantrlistBu . f thi o ye brushe b s y sorma dt aside. What all the three named artists touched they embellished,—they found dry bones and breathed into them life. It is the purpose of this paper to trace the development of the poetry and music of a world-wide song, the representative of a form of literature which has always existed, and which has stirred human emotion in every age, in spite of contempt continually poure. it n do The earliest germ of the song " Auld Lang Syne " is found in an anonymous poem of the 15th century, which George Bannatyne inserted 156n i 8 intwell-knows hi o n manuscrip f Scottiso t e hth poetryn i w ,no Advocates' poeLibrarye titlth e mf eTh o ". Aul d kindnes Foryett,s "i 380 . PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1892.

in modern Scottish " [Should] auld acquaintance [be] forgot,"—the e subsequenfirsth l t al lin f eo t e subjectpoemth n o s . Thi poemd ol s , beginning " Thi fenyeit sbo warll tal fais di r eigh"n i t stanza f eighso t lines s cataloguei , f " o n pagMemorial o d9 5 e f Georgo s e Bannatyne. Edinburgh, 1829," and is written on folio 805 of the manuscript. It is n straitenei e soliloqu th e on f do y circumstances, whose conditios i n much aggravate y reflectionb de ingratitudth n o s f thoso o e wh e professed themselves friends in his former prosperous days. The verses of this unknown writer have considerable merit, and Lord Hailes inserted the m"n i Ancient Scottish Poems. Edinburgh, 1770. fifte hTh stanz" a may be quoted as a specimen of the poetry of the latter part of the 15th n exampla centure e beginnins th th a e 16thf r th o d o ey an f ,o g masculin eScotd strengtol e s th languag f ho e :— hale " m sThe d witywa h hud hattd ean , Quhyle I wes riche and had anewch, About me i'riendis anew I gatt, Kycht blythli tbae m y n lewceo h: thew yno t ma t Bo kwondii r tewch, And latti stane sm d befoi yette th r : Thairfoir this warl vers di y frewch, And auld kynclnes is quyt foryett."

The second song on the subject known to exist, is printed in Watson's collectio Scottisf no h poems publishe 1711dn i , entitled "Old Longsyne." It consists of twelve stanzas of eight lines, and is written throughout in English, with the exception of the term " Syne " which occurs in every stanza e authot e knownpoe Th th no s bee .t ms i ha r nbu , ascribeo t d r EoberSi t Aytoun courtiea , well-knowd ran n poetfolloweo wh , d James e Sixtth subsequentlEnglando o ht wh d an , y became private secretaro yt e Queenth . Internal evidence, however authore th s againss i ,a , m hi t for he did not live in rebellious times, as referred to in one of the' verses. It is more generally believed to be the work of Francis Sen: pill of Beltrees, who lived in the middle of the seventeenth century, one of a family which produced poet r foufo s r successive generationse Th . earliest account of this distinguished family is of ." Johne the Danser," whom Knox describes wit s wifhhi e " Mary Levingston surnamie th t " AULD LANG SYNE ORIGINS IT ": , POETEY MUSICD 1 38 AN , .

Lusty," who danced to so much purpose that Queen Mary bestowed land e Regen himn sTh o . t Morton subsequently attempte disposseso dt s him, on the ground that Crown lands could not be alienated, but was unsuccessful. Francis Sempill was the most interesting of his tribe, e authorshi th d assigne m ha r hi bes s f threou o o pha t d t f o e h d an humorou bridal,e th s o a s t songs'in, u e ros"la e d t m "t" ean le Sh , y "F and " Maggy Lauder," all of which were turned into Anglo-Scottish by the Durfey school of rhymers with most indifferent success. e styl th f Francio ee n poemi Th l s al . d Longsyne "t a Ol t no s i " manuscripa n i Sempills i t i t t boobu , k containin s poem s hi gsaidi t i s, and he has the best claim to be considered the author. It is inserted l professedlal n i y good collection f Scottisso h songs beginsd an , —

" Shoul acquaintancd dol forgote eb , And never thought upon ?" accounn a e riva r th f lFo o tclaimant s Aytou Sempilld nan respece se , - tively "The Poemr EoberSi f so t Aytoun Charley b , s Eogers. London, privately printed, 1871, "Thd "an e Poeme Sempillth f o s f Beltreeso s , by James Paterson. Edinburgh, 1849." The third song is that of Allan Eamsay, entitled " Auld Lang Syne," beginning-— " Should anld acquaintance be forgot, Tho' they return with scars ?" —which he printed in the first volume of his " Tea Table Miscellany," publishe s n ii 1724di n t fivI .e stanza f eigho s t e samlinesth f eo , measure as the previous song, and is written in English, with the exception of one or two words. It is so well known and has been so often printed, that therneeo n s dei t lengthhera t refeo i et o t .r

E MODERTH N SONG.

firsThe t recorpresenthe dof t well-known sonRoberin gis t Burns' s frien letteDunlops hi o Mr dt r , dated December 17, 1788, whereie h n enclose versese copa th r f yo dhe , saying , son d tund "ol Ther gan en a s ei . PROCEEDING2 38 E SOCIETYTH 9 Y ,F O 1892SMA , .

which lias often thrilled throug apostrophisee soul,y h hm d "an thesn i t di e words heaven-inspirebrease ,e "th th tur e f Lightn o tth o f e li d poeo wh t composed this glorious fragment! " Five years afterwards—letter, Sep- tember, 1793—he sent a copy of the song to George Thomson,, who then projectins wa e issucollectioa gth f eo Scottisf no h songs, with music, with a note that the air was mediocre, but that the song he sent was a song of the olden time, which never was in print, nor even in manviscript, until he took it down from an old man singing,— adding that the poetry was enough to recommend any air. About the same time he sent another copy to James Johnson for the now celebrated Standard Collection of Scottish Songs "e Scot,th s Musical Museumprintes publishewa d t i dan d ; "an d for the first time in December 1796, in the fifth volume of that work, about five months after Burns died. A verbatim copy of the verses wil givee close b l th f thi t eo na s paper. Burns became first acquainted with Johnson in Edinburgh at one of the meetings of the Crochallan Fencibles' Club in 1788. A very large number of Burns' songs were first printe Johnson'dn i s Collection, man whicf yo h were inserted anonymously by the directions of Burns himself. Subsequently he informed Johnson that the songs so marked he had given to the world as old verses, but tha facn i t t little more tha e choruth n f theo s ancients mwa , though there was no reason to tell everybody this piece of intelligence. It is now known for certain that he was the author of " Up in the morning early," owem "I' r youn marro gt y yet," "Strathallan's lament, lovel"e "Th y lass of Inverness, highlands,heart'e "y "th M n i s " " M'Pherson's farewell," " My bonie Mary," and a number of others, although all these were published anonymously in the Museum. " Auld Langsyne " is in the same category. Burns practised innocent deception for various reasons. In the case of " Auld Langsyne " he had praised the writer of the verses in such high terms, and compromised himself so much, that he was practically barred from subsequentl compositionn yow claimins hi s a ,t gi thoughd ha e eve h f doin o tf n i . rusti d gso Thaol cn t a son thers gwa e of some sort, with a chorus of the same class as Burns' song, is suspected, but nobody is known to have heard of it, and all attempts to discover e smallesth t t traci hav f o ee been fruitless Burnd s believei an , t i s d owed nothing to the old song except the chorus or a fragment of the "AULD LANG SYNE" S ORIGINIT : , POETRY MUSICD 3 AN 38 , .

chorus specimene Th . f "o s Aul d Langsyne " here referre wero dt o eto dull and heav patterns ya e bright th r sfo , merry verse f Burnsso . n JulI y 1799 r moro , e thao yeartw n s after Burns' verses were first published in the " Scots Musical Museum," they were printed in the second half volum f Thomson'o e s Select " Song f Scotland,o s e th o t " sweet and simple melody to be presently noticed. But the original order of the stanzas was not adhered to, and for some reason or another secone th d stanzMuseume th n ai becam lase Thomson'n eth i t s collection. No explanation of this displacement has ever been made, and it so happens that modere nearlth l yal n reprint e sonth gf so follo w Thomson's arrangemen e stanzasth f o t . Thi s unfortunatei s , becaus t i spoile e sth natural sequenc regulad ean r continuit originae songe th Th f .y o l begins by assuming that the friends have met for social enjoyment, and immediatelf kindneso p cu s passei se th y d roun o firt d e enthusiasm. Remembranc e happth f eo y day f childhooo s d yout an de indulged ar h in, and then sombre reflections on the parting from the native land at manhood. Lastl e friendyth s shake hands wit parting-cupe th h t Bu . according to Thomson's version, the companions meet, begin the feast, thed an n join hands, after which they retur o theint r cupd discusan s s more pint-stoups. This surel a corruptio s i ye original th e f o nTh . meeting and parting of friends is the time for salutation or embrace, not the middle of the function. Friends at a feast do not get up in the middl , shakit f o ee hands d begian , r nScot M again s t A Dougla. s remarke subjecte th n do , aftee hand-shakinth r g vers e plae th s overyi , and the curtain should fall.

THE MUSIC. a complet t no A son s ei g lyric withou a melodyt . Although this is a self-evident definition, it is remarkable how few modern poets have taken any pains to get their verses set to appropriate melodies e greaTh t. writers, wite exceptio th he herd on an e f o n there, have thrown their songs to the world unclothed, to find musical garment s bessa t they could. They seeme consideo t d r tha e choicth t e oa melodf r theifo y r verse s beneatswa h notice d thaan ,t such care 384 . PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1892.

was only fit for the popular writer of street ballads. Since the age of Queen Elizabeth, poets have neglected this important a par f o t song; Robert Burn s perhapi s e mosth s t conspicuous exampla f o e great song-writer who followed a different course. It is very remark- littlw ablho ee attentio s biographerhi n s have give o thit n s rare characteristic of Burns. The predominant idea in his mind, when writin e choica melodyth a f gsonga s o ed ther s wa an , ;wa e nervous care bestowed ovee adoptioth r a suitabl f o nr alwayai e s present with him. When he got a subject to write upon, or when e wisheh o rewritt d e somd unpresentablol e e song e ofteh , n post- poned the composition until ho was familiar with the air it should be sung to. In his letters he again and again reverts to the subject t i woul d ease b dan ,givo yt e numerous quotation n suppori s t of his attention to the choice of melodies. How much merit in these matchless lyrics is due to the singing quality of them, the smoothness and limpidit e verses th impossibls i f yt o i , t i cannot sayo t et bu ; I think, , be doubted that they were improved in the process. Burns wrote the poetr chosd yan esong0 e almosmelodie25 e sen h th se o t l tth al tr sfo Thomson and Johnson.

MELODYD OL E TH . In taking a short survey of the melody of the popular social song of Scotland, it should be clearly noted that there are two tunes bearing name th e " Auld Lang whice Syne.on hd "Burn ol s e Therth swa s i e familiar with, and which he designated to Thomson as " mediocre," and latee r th whichai r , althoug n existenci h e befor times used hi er an ,d fo the dance and for old songs of his district, he did not know in con- nection with " Aul dt printe Lanno s gd wa Syne,wit t worde i hth s "a s s sonhi of g unti e yeath l r 1799 d bee, ha whe ne h ndea d three d melodol d don e "e years Langsyneth ha ye Th l servical . r fo e" songs prior to the year named; and it went out of use as the older songs disappeared. Up to the year 1700 there is not in any written record of music the trace of an air entitled " Auld Lang Syne; " and prior to about the e recogniseb yean ca r s r resemblin1670a dai o n ,o tw g e eitheth f o r "AULD LANG SYNE": ITS ORICUN, POETRY, AND MUSIC. 385

melodies whic n i successioh n have done e service songth Th o .t e first publicatio nd tun ol wher e e e musiappearth th e f a smalo c s i s l book, printed in London in the year 1700. Only one copy is believed to be in existence;1 and until it was discovered, its exist- ence was unsuspected. The full title of this work is "A Collec- tio f Originao n l Scotch-Tune e Highlans th (ful f o l d Humoursr fo ) e Violinth : bein e firs f th gthio t s kin t Printedye d , mos f theo t m compase bein Fluteth e th n g i f so . Londo n: Printe Williay db m Pear- son, in Ked Cross Alley in Jewin-Street, for Henry Playford, at his e Temple-Changeshoth n i p , Fleet-Street, 1700. t I contain" s thirty- nine airs, among whic e " ar Killycrankie,h " "The Collier's Lass," "Jingling Geordie," "The Birks of Abergeldie," "Allan Water," and "Deil Stick the Minister." The publisher Henry Playford was the f Joho n nso Playford a ,celebrate d music publishe d e sellerth an r f o , seventeenth century, who issued a large number of music-books in Eng-> land, and to whom the country is indebted for the preservation of numerous specimens of fine English popular ipusic, and also for many Scottish airs. This rare little volume of " Scotch tunes" is a small oblong quart e f thirty-ninsixteeoo th f o ne pageson e d airan ;s which it contains is designated in Cockney Scotch, " For Old Long Gine my e tuneJo.Th "s hav wordso en , bein gcollectioa violine e th Se r .fo n Appendix I., ~No.. 1 This and the other music in Playford's collection is evidence that the tunes were in existence previously, and were known in the seventeenth century. As bearing on Burns' " song of the olden time,'' curioua s i t i s fact, that althoug tune th he e sonfitLond th "f sg o Ol g Syne Franciy "b s Sempil f Beltreeso l t therye , e would appea o havt r e been some old popular song current at the same time, for the title of e son th Playford'n i g s booke choru th d tha f an , o ts which Burns sent to Johnson " For Auld Lang Syne my Jo," are precisely alike. There is no reason why Sempill's song should not have been sung in England, Englise foth r h liked that sor drearf o t y vers thein ei r s balladsi t i t bu ; scarcely conceivable that such a song could be popular in Scotland. t presena e possessio th s i r Alexn i t M t1I f .o n W. Inglis a e Fello, th f wo Society. 2 B VOL. XXVI. 6 38 PROCEEDING E SOCIETY , 18929 TH Y F .O SMA ,

Therefor eI think , with others rusti,d thaol tcn a ther songs ewa , current Scotlandn i entirelw no , y lost e choruth , f whicso hears hwa Burnsy db . e earliesTh t melodypublicatiod ol e th , f with o ne firs th tverse,n i s i printed Scottish song-book with music, calle e Orpheusth d Caledonius, collectioa f fiftno y songs folia n oi , volume, printe issued dan 172n i d 5 in London, by William Thomson, a Scotsman resident there. As a boy he took part in the orchestra for the concert at St Cecilia's Feast in Edinburgh, 22nd November thers 1695i d e an ,style d Dan. Thompson's boy. Dan was one of the King's trumpeters. William Thomson gained a good deal of fame as a boy singer about the end of the- seven- teenth century, whic e patronagehth procurem f hi royalt o r fo d yan some member e aristocracyth f so s firsd seconHi an t . d volumee th f o s second edition of the Orpheus Caledonius l were dedicated respectively to Queen Caroline and the Duchess of Hamilton. The old tune " Atild Lang Syne " occur31se th ts volume sa son th n gf i 1725 o e . Perhaps wa t si taken from Playford's little book; but, there are some variations from the original copy, and they are so striking that it is doubtful whether it was obtained from Playfor t alla d . Vers sun Allao wa gt y r likelai n e yth Ramsay's words before 1725, and the copy in the Orpheus Caledonius represents the air as performed in the beginning of the eighteenth cen- Playford'ss a same y th worde eke n i Th s i stury. t attacheI .e th o dt song are those verses ascribed to Allan Eamsay, beginning " Should auld acquaintance be forgot, though they return with scars 1" which first appeare e Tea-Tableth n di Miscellany, yearo tw se firsprioth t o t issur e of the Orpheus Caledonius. It was one of the songs pirated by Thomson whico t , h Eamsay directed attentio e seconth n ni d editiof no his Miscellany. See Appendix L, No. 2. Allan Ramsay was very much annoyed with Thomson for appropriat- ing his verses in a wholesale way, and to meet him on his own ground printee h da boo 172n i k 6 entitled Musick r Allanfo Ramsay's Collec- tion f Scotso Songs, which contain e musi1 song7 th s f co s froe mth

secone 1Th d editioe Orpheusth f no Caledonius publishes wa o 173n di tw 3n i volumes octavo. The first volume was a reproduction of the fifty songs in the first edition of 1725, the second volume contained fifty additional songs—words and music. " AULD LANG SYNE ORIGINS IT ": , POETKY MUSIC7 D 38 AN , .

Tea Table Miscellany of 1724. The intention was to publish further l tha volumesal e abov s th t t appearedwa e bu , e tun f Th "Aulo e. d Langsyne" with Eamsay's versen thii s i s collection e musith d c an , wil foune Appendif b lo d3 . copieNo . x I s da e nex Th e thirt th d melodappearancdn i ol volum s e ywa th f f eo o e the Caledonian Pocket Companion, published in London by James Oswald violin-playea , musia d an cr publisher, abou middle th t f laseo t century. This work was for instruments,—without words to the music,— and the old melody differs from the other two. The second strain particu- larly, is not at all like either of the two previous copies, or any other subsequent transcriptions of it. It resembles the second movement of an old tune to which I will afterwards refer, entitled " The Duke of Buccleuch tune," belonging to the .seventeenth century. In explana- tion of all the musical flourishes in this set, it must be remembered that voicee Appendie th Se r . fo t xs writtevioline no I. th wa ,d r t i an ,nfo No. 4. fourte Th h appearanc melodye th importann f a eo n i , t music-books wa , in the year 1787, in the first volume of the Seats Musical Museum, again with Allan Eamsay's words. The musical editor introduced new vari- ations inte airth o , which here differ e scopie th fro l smal previously known. See Appendix I., No. 5. e precisTh e date when Burns sens son hi to Johnsot ge th r fo n Scots Musical Museum has not been ascertained, but it probably e yeath wa r n i s1795 .t mak no e Burnacquaintanc th ed di s f o e Johnson until after 1787, whe e firsnth t volum f thaeo t Collectiond ha just been published; but from that year, until he died, the poet was in constant correspondence with him. The fifth volume of the Museum, containing the original impression of his song, was published at the end of 1796, a few months after the poet's death.1 The tune is the old melody, with further variations. It is written in the key of D, a minor third lower than that to Eamsay's words in the first volume of the same work considerablA . e beealteratiow nno madd nha e fro e originamth l music of 1700. The air has been much simplified, and very much 1 Burns must have see prooe nth Johnson'f o f s fifth volume noteo therr tw sfo e , ear handwritins inhi Glenriddee th n gi . distinctlMS l y referrin contentss it o gt . 8 38 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE , 18929 TH Y F .O SMA ,

improved wels i t lI withi. compase nth humae th f so n voice Burnd an , s woul t hav dno relentlesslo es y condemned d seemediocrs a ha n t i ,e h f ei and heard it in the present form. To show at a glance the different transcription d melodol t appearei e s e variouya th th f so n i ds publica- tions I hav, e mad whole copeth a f eyo numbe n parallei r l lines, trans- posed all into one key—the key of D,—so that the variations can be seen, by any tyro in music. See Appendix I., No. 6.

THE MODERN MELODY.

firse Th t tim e son eth f Burn o gs printed wa s , wit e melodhth w yno so well known, and to which it is universally sung, was in the second -volum f Thomson'eo s Select Songs f Scotland,o publishe n 1799di e Th . editor rejected the old time-worn tune, and replaced it with a variation of another popular melody, which for many years had done service in a variety of forms for the dance and song of Scotland. I will take these in the order of time they appeared in print, and show the development inte modeth o m a melodmelody e n geri Th s myi . entitlede "Th Duk f Buccleugh'o e s tune," printe a collectio n i d n called' Apollo's Banquet, issued after the middle of the seventeenth century. The titl , " is Apollo'e s Banquet Violie th r no , Book, containin Ayresw Ne g , Theatre Tunes, Horn Pipes, Jiggs, and Scotch Tunes. London : John Playford." David Lainge Appendith e Introduction i th , o t x e th o nt Illustration Stenhousy sb Scotse th o e t Musical Museum, states that this volume, Apollo's Banquet, s advertisewa n anothei d r publicatiof o n 168 earlien t a ther5 s ;bu rewa edition than this advertises , fowa t ri n di the fourth edition of the Dancing Master issued in 1670. The music here give s copiewa n d froe sixthth m editio f 1690o n e earliesth , t e Britisth cop n i y h Museum e firsTh t .movemen e tuns th ha ef o t a resemblance to "Auld Lang Syne," and, so far as I know, is the earliest specimen of music on which the melody is based. The melody having a Scottish title, may be assumed to be one of the " Scotch tunes " in the collection. This is confirmed by the striking resemblance of the second movement to the popular melody of Burns' bors sonKyle.n a transpositiowa i n y d gB la " a Ther s nwa e into " AULD LANS SYNE " : ITS ORIGIN, POETRY, AND MUSIC. 389

the next" key of D, this second movement will be recognised at once as the music of Burns' celebrated natal song. This is the tune " 0 'gin ye were deid e Reformation, th guidman, e s a th f d t o formi ol e r s "a fo on , s spiritual parodies of the " Gude and Godlie Ballads." It proves the nationalit composite th f yo e melod Duke "f yTh o f Buccleugh' eo s tune." See Appendi. x1 . II.,No After a lapse of more than seventy years, the modern melody turns up in a more substantive form. About 1757, Robert Bremner a voluminous publishe f Scottiso r h sond dancan g e music, issue A Collectiond f o Scots Heels r Countryo Dances n i Edinburgh A strathspe. y called "The Miller's Wedding" appears there, and the third and fourth movements are substantially the same tune as "Auld Lang Syne." See Appendi. 2 x . II.No , n I 1780, Alexander M'Glashan a leade, f danco r e orchestran i s Edinburgh, and a person of magnificent appearance and showy dress, knowe nick-namth y b n f "o e Kin g M'Glashan," publishe A Collec-d tion f Strathspeyo Reels; thered an , unde e title Miller' f th "ro e Th s Daughter," is printed, note for note, the third and fourth movements of "The Miller's Wedding," from Bremner's Collectio f Scotco n h Reels, 1757Appendie Se . x II., No. 4 . On comparing this strathspey with the modern tune of " Auld Lang Syne," one is struck by the notes which make up the distinctive char- acter of the melody; and, further on, I will refer to this strathspey again. Of the same family complexion is a dance tune called " The e ferry,lasseth f so " which Neil Stewart printe s collectiohi n di n Newest and Best Reels or Country Dances, published in Edinburgh 1761. See Appendix II., No. 3. e yeath r n I 1780, Angus Gumming publishe A dCollection f o Strathspeys or old, Highland Reels (dated Edinburgh, 1780). With one or two unimportant variations, probably due to misprints, " The Miller's Daughter thin "i s collectio identicas ni l wit tunee hth Bremner'n si d san M'Glashan's collections Appendie Se . . 5 x . II.No , In'the year 1784, Neil Gow of Dunkeld, the celebrated fiddler, published A Collection of Strathspey Reels, which was sold by Neil Stewart previously referred to. The third and fourth movements of 390 PEOCEEDINGS OF-THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1892.

" The Miller's Daughter " in this collection are substantially copied from e earlieth r publications t ther bu e som, ar e e variations which brint i g modere closeth o t r n tun f "Auleo d Lang Syne." Between 1782 and 1788, James Aird issued A Collection of Scots Airs, in three volumes. The publisher hailed from Glasgow, where he carried on an extensive business as a music-seller. Here the specimen of the tune "Auld Lang Syne" bearing the name of "Eoger's Farewell " is to be found in the third volume. The similarity will be easily re- cognised. See Appendix II., No. 6. The locale of the tune is now transferred to England, and its appear- ance in a work by an English musician has given rise to some contro- s originmusioverture e it vers th opero Th e t f cth o . s yRosina,f a ao o et composed in 1783 by William Shield, a native of Durham county, was founde n populao d r well-knowo r ne lasstrainsth t d movemenan , f o t e strathspeth s i t i y "The Miller's Wedding," serve witp e u dtru hth e Scots snap. It is directed to be performed "allegro," by oboes for the melodyy bassoonsb d an , o imitatt , e bagpipes th ee lowe th r r fo ,part s of the harmony, which consists of one note—the lower C—held out for the whole sixteen bars of melody, and seven bars of the chorus re- peated. See Appendix III., No. 11. All the specimens of the modern melody of " Auld Lang Syne" above named are for instruments, to be played as a dance tune, and have been selected from the most important collections which appeared in the last century. In no case are they accompanied by verses. The song and the dance, however, are so intimately connected that, on a close search amon fole gth k musil nationsal f co shoule w , d probably find that most dance tunes at some time or other had poetry set to them. In the case of Scotland, it is quite clear that such was the practice; and a very great proportion of the melodies of songs has been obtained purely from dance tunes, adapte suio de t varyin th t g rhyth f versesmo . The early musical manuscript f Scotlan o sl danc al e ear d musict no ; that this prove e tunes th tha l s al twer e originally composee th r fo d e existencknodancee th w f wr o fo ,f songeo s earlier tha e datth nf eo the manuscripts tune undew Th eno .r consideratio thes nwa n originally a dance tune so far as we know, although it is probable it was sung to " AULD LANG SYNE" : ITS ORIGIN, POETRY, AND MUSIC. 391

verses before the date of its earliest appearance in any dance collection. The first of the series in print set to poetry is the old rustic song, " I've been eourtin' at a lass," being the complaint of a lover that as his sweethear gleia smal' d c gear,"d bo si ha ha tle "h prospec gaininf o t g r parentshe ' favour. These verses were first printe Herd'n di s collection of 1776, and the music, with the words from Herd, is in the fourth volume of Johnson's Museum of 1792, No. 306. The melody will be immediately recognise n adaptatioa s e dancea dth f o n, "The Miller's Daughter." See Appendix II., No. 7. same th e n volumI f Herdeo e sonth , g " Hey, how, Johnni s "i d la e also printed with music for the first time. This is evidently an older song than the previous one. The words are more archaic, and the clasverse th f high-kilte o sf e o hobblee on s di littlesa dittiet I t . no s exactly fit for presentation in this age. Robert Jamieson, the editor of Popular Ballads Songs,d an 1806, says tha a tpopula n s i thi r swa ai r his youth, which he often had heard sung in the north of Scotland; and he printed a stanza which he remembered and a version of his own alss owa printer populaai d knewe e ol h n d i e r Th e tsunoth ai b r. o gt the Museum 1792, with the words from Herd, and it is "The Lasses of the Ferry" tune from Stewart's Reels, of 1761. See Appendix II., No. 8. Anothe same th f e o rcycl laboumelodief e eo y n rca lea"s si 0 , young man?" in the same volume of the Museum as the two others. In Cromeck's Select Scottish Songs there is a note by Burns on this song, to the following effect:—" That it has long been known as a favourite amon e inhabitantgth f Gallowao s d Nithsdalean y d thae firsan th ,t t verse shoul restoree db originas it o dt l state:

" I fee'd a lad at Koodmass, Wi' siller pennies three; When he cam' hame at Martinmas He couldna' labour lea."

Stenhouse said that he always heard " Michaelmas " as the term of the first line, and this agrees with the measure of the melody. Burns did t restorno e wrote wordsh eth t ebu , some very pretty verses f threo , e 2 39 PROCEEDING E SOCIETY , 18929 TH Y F O .SMA ,

stanzas, beginning as Stenhouse knew them, " I fee'd a man at Michaelmas "—the original manuscrip e Britisth n i h w f whico t no s i h n handwritingow Museu s hi s frien hi n ms i sen a ,o dt t Johnsor fo n insertio e Scotsth n i nMusical Museum, where they were first printed to the tune as No. 394 of the fifth volume, published in 1792. Bearing in mind that this was an old song which Burns for obvious reasons re- wrote ,e melod sunMuseum,e th th o gt n y i e tunth e wil e recogniseb l d almost note for note as that now known as " Auld Lang Syne," set to the verses of Burns. See Appendix II., J!STo. 12. The tune " Comin' through the rye " ii3 one of the same family, and e Scottisth h tune—of whic e Englisth h h tun f thao e t n nama s i e imitation—is a variation of " The Miller's Daughter." The London tune y firstd becaus sada an e ligh, w th f o et that happene e sons th d ha g been claimed as English. John Watlen was a music-seller in Edinburgh, who emigrate Londono dt . Theremiddle th n f i 1796, eo issuee h , n di sheet form the English version of " Comin' through the rye," with a d tunmelodyol e t e witframeth bu , hn o dsom e variationse Se . Appendix II., No. 9. While this beinsons wa gg prepare n Londoni d , James Johnsod nha tuned ol ,e knowth p u t ne sout se th ove f Scotlandl ho al r engraved an , d s numbea t i e rMuseum, th e fift41 f th o 8h n i volume , published December 1796. See Appendix II., No. 10. The London song had acquired so much popularity during its short run, that Johnson inserted Watlen's versio e samth en ni volumMuseume th f o e alongside th f o e old version. To the general public, Burns is not known as having had anything to do with the old song " Comin' through the rye;" but thos e o bywaysearce poet'th th wh e n f i hso s work will find that several years before 1796 a very queer version of the song was found a ver n yi queer volume e writtepoetth y , b nwhic h fortunatels ha y disappeared, it is hoped permanently. Burns refers to this volume in s intimathi f o a e elette on friends o t r , Kobert Cleghorn, dated December 1793 threor , e years befor Englisthe e h sonprintedthe was g In . 8 JohnsoMuseum41 . nNo d Scotcprinten ol e ow h th ds vers it o t e proper melody—on e "Aul th e set f th o sd f eo Lan g Syne" tune imme- diately afte Londoe th r n song. "AULB LANG SYNE" S OEIGINIT : , POETRY MUSICD 3 39 AN , .

I now come to the time when the famous song was first printed to the music with which it is now always associated. The correspondence betwee e poeGeorgd nth an t e Thomso s continuounwa s from September 1792, and in the following year a copy of the verses of " Auld Lang Syne" was sent to this publisher. During the lifetime of the poet, Thomson had only printed five of his songs, and censorious critics say that afte poet'e th r s death hurriee h , d forwar remainine dth g portiof no s firshi t volume, containin gnumbea f Burnso r ' songs orden i , r thae h t might anticipate Currie's Life, which was in the press. Be that as it may, "Auld Lan gt publishe Syneno s wa "Thomsoy db n until 1799 (more thayearo tw n s after Johnso d publisheha n d it)d thean t ,i n appeared for the first time, associated with the melody to which it has ever since been sung. William Stenhouse, in his illustrations of the Museum, states that Thomson had the words arranged to the air introduced by Shield in his overtur e operth f Rosina,o o at e writter BrookesM y nb acted an , n di Co vent Garde 1783n ni thad an , t Shield borrowe aire dth , almost note for note, fro thire mfourtd th dan h strainScottise th f so h strathspen yi Cumming's collection, under the title of " The Miller's Wedding." The controversy which aros e aire eorigith th som, f o no t es a year o ag s took its rise from this note of Stenhouse; and William Chappell, the author of Popular Music, of the Olden Time, who took part in the dis- cussion, adopted only that portio e notth ef no referrin Shieldo gt . He carefully d populaignoreol e th dr tune which Stenhouse namedd an , which, as has been shown, had been used in so many different ways durin e 18tth g h century e dancTh e. tune, printe t leasa o tw n ti d important collections prior to the composition of Rosina—viz., Bremner's in 1757, and Cumming's in 1780—was entirely set aside; not to mentio traditionae nth laboue l y air f n "o s0r ca lea "I'vd "an e been courtin' at a Lass," which floated over the south of Scotland for many years previously. It is not known where Stenhouse got the information for his statement; but if he got it from Thomson, then there is a mystery which requires to be cleared up. Why should there be any bees mysterha n t I assume y? d that both these air aliket e thasar Bu t. is not so. There are several important differences. If Thomson's set 394 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1892.

was taken from Shield ,variatioa the s i Rosinae t nth i f no melody, just as this latter is a variation of " The Miller's Wedding " from Bremner's and Cumming's collections. The mystery is that Thomson, if Stenhouse is correct, should have gone to an English opera for the source of the air, when there was under his eyes the tune published six or seven years before,—almost exactly the one he printed, note for note. Any- one, even unacquainted with musical notation, by referring to the Appendix II., No. 13, will be able to observe the variations which exist between Thomson's set, as the tune of "Auld Lang Syne," and all the others which preceded it in point of time of publication. It would be wearisome to go through the whole; and therefore, I will only direct e overturth n i f Shield' o r e attentioai e sth e tun Rosinath o nt e d an "0 can ye labour lea" as printed in the Museum 1792. The melody of " Auld Lang Syne" consists of sixteen bars of music, which absorb whole th e eigh tstanza—verse lineth f so chorusd an e . Comparine gth Rosina music with the tune "Auld Lang Syne" as originally printed Thomsoy b t nwili e seeb l n tha eacn i t f seveho n bars r one-halo , f o f e wholer morth o e e, on thernote e ar es which differ. Thao sayt s i t , n nearli y every second e averagebarth n ,o , ther e notear e s which differ fro "e mAulth d Lang Syne " tune therd an alteratio;s e i e th n ni rhythm or character of the music, owing to the absence of dotted notes in Rosinae th music variatione Th tune . th en si exten d ove whole th r f eo the double stanza, and the actual number of notes differing is thirteen. Analyzing, in the same way, the old song, " I fee'd a man at Michael- laboue y n mas,rca "r lea,o 0 "I fin" d ther altogethee ar e r onlo tw y bars in which there are variations in the notes from "Auld Lang Syne;" and the whole number of different notes in the two verses is six, which l occual barn i r s e firsthre th fivd tf eo an foue r linese musie th Th f .c o second four lines or the chorus of " Auld Lang Syne," and that of the correspondin laboue gy n versrca n "lea,ei 0 "s identicali . Stenhouse ough havo t e know familias nwa thise rH wit. Museum,e hth wrotd an e a commentary on every song in it, including "0 can ye labour lea." He need not have gone beyond the collection to find Thomson's tune, for beed ha n t i conveyed bodily into Thomson's collection, with just such trifling alterations as a new editor might make on revising the copy. " AULD LANG SYN ORIGINS EIT " : , POETRY, AND MUSIC5 39 .

Now, this latter song was printed in the fourth volume of the Museum n 1792i . o Englan t s cop Thomso o hi f o g neeo r yn o fo dt d ha n " Auld volum e Lanth a n gi f e o s Syne. knee musice wa h , wTh d it " an , rival publisher—the tune of a well-known old Nithsdale song, with new poee wordth ty Burnssb . Thene borroweh f i , e tundth e from Shield, how does it come to pass that he did not copy Shield, but appeared to get an almost exact copy of the tune of " 0 can ye labour lea"? I think quits i t i e clear that Thomson copie s tunhi d e from thiso n song t bu , doubt he did not wish to be considered under obligation to a contem- porary rival. The intimate relation between Burns and Johnson could not be exactly in accordance with Thomson's desires. While he was gatherin selectind gan s leisurelhi n gi y fashion showind an , signo gn f so y publian c result, Johnson, wit e activhth e assistanc f Burnso e s wa , sending out volume after volume of songs, and forestalling him. Let it be assumed that Thomson made alteration Shiele th n di s set—sayn i , the chorus of the tune—then it is the greatest case of perfectly uncon- scious imitatio musin ni r morfa c e thae Th simplI tkno . wof e theory is that he found the tune of the 394th song of the Museum to suit exactl worde yth "f s o Aul d Lang appropriateSyne,e h d "an . dit readee Th r should examin lase eth t three line f musiso Appendin ci x II., where I have marked with an asterisk all the notes in the " Rosina " tune and those of " 0 can ye labour lea " which differ from the melody " Auld Long Syne " the last line of music in the Appendix. unnecessare b t no y stato ma yt t eI that " Kosina," likl Englisal e h operas of the eighteenth century, was a musical medley. The music is partly original and partly borrowed. In the body of the work there are several Scottis e overturhth airsd an ,e contain d musicasol l themes and tunes worked up for orchestral performance. There is no need for any detailed analysis of the overture: it may be sufficient to say that severa d Englisol l h dance tuneexamplr usede fo ar ss a , e " Singleton's Slip," which will be found as No. 144 of the fourth edition of the Dancing Master, discredio n s 1670i t ShielI o t . d tha borrowee h t melodiesd dol , s contemporariehi l foal r finae e samee tooth th H ls d ka .strai sdi r nfo the overture an old familiar melody—that of the one we are discussing, and made it do service as the closing subject. 396 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 9, 1892.

I hav t madparticulay no e t an aware no em r a tha searchI tt bu , Burns' song of " Auld Lang Syne," with its modern tune, jumped into immediate popularity. The original folio edition of Thomson's Collection, with the original setting of the air, was too expensive for a large circulation, and the smaller octavo edition was not issued until 1822. The tune is in the second volume of E. A. Smith's Scottish Minstrel, whic completes hwa o issuex volumet d si t d an n se i d 1824y s i b s t I . three stanzas of Burns' song with three others, not above mediocrity, by an unknow s evidentlnwa hando a ywh temperanc, e reformere th s a , drinking-verses have been audacite suppressedth d editoe ha y s Th ha .r to announce e authoBurnth s a sr withou y notan te pointin t thaou gt new stanzas are an excrescence. I have not noticed " Auld Lang Syne " in any other music-book early in the century, and it would be interesting to know whethe t appearei r d elsewhere tha. Thomson'n ni s book between the years 1799 and 1822. But in the last fifty years this happy effusion of our national poet has progressed in favour at an increasing rate : it now girdles the habitable earth, a.nd beyond all question it is the widest-spread social song in the Anglo-Saxon language. He is a wise man who recognises song as a powerful lever for raising emotion; and Brownin s correcwa g t whe e sainh d that musi s exercisedha c n a ' influence over human action, more than all the other arts combined. APPENDI. XI

The old melody " Auld Lang=syne," showing the variations from 1700 to 1796.

No. 1.—From " Original Scotch Times," Playford, 1700, transpose. dF froy mke

. 2.—FroNo m "Orpheus Caledonius," 1725, transpose. dF froy mke

No. 3.—From "Music for the Scots Songs in the Tea-Table Miscellany," about 1726. Transposed from key F.

No. 4.—From "Caledonian Pocket Companion," b. iii. p. 21, circa 1759 ; first and last movements transposed from F. tt

No. 5.—From "Scots Musical Museum," vol. i., 1787, No. 26, transposed from E[j. l£p^fy^j^^r1~TzF^^^:h='^^^

No. 6.—From "Scots Musical Museum," vol. v., 1796, 413, with Burns' words; original key D, in f time. APPENDI. XII Family Group of the modern tune "Auld Lang=syne." "Duke of Buccleugh's Tune," from "Apollo's Banquet," 6tli edition, 1690.

No. 1. The second movement tune ofthe resembles wereyc deid,gin "0 Gudeman." " The Miller's Wedding," from Robert Bremuer's " First Collection of Scots Reels," circa 1757. Original key D. tr tr tr. No. 2.

"The Lasses of the Ferry," from "A Collection of the Newest and Best Reels." Neil Stewart, 1761-2, page 33. Original key A.

No. 3. Xj * *T* filter," from "A Collection of Strathspey Reels." Alexander M'Glashan [1780]. First and fourth movements. Original key D.

No. 4. y p. y ~~~ 0 9* v TT ^i~ r- p ——————————— j illfll ~~*™ —————————— — —— ———— ———————————— •——** *~»~W ——————— "The Miller's Daughter," from "A Collection of Strathspey or Old Highland Reels," by Angus Gumming. Edinburgh, 1780. First and fourth movements. Original key D.

No. 5. I-^^J^-^^i^EjrE^ir• •••• ^ •••••^ '^ f jjjj * r- f f "Roger's Farewell," from "A Selectio Scotchf no , English, Irish Foreigd an , n Airs." Jame , 1788sAM . (Third selection.)

' I've been Courting at a Lass." "Scots Musical Museum," 1792. No. 306. jrrrp^zj^zzrgi^i^-D^^-^zzii-rz^T^-j^r^ No. 7. ==i^^=^=igi^^giai^^iiftEE^z=ji:E^ W*9 • 9~* •^* • P* • •• "• if 5 ~—— "Hey, how, Johnie Lad." " Scots Musical Museum," 1792. No. 357.

J •• "• l~a" —————— ^'^ — ^ — ——— —— -* —— i*S~J ——————inT. _ ^-jzr: 'Comin'thro* the Rye." "Scots Musical Museum," 1796. No. 418. (The London variation or set.) Original key B)>.

No. 9. •* * • v • • • • * w * "* "*3 * ^ *»* * ^'^ • ^^ / ^^ i^^^ 'Comin' thro' the Rye." "Scots Musical Museum," Dec. 1796. No. 417. (Old Scottish Tune.)

$5-. No10 . :

Last Movement ill the Overture of "Eosina." London, 1784. Key C.

No. 11. ±5 c:= —— —~i——— ————— - * f ^j-j— K - - t~J-t———————-•—«-^ vJ———D——j^—————i—————F ^ ——f^f———t-±:^i^=i"-?-±i-^:?i±r-_i:ttji=:iigi±zz:t:i= laboue y ?a n " rLe ca "Scot0 ' s Musical Museum,. " F 1792 . 394y No Ke . —————T—-i——, No. 12. rlEg L • • *~ W———————— —————————————— -««tl——tfj————————————————"--i^lj—————————J--————- ——————-1-———•;-•-;- fpi————————_( ' Auld Langsyne," from '' Thomson's Select Collectio Scottisnof h Songs," 1799F. ,Key vol .ii. 1 - _ No. 13. m= _

asteriske indicat2 *Th 1 d Nosn variatione si an e th 1 .1 s from "Auld Langsyne,. 13 . "No AULD LANG SYNE": ITS ORIGIN, POETRY, AND MUSIC. 397

LANG=SYNE." From originalthe printed copies.

Words from " Scots Musical Museum," 1796, Music from Thomson's " Select Collection Vol .413. V.No ,. of Scottish Songs," 1799, Vol. II.

Should auld ac-quaint-ancd neveAn got- r r ,broughfo e eb mindo tt ? Should

^,_• ""L--*- auld d ac-quaint-ancaulAn - gotd r ,fo e lang-syneb e r Fo ?

r Fo aulauldd , jo lanlan - g syne - g y syne m , : We'll

^l^=P=j^ tak a 'cup ' o 1kin d- nes . yets , r Fo auld lau - gsyne .

Should auld acquaintanc forgote eb , And never brought to mind ? Should auld acquaintanc forgote eb , And auld lang=syne? Chorus—For auld lang=syne, my jo, For auldlang=syne: We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet, aulr Fo d lang=syne.

And surely ye'l youe lb r pint stowp, paidl'e burne ha th Wa n ,i t etw And surely I'll be mine ! Frae morning sun till dine; And we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet, But seas between us braid hae roar'd, aulr Fo d lang=syne. Sin' auld lang=syne. r auldFo , &c. For auld, &c.

twrae e naW ha abou braese th t , And there's a hand my trusty fiere ! And pou'd the gowans fine ; And gie' hansa d o' thine! t we'vBu e wander'd mon yweara y fitt And we'll tak righa ' t gude-willie=waught,2 Sin' auld lang=syne. For auld lang=syne. For aiild, &c. r auld. Fo &c , 1 Some sing "kiss" in place of "cup".—(Orig. note.) 2 A deep drink of good-will.-(J. D.)