THE SONGS

OF

ROBERT BURNS

NOW FIRST PRINTED WITH THE MELODIES FOR WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN

A STUDY IN TONE-POETRY

WITH BIBLIOGRAPHY, HISTORICAL NOTES, AND

GLOSSARY

BY

JAMES C. DICK

'1 of

7'*

HENRY FROWDE

LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, AND NEW YORK 1903

Tf?

OXFORD : HORACE HART PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

To mark an appreciation of a long, though

intermittent, friendship, I Dedicate this

edition of the Songs of Robert Burns

and Collection of Folk-Music to

JOSEPH JOACHIM

MUS. DOC.

who, during his life, has nobly sustained the dignity of Music

PREFACE

IN bringing together for the first time the songs of Robert Burns with the melodies for which they were written I do not propose to criticize either. So far as the verses are concerned they have remained famous for more than a century, and are likely to continue famous independent of any literary criticism. So far as the airs are concerned — airs which go to make up the folk-music of Scotland, that particular form of unconscious art of which the vehemence, pathos, and often eccentric progressions have been known outside the limits of the country for the last 250 years — want of space forbids any criticism. A merely verbal description of music cannot convey any real impression to the general reader, and an imperfect technical account of Scottish music would be unsatisfactory to the expert. Both will doubtless prefer to read the music for themselves and form their own opinions. For this reason the Preface will be confined to an explanation of (i) Burns's own theory as a song-writer, (2) how he carried it into practice, and (3) what his qualifications were for writing and adapting his verses to pre-existing music.

To begin with, then, the term song as it is now used admits of more than one meaning. Originally it meant — and was invari- ably—a combination of poetry and music, something to be sung. It did not mean, as it often means nowadays, verse with or with- out tune ; nor was it, like the songs of most modern poets, purely literary verse to which music might accidentally be attached. For Burns's songs, peculiarly, this latter meaning is insufficient, and I designate Burns a tone-poet because he wrote for music, and his songs with their airs are a study in tone-poetry.

His Commonplace Book (recording his experience about the age of twenty-three, and before he was known to the world) makes this evident, and shows beyond all doubt that he always associated music with his songs. Speaking, for example, of a forgotten old song of which he remembered that the verse and the tune were ' in fine unison with one another,' he says that when one would

vi PREFACE

compose to these Scottish airs ' to sough [hum] the tune over and over is the readiest way to catch the inspiration and raise the Bard into that glorious enthusiasm so strongly characteristic of our old Scotch poetry V Again, late in life, when he declined to write for an unfamiliar air, he explains that until he was master of a tune in his own singing he never could compose for it, adding that his invariable way was to consider the expression of the music and choose his theme, ' humming every now and then the air with the verses I have framed V So invariable with him was this way of writing that his first song was made for the favourite reel of the girl he loved, and his last for the 'difficult measure ' of a 'beautiful strathspey'; and (though it may be that he was elevating the music he wrote for at the expense of his own reputation as a poet) when he said that some of his songs were often mere rhymes to express airs, he spoke a literal truth.

Nevertheless, though he knew more of the popular music of his country than any man of his time, and he is unique 3 among distinguished poets in writing for pre-existing music, this side of him has been rarely noticed, if at all. His achievement in the reconstruction of old poetry seems to have blinded his critics' eyes to his knowledge of its sister art, Scottish music, of which he was the apostle. Perhaps his very uniqueness in this respect has caused it to escape notice. Old melodies as a vehicle for song have been despised or ignored by literary poets themselves, from Corneille, who execrated the commands of his royal master to write for them, saying that a hundred verses cost him less than two words of a song 4 (que deux mots de chanson] , to Lord Byron, who, after trial, flatly refused to be harnessed in music 5. And though the exquisite songs of the Elizabethan poets were made to be sung, and many of them are to be found only in contemporary music books, there is this difference between their work and Burns, that the music was composed to fit their words, but his words were

1 Commonplace Book, 1872,^2. 2 Cf. Note 101.

3 Unless we accept Marot, whose psalms for secular airs are still in the Genevan Psalter, and Luther, who led the Reformation by adopting popular melodies for the hymns sung in the Reformed churches.

* See Tiersot's Chanson Populaire, Paris, 1889, 441.

5 See an important letter of Byron in Hadden's George Thomson, 1898, 191.

PREFACE vii

written for music l. Burns adopted what other poets rejected — popular airs — and he adopted them consciously. Just as when he was taunted with ' the ignominy of the Excise,' he replied that he would rather be thought to do credit to his profession than borrow credit from it ; so when Thomson implied a censure on his musical taste, he said that although many cultured persons found no merit in his favourite tunes, that was no reason why being cheaply pleased ' I should deny myself that pleasure V He did not deny himself that pleasure, and as the result his songs are an epitome of Scottish music still known and still admired.

Considering this it is the more remarkable that Burns's biographers should with one accord have ignored or omitted a description of his musical perception and his treatment of music. One would have thought that, apart from his peculiar method of writing always to airs — a method which probably goes a long way towards explaining why his songs have outlived and made of no account the songs of so many other poets — his mere musical-editorial talent must have attracted notice. If he com- municated to Johnson's Museum only one-half of the forty-five traditional airs which Stenhouse assigns to him, the record is remarkable enough for an amateur musician. But his biographers have not allowed him any musical standing whatever. Currie obviously accepted without comment Murdoch's opinion, who said of him that he was a remarkably dull boy and his voice untunable, and that it was long before he learned to distinguish one tune from another3. A verdict of tune- deafness seems to have been

1 Dr. Thomas Campion, a musician as well as a poet, composed for his verses, but the music, like all conscious art of the polyphonic period, is now forgotten and known only to the student. All artistic music fades before the continuous progress of the art ; whereas the unconscious and untutored music of nature, the simple anonymous airs of the people, which are the basis of the art, remain unimpaired by age.

2 Works of Robert Burns (Edin. 1877-9, 8vo, 6 vols.), vi. 304.

3 As John Murdoch, the only schoolmaster of Burns, at the same time said that he was the most unlikely boy to be a poet, his observations — from what was but an immature and dormant intellect — may be disregarded in the light of what came after. Here follows what Murdoch said of Burns and his brother Gilbert : — ' I attempted to teach them a little church music. Here they were left far behind by all the rest of the school. Robert's ear, in particular, was remarkably dull, and his voice untunable. It was long before I could get

viii PREFACE

considered proven against Burns, and little or nothing said to counteract the belief. So that we find Tom Moore in 1841 expressing surprise that * the rare art of adapting words success- fully to notes ' should have been exercised by Burns, c who was wholly unskilled in music1,' and Robert Chambers, in his garrulous Life of Burns > ineptly remarking on the subject that Burns thought himself a kind of musician. Thus widely may biographers miss the point.

From the writings of Burns, and particularly from the Thomson letters and MSS. in the British Museum, it is possible to describe with some accuracy his musical knowledge and acquirements. It may be granted at once that about the higher forms of the musical art he knew little and cared less. He never heard a symphony or a string quartette2, and though at the houses of some of his friends he listened to sonatas on the harpsichord, they raised in him neither emotion nor interest. His knowledge of music was in fact elemental ; his taste lay entirely in melody, without ever reaching an appreciation of contrapuntal or harmonious music. Nor, though in his youth he had learned the grammar of music and become acquainted with clefs, keys, and notes at the re- hearsals of church music, which were in his day a practical part of the education of the Scottish peasantry s, did he ever arrive at

them to distinguish one tune from another . . . and certainly, if any person who knew the two boys had been asked, which of them was the most likely to court the muses, he would surely never have guessed that Robert had a pro- pensity of that kind' (Currie's Works of Robert Burns, Liverpool, 1800, i. p/).

1 Moore, in the Preface to his Works, 1841, vol. v., says, ' Robert Burns was wholly unskilled in music; yet the rare art of adapting words successfully to notes, of wedding verse in congenial union with melody, which, were it not for his example, I should say none but a poet versed in the sister art ought to attempt, has yet, by him, with the aid of a music, to which my own country's strains are alone comparable, been exercised with so workmanly a hand, as well as with so rich a variety of passion, playfulness, and power, as no song-writer, perhaps, but himself, has ever yet displayed.' Farquhar Graham, in his Notes on the Songs of Scotland, stated briefly the result of an inquiry into the musical training and acquirements of Burns, but it received no attention and has been forgotten.

2 At a performance of The Messiah of Handel he remarked on the infinite pathos of the air ' He was despised.'

3 Currie, i. 11

PREFACE ix

composition, except in the case of one melody which he composed for a song of his own at the age of about twenty-three, and this melody displeased him so much that he destroyed it and never attempted another J. In the same way, although he practised the violin, he did not attain to excellence in execution, his playing being confined to strathspeys and other slow airs of the pathetic kind 2. On the other hand, his perception and his love of music are undeniable. For example, he possessed copies of the prin- cipal collections of Scottish vocal and instrumental music of the eighteenth century, and repeatedly refers to them in the Museum MS. and in his letters. His copy of the Caledonian Pocket Companion (the largest collection of Scottish music), which copy still exists with pencil notes in his handwriting, proves that he was familiar with the whole contents. At intervals in his writings he names at least a dozen different collections to which he refers and from which he quotes with a personal knowledge. Also he knew several hundred different airs, not vaguely and in a misty way, but accurately as regards tune, time, and rhythm, so that he could distinguish one from another, and describe minute variations in the several copies of any tune which passed through his hands. The Thomson letters (and particularly one about September, 1793, only published in part by Currie) contain a description or criticism of over one hundred melodies. Many of the airs he studied and selected for his verses were either pure instrumental tunes, never before set to words, or the airs (from dance books) of lost songs, with the first lines as titles. That he sometimes esteemed the air of a song more than the words is clear from his saying, 'Better to have mediocre verses to a favourite air than none at all V It is hard to believe that a poet with such prefer-

1 Cf. Note 31 2.

2 On a private copy of his Epistle to Davie he describes himself as a brother fiddler, and in his humorous anonymous letter to Sharpe of Hoddam he styles himself a fiddler and a poet (Works, v. 366],

8 Note 91. Compare his statement made in requesting permission to insert a song of the Duke of Gordon's in the Museum — that he was assisting in collecting old poetry and for a fine air making a stanza when it had no words (Works, iv. 293). Also his apology for many trifling songs, which, as he explains, are due to the fact that many beautiful airs wanted words, and he was obliged to pass in a hurry what he had written (Note 19).

x PREFACE

ences should have been considered tone-deaf. Of his practical acquaintance with music, his letters to his publishers, wherein he details how he wrote for airs, where the best sets of them are to be found, and how he wished them printed with his verses, show the truth. Concerning Song No. /2<5, for example, he gives instructions that ' the chorus is the first or lower part of the tune, and each verse must be repeated to go through the high or second part.' For another song (No. 152) he refers the printer to the book where the music is to be found. With all the knowledge of an antiquarian he tells Thomson how the notation of the humorous tune When she cam ben she babbit should be printed *, and for another2 he technically describes the music as it appears in the collection where he found it, with the alterations that are necessary to make it fit his verses.

Such instances go to show the critical interest Burns took in music. But besides this it was his practice to spend considerable time in listening to the playing of tunes, that he might become familiar with the correct swing and cadence of the melodies and form an impression of their meaning. Professor Walker relates how he was calling on Burns in Edinburgh for some particular purpose, and found him so engrossed in correcting his songs, while the tunes were being played on the harpsichord, that he would listen to nothing else. Burns himself tells Clarinda, ' I have just been composing to different tunes 3,' and tells Cunningham that The Sitter's Dochter l is a first-rate favourite of mine, and I have written what I reckon one of my best songs to it V And it was this practice of listening to airs and studying their meaning that made of him not merely an enthusiastic collector of traditional airs, but also the means of getting them printed. At home, during the Highland tours, and in his excursions through the South of Scotland, he collected unknown and rare melodies as if it were his business. As he writes to Thomson, ' I have still several MS. Scots airs which I picked up mostly from the singing of country girls V The book in which he copied these traditional airs, if it still exists, is not known (though, as I have said, Sten-

1 Note 151. 3 Note 48. s Note 84. * Note 87.

* Works, vi. 247, where he sends a beautiful little air which he ' had taken down from viva voce.'

PREFACE

XI

house assigns to him about forty-five of those in the Museum l) ; and it has been doubted whether Burns was capable of writing the notation of viva voce airs. It is true that Clarke, the musical editor of the Museum, often did this for him ; but it is equally true that Clarke could not always be present when wanted, and it is more than probable that Burns in many cases did it alone with the aid of his violin. For, gifted as he was with a retentive memory, and — as has been shown — with an acute ear for musical sound, combined with a passionate love of Scottish melody, his genius would enable him to do readily what would be laborious for an ordinary amateur, nor can I see any reason why his remark, ' I took down the tune from the voice of a girl,' or some other unconditional statement, should not be accepted literally. In fact he obtained many of the fugitive airs from his wife, who was a good natural singer, and from Kirsty Flint, among others, a masculine woman who took pleasure in showing off her vocal powers to him 2. Two of the best airs discovered by Burns were obtained in the same manner ; one, Co? the Yvwes 3, from the voice of a friendly minister of the Kirk, and Craigieburn Wood* (for which he wrote two sets of verses) from the singing of a girl. He first heard the Gaelic air of Song No. ^/, The Banks of the Devon, from a lady in Inverness, and ' got the notes taken down ' for the Museum, and obtained for Johnson a better set of the tune of No. 797 than that supplied by Dr. Blacklock 5.

So much for Burns's musical experience, about which there is little more to say, except that he was himself a mediocre vocalist with a rough but not an untunable voice. He was constrained in company sometimes to sing, but he was conscious of his defect, and avoided any exhibition of the kind as much as possible6. But though his musical training and practice may have been no

1 The MSS. of most of his historical and traditionary airs have disappeared, except two or three pieces from his hand, of which one, The German lairdie, is now printed for the first time on p. 336.

2 Professor Gillespie, from personal observation, related how Burns was in the habit of tying his horse outside her cottage door and sitting by her fireside while she sang ' with a pipe of the most overpowering pitch.'

3 No. 114, * No. go.

5 Extensive references to Burns and music will be found on p. 535 infra.

6 To a friend, no more gifted than himself, he exclaimed, ' Heaven knows we are no singers ! ' (Works, v. 364).

xii PREFACE

more than that of any ordinary amateur, his attachment to melody and wide knowledge of Scottish music, together with his genius, fully equipped him for writing verse to illustrate the anonymous airs of his country.

It was in the year 1787 that Burns's opportunity came, and he was able to get his verses published with music. From that time forwards he wrote scarcely anything else but songs. For the mere love of the thing, and without fee or reward, ungrudgingly he worked day and night for the last nine years of his life to illus- trate the airs of Scotland, and he died with the pen in his hand. His farming brought him no riches, his business of gauger only weariness, his songs nothing at all — then. But it is by his songs that he is best known and will be longest remembered. This he forecast himself: yet, curiously enough, only sixteen songs are in the last authorized edition of his Works \ though by this time he had probably contributed upwards of two hundred to both John- son's Museum and Thomson's Scotish Airs. These he never publicly claimed, only disclosing himself as the author of some of them in private letters to intimate friends2. So that besides working voluntarily and simultaneously for these two collectors — neither of whom Would have succeeded without his constant help — he even denied himself the name of author s.

A few words about the general musical rage of this time, and about these two music books in particular, may be useful at this place. It must be borne in mind that when Burns began to write

1 Edition of 1 794.

3 It is important to remember, as a consequence of this, that all his songs in modern editions of his Works (except a fraction) have been accumulated by degrees, and are the insertions of a succession of editors. When Burns resolved in 1 796 to publish a musical selection of his songs, death prevented him from carrying the resolution into effect (Works, vi. 2jj}.

8 With the exception of a few songs bearing his name in the Index, all his writings in Johnson's Museum were published anonymously during his life. His name is attached to a large number of songs in many copies of the Museum, but not in those of the first issue ; the insertion of it in later reprints being posthumous. Many erroneous inferences have been drawn from the assumption that Burns acknowledged the insertion of his name. Compare the copy of the Museum in the British Museum, where Burns's songs in vols. ii.-v. are all anonymous, except a few with B. and R. marked by the publisher. A description of the original edition of the Museum is in the Bibliography following. I possess three copies of some of the early volumes, all with different title-pages.

PREFACE xiii

for the Museum he had comparatively only a small number of vocal airs to choose from. In all the various collections pub- lished up to 1787 there were not two hundred different Scottish airs printed with verses, and of these Johnson had utilized a good proportion in the first volume of the Museum — that is, before Burns became connected with it. The greater number, therefore, of the airs for which Burns wrote were only to be found in instru- mental or dance books, and consisted of pure reels and strathspeys, which had never before had words, or of the tunes of lost and forgotten songs *.

In these numerous instrumental collections of the eighteenth century, and particularly those of the latter half, when Burns flourished, is stored the most characteristic Scottish music in peculiar scales and with eccentric intervals. Never before had there been such a plentiful crop of Scottish dance and other music, and never has there been since. Dancing in Scotland2 had reached its climax. In Edinburgh every coterie had 'Assem- blies,' and each of the resident dancing-masters followed suit. Captain Topham 3, on a visit to Edinburgh, was amazed at the vigorous dancing practised in the Northern Capital. Every class indulged in it — duchess and housemaid and grave professor alike — and danced for dancing's sake. And it was to find appropriate words for some of these dance tunes that Burns set himself. Before he could do this he was obliged to study their accent and rhythm. This was no difficult task for him as long as he was free to choose or reject ; but when the egregious Thomson not only selected airs for him, but tried even to dictate the ortho- graphy of his text, it became hard enough. 'These English verses gravel me to-death,'he groans ; or, when criticized, declines to alter his words, and says with regard to a disliked air, ' the stuff won't bear mending.' And, as a result of his compliance in other cases, the Thomson series contain — among a number of brilliant

1 In some cases Burns utilized the whole tune, in others he selected particular movements or measures of the air for the verses he proposed to write.

2 At the close of the century reels and strathspeys became fashionable in London, and the habitues of Almack's engaged Niel Gow, the famous fiddler in the North, to lead the music in their ball-room.

3 Letters from Edinburgh, 1776, 262.

xiv PREFACE

songs — many no better than the average artificial product of the eighteenth-century song books, and quite beneath the standard of the genius of Burns \

Nevertheless it was from his intimate connexion with this pub- lication and with the Scots Musical Museum that Burns became an extensive writer of songs. To Scotish Airs he contributed verses, partly at his own discretion, partly at the request of the proprietor — though in neither case had he power to decide what should be published 2. Of the Museum he was the real though concealed editor from a little after the time when, being engaged then in correcting the proofs of the Edinburgh edition of his Works, he made Johnson's acquaintance. James Johnson was a practical engraver in Edinburgh. In February, 1787, with the assistance of two gentlemen interested in the anthology of Scotland, he had projected and advertised a ' Collection of Scots, English, and Irish Songs in two neat 8vo volumes. . . .' The first volume was nearly ready when Johnson met Burns, and it is surmised that Burns suggested the title of Scots Musical Museum, under which title the volume — despite the more accurate description given of it in the advertisement — appeared in May. Burns eagerly grasped the opportunity of associating himself with a work which eventually he remodelled and extended into six volumes. His position of author, editor, and contributor of verse became more and more established as the original advisers of the publication fell into the rear. His sole assistant was a professional musician, Stephen Clarke, who corrected technical errors in the music and fitted the tunes for presentation to the public in the prescribed form. Johnson was unfitted to conduct any work of the kind. He was of a simple confiding nature, entirely illiterate, and as poor as Burns himself. However, like Burns also, he was an enthusiast for the Songs of Scotland. He undertook the cost of printing

1 The peculiar 'rhythm of the Caledonian Hunt's Delight only fetched one poor stanza of English verses, although it is the popular and favourite air of the vernacular Banks 6* Doon (No. 123). The beautiful strathspey Rothiemurche for his last song (No. 12) is practically obscured ' because he was constrained to write verses of the ordinary sort to please Thomson.

a There were fundamental differences between Burns and Thomson, for which reason Scotish Airs contains a large number of Burns's songs with editorial insertions (both in verse and air) for which Burns is in no way responsible.

PREFACE

xv

and publishing the work. Burns neither expected nor received reward, and the tacit understanding between the two continued, and the connexion remained unbroken, up to the death of Burns in 1796. Burns always knew Johnson as an 'honest worthy fellow,' and in his first extant letter said that he had ' met with few whose sentiments were so congenial with his own/ Johnson seems to have belonged to the social Crochallan Club, and must have had some qualifications to be admitted as one of its members, considering that among them were ' rantin roarin Willy ' Dunbar, the President ; the grisly philosopher — printer Smellie ; the iras- cible Latinist Nicol, the writer Cunningham, ' auld Tennant ' of Glenconner, Masterton the composer of Willy brew'd a peck 0' maut, and probably Henry Erskine, the most brilliant member of the Scottish bar. This was the society in which Burns re- created himself after dining with more formal company in the then New Town.

It was after the inspiring Highland tours, in which Burns had laid in a good stock of new poetic ideas, that he set to work in Edinburgh to reorganize the Museum. The venerable author of Tullochgorum, and other friends, were put under contribution, so much so that about this time Burns informed a correspondent that he had ' collected, begged, borrowed, and stolen all the songs ' he could find *. An accident which confined him to the house for a considerable time enabled him within ten months from the publication of the first volume to issue the second volume of a hundred songs, of which forty were his own, all bright and merry and flashing with wit and humour. In the buoyant and aggressive preface he remarks that ' ignorance and prejudice may perhaps affect to sneer at the simplicity of the poetry or music of some of these pieces, but their having been for ages the favourites of Nature's judges — the common people — was to the Editor a suf- ficient test of their merit.' Here we have partly exposed the reason why Bums concealed himself, and the meaning of the phrase put against many of his songs, ' Mr. Burns's old words.'

The third volume, containing a c flaming preface,' took nearly twc years to complete and publish. During the interval he was

1 Works, iv. 298.

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partly in Mauchline and partly at Ellisland — a period which included many sorrows, ending in a prudent marriage and a soli- tary residence on the banks of the Nith preparing a home for his wife. Such was his life while he wrote the Honeymoon and other songs * for the Museum.

More than fifty songs in this third volume are his own, and during the process of preparation for the press he was constantly informed of the progress of the volume and exhibited' the greatest interest in it. He asks Johnson * to send any tunes or anything to correct,' and afterwards tells him that when he comes to Edin- burgh he will overhaul the whole collection.

Immediately after the publication of the fourth volume, in August, 1792, the attention of Burns was diverted from the Museum by the intervention of George Thomson, and four years elapsed be- tween the appearance of the fourth and the posthumous fifth volume, which, however, was all sketched and nearly ready for publication at the poet's death. Thus, about the end of 1793, Burns informed Johnson that he was laying out materials for the fifth volume ; a few months later he sent ' forty-one songs,' and still later he requests that 'those tunes and verses that Clarke and you cannot make out' should be sent to him. In June, 1794, Johnson intimated that the fifth volume was actually begun. In March, 1795, Burns returned a packet of songs, and a -year afterwards had proofs sent him to correct. In this way Burns knew the contents of the posthumous volume, which was indeed far advanced in the press when he died. The surplus songs left over from this and the previous volumes constitute nearly one-third of the last and sixth volume, yet it .took Johnson seven years to complete and publish it.

The Scots Musical Museum remains the standard collection of Scottish Song, and as a work of reference cannot be superseded. Considerably more than one-half of the pieces in the following pages were originally published there, and next to the authorized

1 A facsimile, which follows the Bibliography, of the holograph list of songs proposed for the third volume and heretofore unnoticed is an important document. It discloses Burns as the author of a considerable number of songs hitherto unsuspected and anonymous, among which may be named Sir John Cope (No. 297), The Campbells are comin (No. jj6*), Johnie Blunt (No. jjj}} and many others.

PREFACE xvii

editions it is the most important authority on the works of Burns. It contains, moreover, his most happy and spontaneous effusions, published with their melodies, as he wrote them, free from outside interference. Johnson without remark acted upon instructions, accepted what was sent to him, and printed the verses with the tunes selected. And Burns, by portraying in that collection the morals and manners of his tountry with a rare fidelity and sympathetic humour, became famous.

But in the meanwhile Burns had become associated with another publication. Immediately after the appearance of the fourth volume of Johnson's Museum, George Thomson, a govern- ment clerk and amateur musician (who, by the way, always de- spised the Museum), applied to Burns to assist him with verses for a collection of twenty-five Scottish airs which he would select. He said he wanted the poetry improved for 'some charming melodies,' and he would ' spare neither pains nor expense in the publication.' He declared himself in favour of ' English ' verses, which English ' becomes more and more the language of Scotland ' ; and he said elsewhere, but not to Burns, that the vernacular was to be avoided as much as possible, ' because young people are taught to consider it vulgar,' and, with an eye to business, 'we must accommodate our tastes to our readers.' How the partner- ship with this opportunist in art was maintained is set out in the long series of letters now in Brechin Castle. It is amusing to remember that Thomson, who engaged Burns to destroy the Scottish vernacular, should have been the unconscious instrument of its preservation. * Burns, although fully occupied with Johnson, promptly accepted the invitation conveyed to him, but with con- ditions. He would accept no wages, fee, or hire, he would alter no songs unless he could amend them, and his own would be ' either above or below price,' and,- if not approved, they could be rejected without offence. •' I have long ago,' he says, ' made up my mind as to my reputation of authorship, and have nothing to be pleased or offended at your adoption or rejection of my verses.'

The conventional clerk, who was very early impressed with the genius, enthusiasm, and industry of his correspondent, rapidly extended his aim, and resolved to include in his collection « every Scotch air and song worth singing.' All through the long corre-

b

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spondence he tenaciously held his original opinion of ' English ' verses and his choice of airs. So far he had the best of the arrangement, for Burns wrote many pieces which he disapproved, and for airs which he disliked. Only five songs written for Scot- ish Airs were published in Burns's lifetime, and these are more or less incorrectly printed. For the rest, Thomson was under no control, and without compunction ^altered the text when it suited him, added stanzas, and adapted them for unauthorized airs. There was, as I have said, little sympathy between the two men. Thomson cared nothing for a human lyric, and preferred the insipid compositions then current. Burns told him ' exotic rural imagery is always comparatively flat,' and, in another place, ' You are apt to sacrifice simplicity in a ballad for pathos, sentiment, and point.' Again, he tries to console Thomson by saying that the English singer will find no difficulty in the sprinkling of the Scot- tish language in his songs l ; or refuses pointblank to change the orthography of a piece with the remark, ' I'll rather write a new song altogether than make this English V But Thomson meddled and muddled on without regarding him. Airs and verses alike had to submit to his editorial jurisdiction. Burns had to complain that the accent of his The-lea rig had been altered, and advised him to ' let our natural airs preserve their native features.' But Thomson preferred his own way; and when Burns refused to rewrite some disputed lines, he altered them for him. 'The story of Scots wha hae (which I have told in Note 255) illustrates particularly the fashion in which Burns was constrained to change metre in order to have his ode fitted to a melody which he had not contemplated. And though most of the songs written for Thomson were spontaneous, and sent to him for approval, he would never return those he considered unsuitable, but retained them in the manner described. Nevertheless, shortly before Burns died, he assigned to Thomson without consideration the absolute copyright of the songs he had sent to him.

Thus Scotish Airs, in five sumptuous folio volumes completed in 1818, came to contain much of the text of Burns in an untrust- worthy form. Its airs, too, with their many editorial improvements, are to be disregarded as too artificial. When it is known that 1 Works, vi. 24^. a Note 51.

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xix

Thomson had the audacity to suggest alterations in the composi- tions of the great Beethoven a, who told him that his music was not written for schoolgirls, no one need wonder that the songs of the amiable Burns were altered and excised. The most that can be said for the collection is that it is interesting in so far as it con- tains accompaniments by some eminent composers, who failed in what they attempted ; and for Thomson the most that can be said is that in selecting the famous air for the verses of Auld Lang Syne, he achieved a success which covers a multitude of sins.

Since I am resolved, for want of space, not to enter in this Preface upon any criticism, nor yet to insist (further than is neces- sary for an explanation of the purposes of this book) on the musical aspect of Burns's songs so uniquely made to melodies, nothing really remains to be said except a few words about the TEXT. This, which is unexpurgated, has been drawn from original MSS. and the authorized editions, and from the Scots Musical Museum, and it is collated with the two modern standard editions of the Works of Burns. I have left unnoticed, with a few excep- tions, readings in the various writings of the poet other than those here selected. Every song and ballad which could be published is entire, and the collection is so complete that it includes many pieces now printed for the first time as Burns's work. The greater number of these pieces appeared originally in the Scots Musical Museum from Burns's MSS., most of which are still available for reference. More or less all have been reprinted as anonymous in miscellaneous publications. The chief authority for inserting many of them is Law's MS. List. This list confirms many statements of Stenhouse, who had the Museum MSS* through his hands early in the nineteenth century. As regards those pieces which Burns himself has .designated ' Mr. Burns's old words,' the evidence is for the most part negative, and further investigation may reveal that the original publication was earlier than Burns. The presumption is that some of the narrative or historical ballads previously existed in some form ; but how little or how much Burns altered or amended is unknown to me except

1 A German editor asserts that in the Scottish collection Thomson has ' not only incorrectly printed, but wilfully altered and abridged ' the music of Beethoven (Hadden's George Thomson, 345).

xx PREFACE

in so far as is recorded in the Notes, which are the result of an examination of several hundred song books of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Until positive evidence is produced they, with many others, may remain at least as editorial originals of Burns. Among the original authorities which I have consulted it is necessary to name the interleaved Scots Musical Museum, in which Burns wrote a large number of * Strictures ' or Notes on Scottish Song. By a singular fatality these four important volumes have not been publicly examined until now for nearly a century. They contain an unsuspected holograph copy of Auld Lang Syne, which is printed ,on page 208. In the Notes the numerous wilful and negligent errors in Cromek's Reliques of Robert Burns (1808) are now pointed out for the first time and corrected/and an abstract of Cromek's misdee4s will be found in the Bibliography following.

For the 303 AIRS the AUTHORITIES are the poet's writings and —occasionally — Johnson's Museum. The tunes in that collection, in a few cases, are not those selected by Burns, for the reason that the latter had previously appeared in the first volume of the collection with other verses. Certain of Burns's songs have not. until now been printed with any air. Such, for example, are the best set of verses of The Banks o1 Doon (' Ye flowery banks o' Bonie Doon'), and the powerful invective, The Kirk's Alarm (' Orthodox, orthodox ! wha believe in John Knox '), which few realize is a song at all ; and ' Amang the trees where humming bees ' to the curious air The King o' France he rade a race. On the other hand, many songs are nearly always published with wrong airs. Among others Rantin rovin Robin and ' The gloomy night is- gathering fast,' which belongs to the beautiful air Roslin Castle.

The TUNES have been drawn from early MSS. and from the • numerous vocal and instrumental collections of the eighteenth century, including the Museum. Two are from the MSS. of Burns and therefore interesting, and a few are rare examples. If there has been any system in selecting any particular set of the tune, it has been to form a representative collection of examples from the earliest sources to the close of the eighteenth century, sometimes even at the expense of the verses. Some of the airs are at least three hundred years old, and obviously none are less than a hundred. Excluding the exceptional English and Irish airs,

WJL

V«l' M^ ^W

PREFACE xxi

they form an epitome of Scottish music which probably would have been more attractive to the general reader with pianoforte accompaniments. But this is not a music book in the modern sense, only a quarry for the constructive composer and for the student of folk-songs. Most of the airs are anonymous. They floated in the air for an indefinite time until caught and chained by the printing-press. Of a few alone are the composers known, those by the friends of the poet, too amiably adopted, being among the worst in the collection, with the brilliant exception of Willie breufd a peck o' maut.

I have only to add that, although great care has been taken in revising and correcting the NOTES, it would be vain to expect that all the references are complete. To discover the historical origin of the airs, much time has been spent in the examination of a large number of musical collections, and those who have experience of research among undated books will most readily forgive editorial imperfections and errors which have escaped notice in revision.

My thanks are due for much valuable assistance in the compila- tion of this volume. Among others I am indebted to the late Thomas Law, of Littleborough, for permission to insert a facsimile of the original MS. of Burns, which is referred to under the title Law's MS. List, and also for the loan of the copy of the Caledo- nian Pocket Companion, which belonged to Burns ; to the Scottish Text Society for permission to reprint the verses of Welcum Fortoun^ on p. xxix, from The Gude and Godlie Ballatis, 1897 ; to Mr. George Gray, of the County Buildings, Glasgow, for the use of the detached sheets which are referred to in the Notes as Gray's MS. Lists, and for the use of some rare song books ; to Mr. John Glen, of Edinburgh, for the dates of publication of some scarce musical collections, and for the loan of old music books and assistance in tracing airs; to Miss Oakshott, of Arundel Square, Barnsbury, London, who permitted me to copy for in- sertion the Notes of Burns in the Interleaved Museum ; and, though last not least, to Professor Joseph Wright, of Oxford, the editor of the colossal Dialect Dictionary, for valuable suggestions in compiling the Glossary.

ii OSBORNE AVENUE, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, /#/*>, 1903.

CONTENTS

PREFACE ....

BIBLIOGRAPHY

FACSIMILE OF BURNS'S MS.

SONGS : VERSE AND AIR. I. LOVE : PERSONAL II. LOVE : GENERAL

III. LOVE : HUMOROUS

IV. CONNUBIAL

V. BACCHANALIAN AND SOCIAL VI. THE JOLLY BEGGARS . VII. PATRIOTIC AND POLITICAL . VIII. JACOBITE . IX. MISCELLANEOUS .

APPENDIX : UNCERTAIN „ UNKNOWN

HISTORICAL NOTES . . . .

GLOSSARY

INDEX OF FIRST LINES . INDEX OF TUNES

PAGE v

xxv

i 101

*S° 187

202 219 230

259

288

343 349

35i 504 519 529

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. WORKS OF BURNS.

[Burns was born January 25, 1759 ; he wrote his first song in the autumn of J773 or J774 5 published the first edition of his Works in 1786, and the last in 1794. His connexion with Johnson's Scots Musical Museum began in the spring or summer of 1787, and with Thomson's Scotish Airs in September, 1792, and he continued to contribute to both collections until his death on July 21, 1796. The Bibliography of Burns in the ' Memorial Catalogue of the Burns Exhibition, 1896. Glasgow: Hodge, 1898,' describes 696 editions of the Works of Burns published in the United Kingdom.]

Hastie MSS., in the British Museum (No. 22,307), include 162 songs, mostly in the handwriting of Burns, which he contributed to the Scots Musical Museum. *

Dalhousie MS., in Brechin Castle, consists of Letters to George Thomson, and songs intended for publication in Scotish Airs. -

Gray's MS. Lists, belonging to George Gray, Esq., of the County Buildings, Glasgow, are a number of detached sheets containing the titles of songs pro- posed for insertion in the second and subsequent volumes of the Scots Musical Museum. The lists are partly in the handwriting of Burns and partly in that of James Johnson.

Law's MS. List, lately in the possession of William Law, Littleborough, is a holograph of Burns, entitled ' List of Songs for 3rd Volume of the Scots Musical Museum] which he sent to Johnson in a letter dated April 24, 1 789. This MS., now referred to for the first time, definitely settles the authorship of many songs, some of which in the foHowing pages are printed for the first time as the work of Burns. See facsimile following.

Glenriddell MSS., in the Athenaeum Library, Liverpool, consist of Poems and Letters of Burns, presented to Robert Riddell of Glenriddell.

Interleaved Museum is a copy of the first four volumes of the Scots Musical Museum which belonged to Robert Riddell of Glenriddell, and in which Burns wrote numerous Notes (or Strictures as he called them) on Songs, many of them his own. R. H. Cromek was permitted to examine the volumes by the owner, Eliza Bayley, and pages 187 to 306 of his Reliques of Robert Burns, 1808, contain a transcript of the Notes, which are the most interesting part of the work. Every editor of Burns has relied implicitly on the accuracy of Cromek. Upon the recent discovery of the Interleaved Museum after a sequestration of nearly a century, I have been permitted to collate it with the Reliqiies with the following result: Out of 173 Notes printed by Cromek only 127 are verbatim copies; eighteen are garbled or imperfect, of which four differ entirely from the MS., and another four are written partly by Burns and partly by Riddell ; fourteen are written entirely by Riddell or other than Burns ; lastly, fourteen are not in the MS. at all, and the leaves of four of these have been cut out and are now missing. On the other hand seyen short

xxvi BIBLIOGRAPHY

Notes by Burns are not printed, and in place of that on Auld Lang Syne in Reliques, 282, which is a pure invention, there is a complete and hitherto unsuspected holograph copy of the verses of Auld Lang Syne, for which see page 208 infra.

Numerous references and quotations in the following pages from the R cliques were set up in type before discovery. These have been since corrected from the MS., and so far as they go can be compared with Cromek's work. The four volumes of the Interleaved Museum, with the autograph of Robert Riddell, were left by Mrs. Riddell to her niece Eliza Bayley, of Manchester. A London bookseller acquired them for 'an old song,' and, with other Burns's rarities, sold them in 1870 out of his catalogue to A. F. Nichols, who bought them on the express condition that neither his name nor address should be disclosed. After his death in Feb., 1902, the volumes passed into the possession of Miss Oakshott, who permitted me to examine them.

' Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. By Robert Burns. Kilmarnock : Printed by John Wilson, MDCCLXXXVI.' 8vo. The Kilmarnock edition con- sisted of 600 copies at a subscription price of three shillings each.

' Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. By Robert Burns. Edinburgh : Printed for the Author, and sold by William Creech, M,DCC,LXXXVii.' 8vo. Two separate issues, the skinking and the stinking, so called from a printer's error on p. 263. The text of the latter generally agrees with that of the first Kilmarnock edition, so far as it goes.

'Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. By Robert Burns. In two volumes. The second edition, considerably enlarged. Edinburgh : Printed for T. Cadell, London, and William Creech, Edinburgh, M,DCC,XCIII.' Sm. 8vo. Contains twenty additional pieces.

' Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. By Robert Burns. In two volumes. A new edition considerably enlarged. Edinburgh : Printed for T. Cadell, London, and William Creech, Edinburgh. MDCCXCIV.' 8vo. This is a reprint of the 1793 edition with a few alterations. It is the last edition of the author.

' The Works of Robert Burns ; with an account of his life, and a criti- cism on his writings. To which are prefixed, some observations on the character and condition of the Scottish peasantry. In four volumes. [By Dr. Currie.] Liverpool, printed by J. M°Creery, Houghton Street ; for T. Cadell, Jun., and W. Davies, Strand, London; and W. Creech, Edinburgh . . . 1800.' 8vo. 4 vols.

' Poems ascribed to Robert Burns, the Ayrshire Bard, not contained in any edition of his works hitherto published. Glasgow, printed by Chapman & Lang, for Thomas Stewart . . . 1801.' 8vo. pp. vi and 94.

' Reliques of Robert Burns ; consisting chiefly of original letters, poems, and critical observations on Scottish Songs. Collected and published by R. H. Cromek. London : Printed by J. M°Creery, for T. Cadell, and W. Davies, Strand. 1808.' 8vo.

This is the volume referred to in the preceding note on the Interleaved Museum.

' Life of Robert Burns. By J. G. Lockhart, LL.B. Edinburgh : Con- stable & Co. 1828.' 8vo. The second edition in 1829.

' The Works of Robert Burns. Edited by the Ettrick Shepherd and William Motherwell. Glasgow: A. Fullarton & Co.' 1834-6. I2mo. 5 vols.

WORKS OF BURNS

xxvii

' Kilmarnock Edition. In two volumes, revised and extended. The Complete Poetical "Works of Bobert Burns, arranged in the order of their earliest publication. Volume First. Pieces published by the author, with new annotations, biographical notices, &c. Edited by William Scott- Douglas. Kilmarnock : McKie & Drennan. MDCCCLXXVI.' Cr. 8vo. Volume Second. ' Pieces published posthumously.'

' Bobert Burns* Commonplace Book. Printed from the original manu- script in the possession of John Adam, Esq., Greenock. Edinburgh : privately printed. 1872.' 8vo.

< The "Works of Bobert Burns. [By W. Scott-Douglas.] Edinburgh : William Paterson. 1877-9.' Imp. 8vo. 6 vols.

' Centenary Edition.' ' The Poetry of Bobert Burns. Edited by William Ernest Henley and Thomas F. Henderson.' Edinburgh : T. C. & E. C. Jack, Causewayside. 1896-7. 8vo. 4 vols.

Together, the Scott- Douglas and the Centenary are the modern standard editions of the complete Works of Burns.

' Bobert Burns. [Vol. i.] La Vie. [Vol. ii.] Les CEuvres. Auguste Angellier. Paris : Hachette & O. 1893.' Large 8vo. pp. .1038. Remark- able as containing the most comprehensive life of Burns yet published, and a lengthy description and criticism of Scottish poetry prior to Burns. Angellier does not claim Burns as a Frenchman, but he thinks that he is more French than English.

' Poesies Completes de Bobert Burns. Traduites de 1'ecossais par M. Leon de Wailly, avec une Introduction du meme. Paris : Adolphe Dela- hays, Libraire. 1843.' 12 mo.

' Gedichte von Bobert Burns. Ubersetzt von Philipp Kaufmann. Stuttgart und Tiibingen : Verlag der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1839.' 8vo.

' De schoonste Liederen van Bobert Burns. Uit het Schotsch vertaald door Frans de Cort. Brussel : L. Truyts. 1862.' Cr. 8vo.

'Poesie di Boberto Burns. Prima versione italiana di Ulisse Ortensi. Parte prima. Modena : E. Sarasino. 1893.'

'Vijftig uitgesogte Afrikaanse G-edigte, versameld door F. W. Reitz, Hoofregter in d'Oranje Vrijstaat. 1888.' Contains translations into the Taal of The Cottars Saturday Night, Tarn o1 Shanter, and Duncan Gray, which are curious as being the work of the Secretary of State of the Transvaal, who wrote the Ultimatum which precipitated the war in South Africa.

Other published translations of Burns exist in Welsh, Gaelic, Bohemian, Danish, Dutch, Flemish, French, Frisian, German, Swiss-German, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, Swedish, and Latin.

The Merry Muses of Caledonia. A collection of favourite Scotch Songs ancient and modern, selected for the use of the Crochallan Fencibles. c. 1800.

A small surreptitious i8mo volume of 127 pages without imprint or date, containing about ninety songs assumed to be copied from a private manuscript volume which Burns intended to destroy, and which it is believed does not now exist. The references in our Notes are from a genuine copy which belonged to the late W. Scott-Douglas.

xxviii BIBLIOGRAPHY

II. SONGS AND SONG LITERATURE WITHOUT MUSIC.

Cowkelbie Sow. A poem of the fifteenth century in the Bannatyne MS, and printed in Laing's ' Select Remains of the Ancient Popular Poetiy of Scotland? Edinburgh, 1822. A large number of airs, songs, and dances are named in the poem, all of which are otherwise unknown.

Asloan MS., of about the beginning of the sixteenth century, is a collection of early poetry. The MS. is imperfect 5 and of sixty pieces named in the contents thirty-four are missing. It has never been properly examined, and the present owner declines access to it.

' The Complaynt of Scotland, written in 1548, with a preliminary Disserta- tion and Glossary. Edinburgh: Archibald Constable, 1801.' [By John Leyden.] 8vo. Of the airs, dances, songs, and tales named in the work the greater number are unknown.

Maitland MS., in the Pepysian Library, Cambridge, was compiled by Sir Richard Maitland, of Lethington (1496-1586). It was bought at the Lauderdale sale in 1692 by the diarist, Pepys, who bequeathed it to Magdalen College in 1703. It consists of two volumes of poetry written from about 1420 to 1585. Vol. i., folio, pp. 366, contains 176 pieces. Vol. ii., quarto, 138 leaves, contains 96 pieces. See Pinkerton's Ancient Scotish Poems, London, 1786; and Poems, Maitland Club, Glasgow, 1830.

' Ane compendious buik of godlie Psalmes and spirituall Sangis collectit furthe of sindrie partis of the Scripture, with diueris Vtheris Ballatis changeit out of prophane Sangis in godlie Sangis for auoyding of sin and harlatrie. With augmentation of sindrie gude and godlie Ballatis not contenit in the first editioun. Imprentit at Edinbrugh be Johne Ros for Henrie Charteris. MDLxxviii. Cum priuilegio Regali.' i6mo, pp. 16 and 207. [A literal reprint was issued by David Laing, Edinburgh, 1868; and the Scottish Text Society -has since reprinted an earlier edition of 1567. The contents are metrical versions of some of the Psalms, a selection of hymns, chiefly translations, from the German, and (for our purpose) a number of imitations or religious parodies of popular secular songs then current. This kind of poetry was written for the use of the Reformers in England, Holland, Germany, France, and Italy prior to the Scottish collection. The two last-named countries suppressed it. Coverdale wrote a ' godlie ' song which would be impossible to print in a hymnary of the present day. The ' psalmes ' of a noble lord of Holland, Nievelte by name, were published in 1540, and sung in the families and private assemblies of the Protestants, ' ut homines ab amatoriis, haud raro obscoenis, aliisque vanis canticis, quibus omnia in urbibus et vicis personabant, avocaret,' &c. The spiritual songs of Colletet published in France as late as 1660 are scandalously bad. The subject is sketched in McCrie's Life of John Knox, Edinburgh, 1840,^99. See also Douen's Le Psautier Huguenot, Paris, 1878, 2 vols. 8vo. In connexion with this subject a sang which had been sought in vain for many years has just come to light. In 1568 the General Assembly of the Kirk unanimously ordered Thomas Bassandine to call in all the copies of a psalm buik which he had published without licence, and to keep ' the rest unsauld ' until he deleted ' a baudie song out of the end of the psalm booke.' Now that a copy of Welcunt Fortoun has been discovered it is difficult to understand why it should have been singled out for opprobrium and the printer so severely punished. The decorum of the verses as compared with some lively sangis in the Godlie ballads is presumptive evidence that the Assembly wanted an excuse to punish the unlicensed printer. By permission of the Scottish Text

SONG LITERATURE WITHOUT MUSIC xxix

Society I reprint the verses as follows from the Gude and Godlie Ballatis, Edinburgh, 1897, 222.

' Welcum Fortoun, welcum againe,

The day and hour I may weill blis Thow hes exilit all my paine,

Quhilk to my hart greit plesour is. For I may say that few men may,

Seing of paine I am drest, I haif obtenit all my pay

The love of hir that I lufe best. I knaw nae sic as scho is one,

Sa trew, sa kynde, sa luifTandlie,

Quhat suld I do, an scho war gone ?

Allace ! zit I had leuer die. To me scho is baith trew and kynde,

Worthie it war scho had the praise? For na disdaine in hir I find,

I pray to God I may hir pleis. Quhen that I heir hir name exprest,

My hart for loy dois loup thairfoir, Abufe all vther I lufe hir best,

Until I die, quhat wald scho moir ? '

Bannatyne MS. 1568. In the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. Compiled in 1568 by George Bannatyne (1545-^. 1606) in a folio containing about 340 pieces and other additional poems by later hands. A complete catalogue is in Memorials of George Bannatyne, Edinburgh, 1829. The whole has been reprinted for the Hunterian Chib. Selections are in Ancient Scottish Poems, Edinburgh, 1770 ; and Sibbald's Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, Edinburgh, 1802.

' A handefull of pleasant delites, containing Sundrie new Sonets and delectable Histories, in diuers Kindes of meeter. Newly deuised to the newest tunes that are now in use, to be .sung : euerie Sonet orderjy pointed to his proper Tune With new additions of Certain Songs, to very lately deuised Notes, not commonly knowen, nor vsed heretofore, By Clement Robinson and diuers others. At London : Richard Jhones. 1584.' I2mo, pp. 63. Only a unique copy imperfect is known. Reprinted in Arber's English Scholar's Library, 1878. Of the first edition of 1566 not any portion has been verified. It is the first miscellaneous collection of songs, marked for popular tunes, issued in England.

' Merry Drollery, or a collection of Jovial Poems, Merry Songs, Witty Drolleries. Intermixed with Merry Catches. The first part. Collected by W. N. ; C. B. ; R. S. ; I. G. ; London, Printed by I. W. for P. H.,' &c. [1661]. The Second Part with additions in 1671. I2mo.

'"Westminster Drollery. Or a choice Collection of the Newest Songs and Poems both at Court and Theaters. By a Person of Quality. With additions. London : Printed for H. Brome at the Gun in St. Paul's Church Yard, &c. 1671.' I2mo.

' Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence Display'd; or, The folly of their teaching discover'd from their Books, Sermons/Prayers, &c. With additions. London, 1694.' Second edition, 4to.

4 A choice Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems both ancient and modern. By several hands. Part i. Edinburgh : printed by James Watson. Sold by John Vallange. 1706.' Cr. 8vo. Part ii. in 1709, and Part iii. in 1711.

This is the first miscellaneous collection of Scottish Secular Poetry published in Scotland. It contains only a few vernacular songs.

' A Collection of Old Ballads corrected from the best and most ancient copies extant. With Introductions historical, critical, or humorous. Illustrated with copper plates. London : printed for J. Roberts,' &c., 1723-5. i6mo. 3 vols.

The Tea- Table Miscellany : a collection of the most Choice Songs, Scots and English. By Allan Ramsay. Edinburgh. i8mo.

Original copies of the several volumes of this work are exceedingly rare. The following are the dates of publication: Vol. i. in 1724; vol. ii. in 1724 or 1725; vol. iii. in 1727; and vol. iv. in 1740. The third volume contains no

xxx BIBLIOGRAPHY

Scottish songs, the others are a mixed collection. The eighteenth edition appeared in 1792. A presumably unauthorized edition, two volumes in one, has the following title : ' The Tea-Table Miscellany ; or Allan Ramsay's Collection of Scots Songs. London : Printed by J. Watson over against Hungerford Market in the Strand, 1730*' i8mo. pp. 230. In the preface it is styled the 1 fifth edition.'

The Hive, a Collection of the most Celebrated Songs. London: Printed for J. Walthoe, Jun., 1724. i6mo. 4 vols. The last in 1732. Contains a criticism on Song Writing by 'Namby-pamby' Philips.

' The Vocal Miscellany, a collection of above four hundred celebrated songs ; many of which were never before printed. With the names of the tunes prefixed to each song. The third edition corrected with additions. Dublin : Printed by W. Rhames in Capel Street . . . 1738.' i6mo. pp. xx and 340. The first edition, London, 1733.

; ' The Lark : containing a Collection of above Four hundred and seventy celebrated English and Scotch Songs none of which are contained in the other collections of the same size called The Syren and The Nightingale. With a curious and copious alphabetical glossary for explaining the Scotch words. London: printed for John Osborn . . . 1740.' i8mo. pp. 416.

' The Charmer, a choice collection of Songs, Scots and English. Edinburgh : Printed for J. Yair . . . 1749. I2mo.' The second volume in 1751. The second edition in 1752 ; the third in 1765 is subscribed ' Edinburgh : Printed for M. Yair, bookseller.'

' Orpheus : a collection of One thousand nine hundred and seventy-four of the most celebrated English and Scotch songs. With a glossary explaining the Scotch words. In three volumes. London : Printed for C. Hitch and J. Osborn . . . 1749. i6mo.' This is a collection of three volumes under the titles — The Linnet, The Thrush, and The Robin, published the same year.

Collection of Loyal Songs, Poems, &c. London, 1750. Privately, printed.

Herd's MS., now in the British Museum, contains songs, ballads, and remnants ; it is the foundation of Herd's Collections of Songs published in 1769 and 1776. Many unpublished pieces are referred to in the Notes. Sir Walter Scott and other ballad editors since his time have examined it and drawn from it.

' A Collection cf Songs. Edinburgh : Printed by A. Donaldson and J. Reid. 1762.' I2mo.

A choice Collection of Scotch and English Songs, taken from the Amyrillis, Phoenix, &c. . . . Glasgow, 1764. I2mo.

The Blackbird : a choice Collection of the most celebrated songs . . . , by William Hunter, Philo-Architechtonicae. Edinburgh j 1764. i6mo.

The Lark : being a select collection of the most celebrated and newest songs, Scots and English. Edinburgh: W. Gordon, 1765. Vol. i. I2mo. Only one volume published.

' The Masque : a new and select collection of the best English, Scotch, and Irish Songs . . . with a great number of valuable originals. ... A new edition with great additions. London : printed for Richardson & Urquhart under the Royal Exchange,' n. d. 12 mo. The first edition in 1761, another in 1768. That described above is a few years later.

'Keliques of Ancient English Poetry: consisting of old Heroic Ballads,

SONG LITERATURE WITHOUT MUSIC xxxi

Songs, and other pieces of our earlier Poets (chiefly of the lyric kind). Together with some few of later date. By Thomas Percy. London, 1765.' 3 vols. Second English edition in 1767, third in 1775, fourth edition improved 1794, fifth in 1812.

* The ancient and modern Scots Songs, Heroic Ballads, &c. Now first collected into one body, from the various miscellanies wherein they formerly lay dispersed. Containing likewise, a great number of original songs from manuscripts, never before published. Edinburgh : printed by, and for, Martin & Wotherspoon. MDCCLXIX.' I2mo. This is Herd's original edition in one volume, which is very rare.

The Glasgow Miscellany : a select collection of Scots and English Songs. Glasgow, n. d. 8vo.

' The Caledoniad. A collection of Poems, written chiefly by Scottish authors. London : Printed by W. Hay . . . 1775.' i6mo. 3 vols. A curious and rare collection of Poems and Songs, including satirical pieces by Sir Robert Keith Murray (I732-95)> Ambassador-Extraordinary to the Court of Vienna.

' Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, &c. Collected from memory, tradition, and ancient authors. The second edition. In two volumes. Edinburgh : Printed by John Wotherspoon for James Dickson and Charles Elliot,' MDCCLXXVI. I2mo. This is the second edition of Herd's Collection. Another and different edition in 1791 by Laurie and Symington.

' The Nightingale : a collection of ancient and modern Songs, Scots and English, none of which are in Ramsay. . . . Edinburgh : Printed for J. Murray, 1776.' I2mo.

Essay on Poetry and Music . . . [Dr. Beattie.] Edinburgh, 1776. 8vo.

' Letters from Edinburgh. [Captain Edward Topham.] Written in the years 1774 and 1775: containing some Observations on the Diversions, Customs, Manners, and Laws of the Scotch nation, during a six months' residence in Edinburgh. London : J. Dodsley, 1776.' 8vo.

' The Scots Nightingale ; or Edinburgh Vocal Miscellany. A new and select collection of the best Scots and English Songs, and a great number of valuable originals by Drs. Beattie, Goldsmith, Blacklock, Scrymgeour, Webster, Innes, Sir Harry Erskine, Messrs. Tait, Boswell, Ferguson. . . . The second edition : with the addition of one hundred modern Songs. Edinburgh : Printed by James Murray, Parliament Square, 1779.' i8mo.

Dissertation on the Scottish Music by W. Tytler, of Woodhouslee. First printed at the end of Arnot's History of Edinburgh, 1779.

' The True Loyalist ; or Chevalier's Favourite. Being a collection of elegant songs, never before printed. Also several other loyal compositions, wrote by eminent hands. Printed in the year 1779.' i8mo.

' The Sky -Lark ; or the Lady's and Gentleman's Harmonious Companion. Edinburgh , ' n . d . 1 2 mo.

' St. Cecilia ; or the Lady's and Gentleman's Harmonious Companion : being a select collection of Scots and English Songs ; many of which are originals. . . . Edinburgh : Printed by W. Darling for C. Wilson . . . 1779.' i6mo.

' Scottish Tragic Ballads. [John Pinkerton.] London: J. Nichols, 1781.' Cr. 8vo.

xxxii BIBLIOGRAPHY

' The Goldfinch; or New Modern Songster. Being a select collection of the most admired and favourite Scots and English Songs, Cantatas, &c. Edinburgh : Printed for A. Brown,' n. d. [1782]. izmo. • The first edition was published in

1777.

' The Charmer : a collection of songs, chiefly such as are eminent for Poetical merit ; among which are many originals and others that were never before printed in a Song Book. In two volumes. Vol. i. Fourth edition with improvements. Edinburgh: Printed for J. Sibbald, &c., 1782.' I2mo. Vol. ii. * an entire new collection.' The first volume is a reprint of that of 1 765 with the exception of thirteen songs substituted for twelve others omitted.

'Select Scotish Ballads. [John Pinkerton.] London : J. Nichols, 1783.' Cr. 8vo.

' The Chearful Companion, containing a select collection of favourite Scots id English Songs, Catches, &c., many of which Perth. . . . J. Gillies, Bookseller, 1783.' i6mo.

and English Songs, Catches, &c.,many of which are originals. Second edition. ~ illi

' The Poetical Museum. Containing Songs and Poems on almost every subject. Mostly from periodical publications. Hawick : printed for G. Carr, 1784.' i6mo.

The New British Songster. A collection of Songs, Scots and English, with toasts and sentiments for the Bottle. Falkirk, 1785.

' The Humming Bird: or a compleat collection of the most esteemed Songs. Containing about Fourteen hundred of the most celebrated English, Scotch, and Irish Songs. . . . Canterbury : printed and sold by Simmons and Kirby . . . 1785.' Square I2mo.

The British Songster, being a select collection of favourite Scots and English Songs, Catches, &c. Glasgow: A. Tillock . . . 1786. i6mo.

'Ancient Scotish Poems, never before in print, but now published. from the MS. collections of Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington. . . . With large notes and a Glossary. . . . London : Printed for Charles Dilly . . . 1786.' 2 vols. cr. 8vo. This is the collection of Pinkerton, who anticipated Ritson in the history of Scottish Song.

* The Busy Bee or Vocal Bepository ; being a selection of the most favourite songs . . . and a variety of Scotch and Irish Ballads, &c. London : J. S. Barr,' n. d. [1790]. I2mo. 3 vols.

The Edinburgh Syren or Musical Bouquet ; being a new selection of Modern Songs.-. . . Edinburgh: Thomas Brown, 1792. 24mo.

Essay on Scottish Songs by John Ramsay of Ochtertyre. Printed in The Bee, Edinburgh, 1794, and signed J. Runcole.

Poetry; Original and Selected. Glasgow : Printed for and sold by Brash & Reed, n. d. [1796-7]. 4 vols. i6mo.

The Nightingale, a collection of Songs, Scots, English, and Irish. Printed for and sold by the Booksellers, 1798. 24mo.

' Sangs of the Lowlands of Scotland, carefully compared with the original editions, and embellished with characteristic designs composed and engraved by the late David Allan, Esq., historical painter. Edinburgh : printed and sold by David Foulis . . . 1799.' 4to. pp. 222. •

SONG LITERATURE WITHOUT MUSIC xxxiii

The Polyhymnia : being a collection of Poetry, original and selected, by a Society of Gentlemen. Glasgow: John Murdoch, n. d. [1799]. i6mo. Twenty Nos. of eight pages each.

Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border : consisting of historical and romantic ballads, collected in the southern counties of Scotland, with a few of modern date founded upon local tradition. Kelso, 1802, for vols. i. and ii; Edinburgh, 1803, vol. iii. The final authorized edition of this collection by Sir Walter Scott was edited by J. G. Lockhart,,and published in 1833.

The Principal Collections of Scottish Ballads are : Jamieson's Popular Ballads and Songs, Edinburgh, 1806 ; Finlay's "Scottish Historical and Romantic Ballads, Edinburgh, 1808; Illustrations of Northern Antiquities, Edinburgh, 1814; Gilchrist's Ancient and Modern Scottish Ballads, Edinburgh, 1815; Struther's British Minstrel, Glasgow, 1821 ; Laing's Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1824; Laing's The Thistle of Scotland, Aberdeen, 1823; Sharpe's A Ballad Book, Edinburgh, 1823; Maidment's A North Countrie Garland, Edinburgh, 1824 ; Motherwell's Minstrelsy, Ancient and Modern, Glasgow, 1827; Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, London, 1827 ; Kinloch's The Ballad Book, Edinburgh, 1827; and Maidment's A New Book of Old Ballads, Edinburgh, 1844.

' Select Scotish Songs, Ancient and Modern. With critical observations and biographical notices, by Robert Burns. Edited by R. H. Cromek. London : Printed for T. Cad ell and W. Davies, Strand, by J. McCreery. 1810.' 2 vols. Cr. 8vo. The Notes quoted from Burns in these volumes must be received with caution.

' Illustrations of the Lyric Poetry and Music of Scotland. By the late William Stenhouse. Originally compiled to accompany -the Scots Musical Museum, and now published separately, with additional Notes and Illustrations. William Blackwood & Sons: Edinburgh and London* 1853.' 8vo. About 900 pages. Contains a facsimile Letter of Robert Burns. This important work on Scottish verse and air was begun prior to the year 1817, was printed at the close of 1820, was delayed and ultimately laid aside until 1839, when it was first published with additional Illustrations and a copious Bibliography of Scottish Music to accompany a new issue of the Scots Musical Museum. Stenhouse had the use of the MSS. of Burns's songs which were printed in the Museum, and he is more to be depended upon as a commentator of Burns than as an historical annotator on music. Although his work is .defaced by numberless erroneous dates and quotations which have to be verified, it must be admitted that he was the first investigator of Scottish music ; and all who undertake the subject are obliged to refer to his work as a starting-point. His volume contains numerous melodies dispersed in the text.

f The Poems of the Sempills of Beltrees. Now first collected, with Notes and Biographical Notices of their lives. By James Paterson. . . . Edinburgh : Stevenson, 1849.' I2mo.

Musical Memoirs of Scotland. With Historical Annotations and numerous illustrative plates. By Sir John Graham Dalyell. Edinburgh, 1849. 4to.

' Scotish Ballads and Songs. [James Maidment.] Edinburgh : Steven- son, 1859.' i6mo.

' The Dialect of the Southern Counties of Scotland : its pronunciation, grammar, and historical relations. With an appendix on the present limits of

xxxiv BIBLIOGRAPHY

the Gaelic and Lowland Scotch, and the dialectical divisions of the Lowland tongue, and a linguistical map of Scotland. By James A. H. Murray . . . London : Asher & Co., 1873.' 8vo: pp. 248.

The English, and Scottish Ballads. Edited by Francis James Child. 4to. In ten parts, or five volumes. 1882-98. The most comprehensive work of its kind.

III. SONGS AND SONG LITERATURE WITH MUSIC

This list includes all the known original collections of Scottish Song with Music, published in Scotland during the eighteenth century. The first printed music book was ' The whole Psalmes of David in English meter ' at Edinburgh, by Robert Lekprevik, 1564, included in Knox's Liturgy.

' Cantus, Songs and Fancies. To thre, foure, or five Partes, both apt for voices and viols. With, a briefe Introduction to Musick, as is taught in the Musick-schole of Aberdene by T. D., Mr of Musick. Aberdene: Printed by John Forbes, and are to be sold at his shop, MDCLXH.' Sm. ob.

The second and third editions, varied and enlarged, appeared in 1666 and 1682 respectively. The collection is chiefly English scholastic part-music.

'A choice Collection of 180 Loyal Songs, all of them written since the two late Plots, viz. the horrid Salamanca Plot in 1678 and the Fanatical Con- spiracy in 1683. Intermixt with some new Love Songs. With a table to find every song. To which is added the musical notes to each song. The third edition with many additions. London : Printed by N. T. . . . Old Spring- Garden . . . 1685,* i6mo. pp. 372.

' "Wit and Mirth ; £>r, Pills to purge melancholy. Being a collection of the best merry ballads and songs, old and new. Fitted to all Humours, having each their proper tune for either voice, or instrument : Most of the songs being new set. London : . . . Printed by W. Pearson for I. Tonson, &c., 1719-1720.' I2mo. 6 vols.

This is known as Durfey's Pills. The first edition was published in 1699, and the third in 1707. That described above is the fourth edition, the most complete, and contains some genuine Scottish airs, with numerous parodies of Scottish songs and Anglo-Scottish airs.

' Orpheus Caledonius : or, a collection of the best Scotch songs set to musick by W. Thomson.' London : engraved and printed for the author ... n. d.' [1725]. Folio. Contains fifty songs. This is the earliest collection proper of Scottish songs.

' The Musical Miscellany : being a collection of choice songs, . . . &c. London : John Watts,' 1729-31.' Sm. 8vo. 6 vols. The title-pages of vols. iii. to vi. are slightly different from above. Contains reprints of some songs in the Orpheus Caledonius, and other Scottish Songs.

A Collection of Original Scotch Songs, with a thorough Bass to each song, for the Harpsichord. London : Printed for and sold by J. Walsh, &c., n. d. [1731]. Folio. Another collection in 1734 also undated.

( Orpheus Caledonius ; or, a collection of Scots songs. Set to musick by W. Thomson. London: Printed for the author. .. 1733.' 8vo. 2 vols. The first volume is a near reprint of that of 1725, the second volume contains an additional fifty songs.

SONG LITERATURE WITH MUSIC xxxv

' Bickham's Musical Entertainer. Printed for C. Corbett at Addison's Head, Fleet Street,' n. d. [1737]. Folio. 2 vols. Contains verses, music, pictorial head-pieces and ornamental borders, finely engraved throughout by Gravelot and Bickham, of 200 songs, printed on one side of the leaf.

' Calliope ; or, English Harmony. A collection of the most celebrated Eng- lish and Scots Songs. Neatly Engrav'd and embellish'd with designs adapted to the subject of each song. . . . London : Engrav'd and sold by Henry Roberts ... in High Holborn, 1739.' 8vo. 2 vols.

'Universal Harmony; or, the Gentleman and Ladies Social Companion. Consisting of a great variety of the best and most favourite English and Scots Songs ... all neatly engraved on quarto copper plates and set to music for the voice. . . . London : Printed for J. Newbury . . . 1745.' 4to. pp. 129.

' The Muses Delight. An accurate collection of English and Italian songs ... set to music . . . and several hundred English, Irish, and Scots Songs, without the music. Liverpool : John Sadler,' 1754. 8vo. pp. 328.

' Thirty Scots Songs for a voice and harpsichord. The music taken from the most genuine sets extant ; the words from Allan Ramsay. Edinburgh : Printed and sold by R. Bremner at the Harp and Hoboy/ n. d. [1757]. Folio, pp. 33.

'A Second Set of Scots Songs for a voice and harpsichord. Edinburgh : [as above] R. Bremner,' n. d. [1757]. Folio, pp. 33.

Twelve Scots Songs for a voice or guitar, with a thorough Bass adapted for that instrument. By Robert Bremner. Edinburgh, n. d. [1760]. Ob. 4to. pp. 18.

A Collection of the best old Scotch and English Songs set for the voice, with accompaniments, and thorough Bass for the harpsichord. . . . London : Printed for J. Oswald, n. d. Folio, pp. 36.

Anthologie Fran9oise, ou Chansons Choisies [by Meusnier de Querlon], depuis le 13® siecle jusqu'a present. 1765. 8vo. 3 vols.

Twelve Songs for the voice and harpsichord. Composed by Cornforth Gilson. Edinburgh, 1769. Folio, pp. 14.

' Vocal Music ; or, the Songster's Companion. Containing a new and choice collection of the greatest variety of Songs, Cantatas,' &c. London : Printed for Robert Horsfield, n. d. [1770-5]. 12010. 3 vols.

Thirty Scots Songs adapted for a voice and harpsichord. The words by Allan Ramsay. Edinburgh. . . . N. Stewart & Co., n. d. \c. 1772]. First Book. Folio. 3 books. 92 pp. in all.

A Collection of Scots Songs adapted for a voice or harpsichord. Edin- burgh : Printed and sold by Neil Stewart. . . . n. d. [1772]. Folio, pp. 28.

A new and complete Collection of the most favourite Scots Songs, including a few English and Irish, -with proper graces. ... By Signer Corri. Edinburgh . . . Corri & 'Sutherland, n. d. [1783]. Folio. 2 vols. pp. 35 each.

Bosina. A Comic Opera as performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden (a new edition). Composed and selected by W. Shield. London : Printed by Goulding, &c., n. d. Folio. Rosina was performed for the first time in 1783.

The Musical Miscellany. A select collection of the most approved Scots, English, and Irish Songs, set to music. Perth : Printed by J. Brown,

xxxvi BIBLIOGRAPHY

MUCCLXXXVI. 1 2mo. pp. 347. Inscribed to the Provost, Baillies, and Town Council of Perth. The first handbook of songs with music printed in Scotland. All preceding collections were 4to or folio size.

. :

' The Scots Musical Museum, humbly dedicated to the Catch Club, insti- tuted at Edinr., June, 1771. By James Johnson. Vol. i. Price 6s. [vignette without border]. Edinburgh : Sold and subscriptions taken in by and for the publisher, N. Stewart, R. Bremner, Corri and Sutherland, R. Ross, Edinr. and all the music sellers in London..' Preface dated May 22, 1787. In the text Burns is named once.

Vol. ii. has the same title-page as that of vol. i. so far as the address at foot, which is altered to ' Edinburgh : Printed and sold by James Johnson, Engraver, Bells Wynd. Sold also by N. Stewart, R. Bremner, Corri and Sutherland, R. Ross, C. Elliot, W. Creech, J. Sibbald, Edinr. ; A. M'Gowan and W. Gould, Glasgow; Boyd, Dumfries; More, Dundee; Sherriffs, Aberdeen; Fisher and Atkinson, Newcastle ; Massey, Manchester ; C. Elliot, T. Kay & Co., No. 332 Strand ; Longman and Broadrip, No. 26 Cheapside, London/ Preface dated March i, 1788. Burns is named once, and that in the Index.

Vol. iii. Same title-page as vol. ii, except that the vignette has an orna- mental border surmounted by a thistle, and the address at foot is enlarged, ending with { J. Preston, No. 97 Strand, London.' Preface dated February 2, 1790, ends with ' materials for the 4th and in all probability the last volume are in great forwardness.' In the Index Burns is marked as the author of six songs.

Vol. iiii. has the same title-page as vol. iii. with the ornamental vignette as above described, but with a changed address, which is ' Edinr. Printed and sold by Johnson & Co., Music Sellers, head of Lady Stair's Close, Lawnmarket, where may be had variety of music and musical instruments lent out, Tun'd and Re- paired.' Preface is dated August 13, 1792. In the Index Burns is named as the author of six songs.

Vol. v. The title-page is throughout identical with that of vol. iiii. as follows : ' The Scots Mttsical Museum humbly dedicated to the Catch Club instituted at Edinburgh, June I771* -^Y James Johnson. Vol. v. Price 6s. [Vignette with an ornamented border surmounted by a thistle.] Edinr. Printed and sold by Johnson & Co., Music Sellers, head of Lady Stair's Close, Lawnmarket, where may be had variety of music and musical instruments lent out, Tun'd and Repaired.' Undated [Dec. 1796]. Preface undated. In the Index only Burns is named as .the author of fifteen songs, one of which, however, is not his.

Vol. vi. and last is titled as follows : ' The Scots Musical Museum in six volumes consisting of six hundred Scots Songs with proper Basses for the pianoforte, &c. Humbly dedicated to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. By James Johnson. In this publication the original simplicity of our ancient national airs is retained unincumbered with useless accompaniments and graces depriving the hearers of the sweet simplicity of their native melodies. Vol. vi. 7^. Printed and sold by Johnson, music seller, Edinburgh, to be had at T. Preston, 97 Strand, London ; MacFadyen, Glasgow, and at all the principal music sellers.' Preface is dated June 4, 1803, and jn the Index and Text Burns is marked as the author of twenty-six songs,^/ Each volume contains one hundred songs. On the completion of the worK in 1 803 the title-pages of the preceding volumes were altered and made uniform with that of the sixth ; the Prefaces were revised arid corrected ; and under the titles in the Text of many of the songs of vols. ii. to v. were added : ' Written for this work by Robert ! Burns.' During his lifetime all the songs of Burns in Johnson's Museum were * published anonymously, except those marked in the Indexes referred to above. A complete set of the original issues is very rare, and hitherto difficult to recognize. During the long course of publication the title-pages of some of the early volumes were altered more than once.

SONG LITERATURE WITH MUSIC xxxvii

Calliope ; or the Musical Miscellany. A select collection of the most approved English, Scots, and Irish Songs, set to music. London : Printed for C. Elliot and T. Kay. . . . and C. Elliot, Edinburgh, 1788. 8vo. pp. 472.

A Selection of the most favourite Scots Songs, chiefly pastoral, adapted for the harpsichord, with an accompaniment for a violin. By eminent masters. . . . London. . . . William Napier, n. d. [1790]. Folio, pp. 77.

A Selection of Original Scots Songs in three parts, the harmony by Haydn. . . . London. . . . William Napier, n. d. [1792]. Folio, pp. 101. This is the second volume of the above. Vol. iii. published in 1794.

The Edinburgh Musical Miscellany. A collection of the most approved Scotch, English, and Irish Songs ; set to music. Selected by D. Sime, Edin- burgh : printed for W. Gordon . . . 1792. I2mo. Vol. ii. printed by John Elder, 1793.

' A Selection of Scots Songs, harmonised and improved, with simple and adapted Graces. ... By Peter Urbani, professor of Music. Printed for the author and sold at his shop, foot of Carruber's Close. . . . Edinburgh,' n. d. [1793]. Folio, pp. 51. Book ii. in 1794, pp. 50; Books iii. and iv. in 1799, pp. 54 each.

' A Select Collection of Original Scotish Airs, with select and charac- teristic Scotch and English verses, the most part of which written by the celebrated R. Burns ; arranged for the voice, with introductory and concluding symphonies and accompaniments for the pianoforte. ... by P. Urbani. Edin- burgh : Printed and sold by Urbani & Listen, 10 Princes Street,' n. d. Folio, pp. 59. This is Books v. and vi. of Urbani's Collection.

Scotish Songs. In two volumes [Joseph Ritson]. London : printed by J. Johnson . . . 1794. I2mo. This contains the valuable Historical Essay on Scotish Song.

Dale's Collection of Sixty Favourite Scotch Songs, taken from the original manuscripts of the most celebrated authors and composers. . . . London . . . J. Dale, n. d. [1794]. Folio. Books ii. and iii. same year, containing sixty songs each.

-"' 'A Select Collection of Original Scotish Airs for the voice. To each of which are added introductory and concluding symphonies and accompanyments for the violin and pianoforte by Pleyel, with select and characteristic verses by the most admired Scotish Poets, adapted to each air ; many of them entirely new. Also suitable English verses in addition to each of the songs as written in the Scotish dialect, price IQJ. 6d. First set. London : printed and sold by Preston & Son . . . Strand, for the proprietor, (signed) G. Thomson/ n. d. Folio. Contains twenty-five airs, pp. 1-25. Preface dated May i, 1793.

Second set, with varied title: 'accompanyments' by Kozeluch and the 'greater number ' of the songs ' written for this work by Burns/ n. d. [1798]. Twenty- five airs, pp. 26-50.

Third set same title as second set [1799], pp. 51-75.

Fourth set : ends vol. ii., accompts. ' chiefly by Kozeluch and partly by Pleyel/ otherwise same as third set [1799], pp. 76-100. Vol. iii. pub. in 1801 ; vol. iv. 'Printed by J. Moir, 1805,' containing fifty airs each, harmonized by Haydn; and vol. v., preface dated June, 1818, containing thirty airs harmonized by Beethoven, and a mutilated version of The Jolly Beggars by Burns, set to music by Henry R. Bishop. The editor expresses ' the satisfaction he felt when he saw the practicability of excluding those passages without depriving the Poem of its unity, its raciness of humour, or its interest ' !

The above describes the original edition of George Thomson's collection, to which Burns contributed so largely. The title is rarely quoted correctly and

C3

xxxviii BIBLIOGRAPHY

the original volumes are difficult to recognize, as Thomson made numerous alterations in all the volumes during the many years of issue.

The Vocal Magazine, containing a selection of the most esteemed English, Scots, and Irish songs, ancient and modern : adapted for the harpsichord or violin. Edinburgh . . . C. Stewart & Co., 1797. 8vo. Vol. ii. in. 1798; vol. iii. in 1799-

The Musical Kepository, a collection of Scotch, English, and Irish songs set to music. Glasgow: Printed by Alex. Adams, 1799. i6mo. pp. 278.

The Jacobite Belies of Scotland : being the songs, airs, and legends of the adherents to the house of Stuart. Collected and illustrated by James Hogg. Edinburgh, 1819 and 1821. 2 vols. 8vo.

The Select Melodies of Scotland, interspersed with those of Ireland and Wales, united to the songs of Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and other dis- tinguished poets : with symphonies and accompaniments for the pianoforte by Pleyel, Kozeluch, Haydn, and Beethoven. The whole composed for and arranged by George Thomson in five vols. London: Preston, n. d. 8vo. [1822-3] with a sixth volume in 1825.

The Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time, a history of the ancient songs, ballads, and of the dance tunes of England with numerous anecdotes and entire ballads ... by W. Chappell, F. S. A. The whole of the airs harmonized by G. A. Macfarren. London: Chappell & Co., n. d. [1859]. 2 vols. 8vo. Continuous pages 823. Under a somewhat different title the work was issued to subscribers in 1855, and to the public in 1859. Although the author found it very inconvenient and troublesome to ascertain the date of publication of many of the airs, he nevertheless perpetuated the trade custom. His own work bears no date of publication either on the title or introduction.

Traditional Ballad Airs, arranged and harmonized for the pianoforte and harmonium from copies procured in the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray. By W. A. Christie & Co. Edinburgh, 1876. 410. 2 vols.

Histoire de la Chanson Populaire en France, par Julien Tiersot. Paris: Librarie Plon, 1889. pp. viii and 441.

Early Scottish Melodies : including samples from MSS. and early printed works, along with a number of comparative Tunes, Notes on former annotators, . . . Written and arranged by John Glen. Edinburgh: J. & R. Glen, 1900.

IV. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

'Orchesographie, metode et teorie en forme de discours et tablature pour apprendre a dancer, battre le tambour en toute sorte et diversite de batteries, jouer du fifre et arigot, tirer des armes et escrimer, avec autres honnestes exercices fort convenables a la jeunesse, affin d'estre bien venue et toute joyeuse compagnie et y montrer sa dexterite' et agilete* de corps. Par Thoinet Arbeau, demeurant a Lengres. A Lengres, par Jehan des Preyz, imprimeur et libraire tenant sa boutique en la rue des Merciers dicte les Pilliers. MDLXXXIX. Avec privilege du Roi.' This is the full title of a rare volume in the Bibliotheque Nationale written by a priest, Jean Tabouret, Canon of Lengres, whose anagram is Thoinet Arbeau. On pages 80 and 81 are the music and description of a Scottish dance entitled Branle d'Escossc, as opposite.

Brant ome records that he accompanied in Scotland theyoungDuc d' Angouleme, the son of Henri II by Lady Fleming the governess of Mary, Queen of Scots, and mother of Mary Fleming, one of the Queen's Maries. The Due is described

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

XXXIX

*&	KLL tte	KL
Sp ^	IJ> •T Premier B rank d'Escosse.	[5) y" Second Branle cFEscosse.
0	3
i		^ Step to left.
i	I i. Step to left.
\		Right foot approach.
<i.	Right foot approach.	1
1 i	~ ' Step to left.	1 ' Step to left.
	J Right foot across.	| % Right foot across.
i	Step to right.	1 \] Step to right.
1 U	Left foot approach.	() Left foot across.
t	Step to right.	Step to left.
	'(} Left foot across.
	h	Right foot across.
	k
	"% C*-~« 4.** 1 ~fi.
[_^L step to ielt.
	- &	n Step to right.
	^ Right foot across.
!	1 Step to right. <	Left foot approach.
i <L	Left foot across. w	Step to right.
| | 1 !	[Repeat the above	Left foot across.
twelve movements.] L _ .	^ Step to left.
i ' L 1	--	Right foot approach.
	k	1
!_-	_J	1 Step to left. ~fc
(--	1
1	L . .	' ' Right foot across.
1	.--	~|
1 L |		~() Step to right.
...	1	[} Left foot across.
T	\\	i Right foot in the air.
... i i	( 1, 1	Left foot in the air.
i M~	1 t	Right foot in the air.
-	-
(1 t±	I	Hop and capriole.

xl BIBLIOGRAPHY

as one of the best dancers of his time and as having introduced many Scottish dances to the Court of France. Tabouret, in his introduction to the Branles d'Escosse, says that they were in vogue in 1568. and refers his learners to the instrumentalists for a knowledge of the movements of the different Branles which were then popular. Contemporary evidence of dancing in Scotland in the middle of the sixteenth century is in the Complaynt of Scotland, where Branles and Brangles are named as among the other ' licht dances ' then indulged in ; but there is no example of music in Scotland so early as the preceding Scottish Branle from the Orchesographie (reprint, Paris, 1888).

Bowallan MS. c. 1620. A tablatnre lute book of fifty pages in the Edinburgh University Library which formerly belonged to Sir William Muir of Rowallan (1594-1657). It contains a few Scottish melodies.

Straloch MS. 1627-9. ' An playing book for the Ivte. Wherein ar con- tained many currents and other musical things. Musica mentis medicina maestae. At Abirdeen. Notted and collected by Robert Gordon. In the yeere of our Lord 1627, in Februarie' . . . Colophon. ' Finis huic libra im- positus. Anno D. 1629. Ad finem Decem 6. In Stra — Loth.' A small oblong 8vo volume containing the original of a number of Scottish melodies, a few of which are known. The MS. was sold by auction in March, 1842, to an unknown buyer, still undiscovered. Extracts from the MS. were made by G. F. Graham, who presented them in 1847 to the Advocates' Library.

Skene MS. c. 1615-30. A small volume in the Advocates' Library con- taining 114 tunes, some of which are repetitions. A translation in modern notation of a portion of the MS. is in Dauney's Ancient Scotish Melodies, 1838.

Airs and Sonnets, in Trinity College Library, Dublin, marked F. 5. 13, is part of the imperfect fifth volume of Woods MSS. of Psalms and Canticles with music, written in 1569, pp. 112. From p. 34 and onwards some one of later date has written verses and airs of a number of Secular Songs, ' which are all netted heir with the Tennor or common pairt they ar sung with.'

Dalhousie MS., of about the beginning of the seventeenth century, is in the Panmure Library. Contains about 160 airs.

Fitzwilliam Virginal Book [c. 1650], edited by J. A. Fuller Maitland and \V. Barclay Squire. London, 1894. Folio. A MS. of English music in the Fitzwilliam collection, Cambridge.

Guthrie MS. c. 1670. In the University Library, Edinburgh. Contains about forty tunes in tablature which have not yet been deciphered. The manuscript was discovered by David Laing in a bound volume of sermons by James Guthrie, a Covenanting minister, who was executed in 1661 for writing a pamphlet and disowning the king's authority. Most of the titles of the tunes are Scottish.

Blaikie MS. 1692. In tablature for the Viol da Gamba, containing up- wards of one hundred and ten tunes. This and another MS. of 1683 with nearly the same music have disappeared, but a copy of a portion of the 1683 MS. is in the Dundee Public Library.

Leyden MS. c. 1692. Contains about eighty tunes in tablature for the Lyra Viol and a few in modern musical notation. The present owner of the MS. is not known, but a copy is in the Advocates' Library.

Atkinson MS., 1694-5, is a small volume in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It bears the name ' Henry Atkinson his book 169^,' with a note by W. A. Chappell to the effect that Atkinson was a native of Northumberland and lived in the neighbourhood of Hartburn. It contains English and numerous Scottish tunes.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

xli

Hume MS. 1704. In the Advocates' Library. Laing MS. 1706.

Crockatt MS. 1709. Belonged to William Stenhouse (who annotated the Scots Musical Museum}, and after his death became the property of C. Kirk- patrick Sharpe, of Hoddam. It has since disappeared, and there is no known copy of it. Stenhouse often quotes it in his Illustrations.

Sinkler's MS. 1710. Bears the docket ' Margaret Sinkler aught this music book written by Andrew Adam at Glasgow October the 31 day 1710.' It is the property of Mr. John Glen, of Edinburgh, and contains over one hundred tunes partly noted on a six-line stave.

Waterston MS. c. 1715.

McFarlan MSS. 1740. Three volumes with the title ' A Collection of Scotch airs with the latest variations written for the use of Walter McFarlan of that Ilk by David Young W. M. in Edinburgh. 1740.' The second and third volumes belong to the Society of Antiquaries, Edinburgh. The first has been lost.

Before the printing of music in Scotland the originals of many Scottish airs are found in English publications, such as Playford's English Dancing Master^ 1651 (in the reprint of 1652 the title was altered to the Dancing Master, &c., and so remained to the last edition, <r. 1628); in Apollo's Banquet, 1663, in many editions ; the fifth in 1687 ; Mustek's Delight, 1666 ; and Mustek's Recreation, 1652.

1 A Collection of Original Scotch Tunes (full of the Highland Humours) for the violin : being the first of this kind yet printed : most of them being in the Compass of the flute : London : printed by William Pearson ... for Henry Playford. . . . Fleet Street, 1700.' Sin. ob. 4to. pp. 16. Tunes 39. A second edition in 1701.

Musick for Allan Ramsay's Collection Alexander Stuart and engraved by R. Cooper.

of Scots Vol. i.

Songs. Set by

and sold by Allan Ramsay, n. d. [c. 1726].

music of seventy-one songs selected from the Tea- Table 'Miscellany.

Edinburgh : printed it Only one

F Sm. ob. pp. 156. Contains the

vol. published.

' A Collection of the Choicest Scots Tunes, adapted for the harpsichord or spinnet, and within the compass of the voice, violin, or German flute. By Adam Craig. Edinburgh, 1 730.' Ob. folio, pp. 45.

A Curious Collection of Scots Tunes for a violin, bass viol, or German flute, with a thorough bass for the harpsichord. ... By James Oswald, musician in Edinburgh, n. d. [1740]. Ob. folio, pp. 42.

A Collection of Curious Scots Tunes for a violin, German flute, or harpsichord. By Mr. James Oswald. London : printed by John Simpson . . . n. d. [1742]. Folio, pp. 46. A 'Second Collection/ pp. 47, same year.

A Collection of Scots Tunes, some with variations for a violin, by William McGibbon [Book i.]. Edinburgh: printed by Richard Cooper, n. d. [1742], Ob. folio. Book ii. in 1746 ; Book iii. in 1755, both undated, pp. 36 each.

The Caledonian Pocket Companion, containing fifty of the most favourite Scotch Tunes, several of them with variations, all set for the German flute by Mr. Oswald. London : printed for J. Simpson in Sweetings Alley, n. d. [1743]. Roy. 8vo. pp. 36. The complete work with variations in the title-pages consists of twelve books or 'volumes,' all undated, averaging about thirty pages each. The approximate dates of issue are as follows : Vol. ii. 1 745 »

xlii BIBLIOGRAPHY

vol. iii. 1751 ; vol. iv. 1752 ; vol. v. 1753 ; vol. vi. 1754; vol. vii. 1755; vol. viii. 1756; vol. ix. 1758; vols. x., xi., and xii. 1759. Burns's complete copy, with his pencil notes against many of the tunes, and which he presented to Nathaniel Gow, was lately in the possession of W. Law, of Littleborough. The work contains nearly 560 tunes.

Caledonian Country Dances, being a collection of all the Scotch country dances now in vogue. . . . London : printed for and sold by J. Walsh, n. d. [1744]. Sm. ob. In eight books, various dates.

A Collection of Scots Keels or Country Dances, with a bass for the violoncello or harpsichord. . . . Edinburgh : Printed and sold by Robert Bremner . . . Ob. 4to. Published in fourteen numbers of eight pages each, between the years 1757 and 1 761, all undated. The earliest published collection of 'Reels.'

Twelve Scotch and Twelve Irish Airs, with variations set for the German flute, violin or harpsichord, by Mr. Burk Thumoth. London . . . John Simpson, n.d. [c. 1760]. Roy. 8vo. pp. 49.

c A Collection of the newest and best Heels or Country Dances. . . . Edinburgh : printed for and sold by Neil Stewart,' n. d. Ob. 4to. In nine numbers, undated, of eight pages each issued from 1761 to c. 1764.

' Fifty Favourite Scotch Airs, for a violin, German flute, and violoncello, with a thorough bass for the harpsichord.' . . . By Francis Peacock. London : printed for the publisher in Aberdeen . . . n. d. [1762]. Folio, pp. 35.

A Collection of Scots Heels or Country Dances, and Minuets. . . . Composed by John Riddell in Ayr. . . . Edinburgh : . . . Robert Bremner, n. d. [1766]. Ob. 4to. pp. 45. A second edition 'greatly improved,' Glasgow, c. 1782.

A Collection of Scots Tunes . . . and a bass for the violoncello or harpsi- chord. By William McGibbon. With some additions by Robert Bremner. London : . . . Robert Bremner, n. d. [1768]. Ob. 4to. pp. 120.

' A Collection of Favourite Scots Tunes, with variations for the violin and a bass for the violoncello and harpsichord, by the late Mr. Charles McLean and other eminent masters. Edinburgh. Printed for and sold by N. Stewart ' . . . n. d. [c. 1772]. Ob. folio, pp. 37.

Thirty-seven New Reels and Strathspeys, for the violin, harpsichord, pianoforte, or German flute. Composed by Daniel Dow. Edinburgh : printed and sold by Neil Stewart . . . n. d. [c. 1776]. Ob. 410. pp. 26.

A Collection of Ancient Scots Music for the violin, harpsichord, or German flute, never before printed. Consisting of Ports* Salutations, Marches, or Pibrochs, by Daniel Dow. Edinburgh, n.d. [c. 1776]. Folio, pp. 46.

A Collection of the Newest and best Reels and Minuets with improve- ments, adapted for the violin or German flute. ... By Joshua Campbell, Glasgow. . . . J. Aird . . . n. d. [1778]. Ob. 410.^, pp. 80.

A Collection of Strathspeys or Old Highland Reels. By Angus Gumming, at Grantown in Strathspey. Edinburgh, 1780. Ob. folio, pp. 20. The first collection of ' Strathspeys.'

A Collection of Strathspey Reels. ... By Alexander McGlashan. Edin- burgh : printed . . . and sold by Neil Stewart, n. d. [1780]. Ob. folio, pp. 34.

A Choice Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances and Strathspeys, with a bass for the violoncello or harpsichord. Edinburgh : printed and sold by Robert Ross . . . n. d. [1780]. Sm. ob. pp. 40.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

xliii

Ancient Scotish Melodies, from a manuscript of the reign of James VI, with an introductory inquiry illustrative of the music of Scotland. By William Dauney. Edinburgh, 1838. 4to.

A Collection of Scots Measures, Hornpipes, Jigs . . . with a bass for violoncello or harpsichord, by Alex. McGlashan. Edinburgh : N. Stewart & Co. , n. d. [1781]. Ob. folio, pp. 36.

A Collection of Strathspey Heels. . . . Composed by William Marshall. Edinburgh: printed for Neil Stewart, n. d. [1781]. Ob. folio, pp. 12.

A Selection of Scotch, English, Irish, and Foreign Airs. . . . Glasgow : Printed and sold by James Aird, n. d. [1782]. Sin. ob. The complete work consists of six volumes of 200 tunes each, except the last with 181. Vol. ii. in 1782; vol. iii. in 1788; the last three vols. at about 1794 to 1799, all undated.

A Collection of Highland Vocal Airs never hitherto published. To which are added a few of the most lively Country Dances or Reels of the North Highlands and Western Isles; and some specimens of Bagpipe Music. By Patrick McDonald, Minister of Kilmore, in Argyleshire. . . . Edinburgh : Corri & Sutherland, n. d. [1784]. Folio, pp. 22 and 43.

A Collection of Strathspey Keels with a bass for the violoncello or harpsi- chord, &c. ... By Niel Gow at Dunkeld. Edinburgh : Corri & Sutherland, n. d. [1784]. Folio, pp. 36. The Second Collection issued in 1788 ; third in 1792; fourth in 1800 ; fifth in 1809; and sixth in 1822. Various printers, and all undated.

A Collection cf Heels, consisting chiefly of Strathspeys, Athole Reels . . . by Alexander McGlashan. Edinburgh : printed for the publisher ... by Neil Stewart, n. d. [1786]. Ob. folio, pp. 46.

A Collection of Strathspey Heels, with a bass for the violoncello or harpsichord ... by Malcolm McDonald. Edinburgh : printed for the author, n. d. [1788]. Ob. 4to. pp. 24. ' A Second Collection' in 1789, folio, pp. 13, and a ' Third Collection ' c. 1792, pp. 12, all undated.

A Collection of Strathspey Heels and Country Dances. ... By John Bowie. Edinburgh : Neil Stewart, n. d. [1789]. pp.35.

Sixty-eight new Reels, Strathspeys, and Quick steps. . . . Composed by Robert Macintosh. Printed for the author, Edinburgh, n. d. [1793]. Folio, pp. 39.

A Collection of Scotch, Galwegian, and Border Tunes for the violin and pianoforte. . . . Selected by Robert Riddell of Glenriddell, Esq. Edinburgh : Johnson & Co., n. d. [1794]. Folio, pp. 37. The editor was the friend of Burns.

New Strathspey Reels for the pianoforte, violin, and violoncello. Com- posed by a gentleman and given with permission to be published by Nathaniel Gow. Edinburgh . . . N. Stewart & Co., n.d. [1796]. Folio, pp. 27. Said to have been composed by the Earl of Eglinton.

CORRECTIONS

Page n, No. 12, for tune see No. 103.

13, „ 14, „ No. 112.

15, „ 16, „ No. 284.

66, ,, 65, ,, No. 112.

67, » 66, line 13 from foot for -waridring read wana'ring. 69, „ 68, for tune see No. 252 or 309.

78, „ 81, „ No. 302.

95, „ 102, for No. 228 read No. 225.

97, „ 104, „ No. 228 „ No. 225.

99, „ 107, for tune see No. 308.

123, „ 135, „ No. 308.

138, „ 154, title, Thou hast, &c.

146, „ 164, for tune see No. 239.

191, „ 214, „ No. 249.

198, ,,222, title and first line, for woo read woo\

211, „ 236, for tune see No. 329.

239, „ 261, „ No. 283.

244, „ 266, crotchet D on fourth syllable should be dotted

296, ,, 315, end of first line of music should be barred.

324, ,, 341, crotchet E in second line should be dotted.

346, >, 358, stanza 3, for lunzie-bane read lunzie-banes.

352, „ 5, for 6^ read Gude.

362, „ 33, for W.S. read Writer.

367, „ 46, last line, for Scottish read Scotish.

376, „ 69, last line, for Scottish read Scotish.

418, „ 198, second last line, /should be //.

460, ,, 275, line 5, for sufra read supra.

461, ,, 279, second last line, 1797 should be 1796. 483, » 325> add in Kilmarnock ed. 2786.

5OI> )) 356, second last line, for Geddes read Geddes*

ftec-simile of Burns'

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TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

I. LOVE — PERSONAL

No. i. O, once I lovd a bonie lass.

Tune : I am a man unmarried. (Unknown.)

O, ONCE I lov'd a bonie lass, Ay, and I love her still,

And whilst that virtue warms my

breast I'll love my handsome Nell.

As bonie lasses I hae seen, And monie full as braw;

But for a modest, gracefu' mien, The like I never saw.

A bonie lass, I will confess,

Is pleasant to the e'e ; But without some better qualities

She's no a lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet ;

And, what is best of a', Her reputation is compleat,

And fair without a flaw.

She dresses ay sae clean and neat, Both decent and genteel ;

And then there's something in her

gate, Gars ony dress look weel.

A gaudy dress and gentle air May slightly touch the heart ;

But it's innocence and modesty That polishes the dart.

'Tis this in Nelly pleases me ;

'Tis this inchants my soul, For absolutely in my breast

She reigns without controul.

No. 2. In Tarbolton, ye ken.

(Tune unknown.)

IN Tarbolton, ye ken, there are proper young men, And proper young lasses and a', man ;

But ken ye the Ronalds that live in the Bennals ? They carry the gree frae them a', man.

Their father's a laird, and weel he can spare't, Braid money to tocher them a', man j

To proper young men, he'll clink in the hand Gowd guineas a hunder or twa, man.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

There's ane they ca' Jean, I'll warrant ye've seen

As bonie a lass or as braw, man ; But for sense and guid taste she'll vie wi' the best,

And a conduct that beautifies a', man.

The charms o' the min', the langer they shine The mair admiration they draw, man ;

While peaches and cherries, and roses and lilies, They fade and they wither awa, man.

If ye be for Miss Jean, tak this frae a frien',

A hint o' a rival or twa, man ; The Laird o' Blackbyre wad gang through the fire,

If that wad entice her awa, man.

The Laird o' Braehead has been on his speed For mair than a towmond or twa, man ;

The Laird o' the Ford will straught on a board, If he canna get her at a', man.

Then Anna comes in, the pride o' her kin,

The boast of our bachelors a', man ; Sae sonsy and sweet, sae fully complete,

She steals our affections awa, man.

If I should detail the pick and the wale

O' lasses that live here awa, man, The faut wad be mine, if they didna shine

The sweetest and best o' them a', man.

I lo'e her mysel, but darena weel tell,

My poverty keeps me in awe, man, For making o' rhymes, and working at times,

Does little or naething at a', man.

Yet I wadna choose to let her refuse, Nor hae't in her power to say na, man •

For though I be poor, unnoticed, obscure, My stomach's as proud as them a', man.

Though I canna ride in weel-booted pride, And flee o'er the hills like a craw, man,

I can haud up my head wi' the best o' the breed, Though fluttering ever so braw, man.

My coat and my vest, they are Scotch o' the best;

O' pairs o' guid breeks I hae twa, man, And stockings and pumps to put on my stumps,

And ne'er a wrang steek in them a', man.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

My sarks they are few, but five o' them new, Twal' hundred, as white as the snaw, man;

A ten-shillings hat, a Holland cravat ; There are no mony poets sae braw, man.

I never had friens weel stockit in means, To leave me a hundred or twa, man ;

Nae weel-tocher'd aunts, to wait on their drants, And wish them in hell for it a', man.

I never was cannie for hoarding o' money,

Or claughtin't together at a', man, I've little to spend and naething to lend,

But deevil a shilling I awe, man.

No. 3. A It ho my bed were in yon muir.

Tune : Gall JL Andante	i Water. Scots Musia -j p^ ZT-	il Museum, 1788, No.	125-
Al	tho' my bed -i — N i "T3 F	were in yon ^^^^	muir, — N J .... «r]
W — =£3-L	j . /• J ib^--	'^=^EE£E	_^ ^___

mang the hea - th.er,

my

plaidie,

Yet hap - py, hap - py

would

I be.

Had I my dear Mont - gom - erie's Peg - gy.

ALTHO' my bed were in yon muir,

Amang the heather, in my plaidie, Yet happy, happy would I be,

Had I my dear Montgomerie's Peggy.

When o'er the hill beat surly storms, And winter nights were dark and rainy,

I'd seek some dell, and in my arms I'd shelter dear Montgomerie's Peggy.

Were I a Baron proud and high,

And horse and servants waiting ready,

Then a' 'twad gie o' joy to me — The shairin't with Montgomerie's Peggy.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 4. Yestreen I met you on the moor.

Tune: Invercauld's Reel. Stewart's Reels, 1762, p. 31. Lively

CHORUS. O Tib-bic, I hae seen the day. Ye wad-na been sae shy; tr Fine.

For laik <f gear ye light - ly me, But, trvwth, I care na by.

Yestr - een I met you on the moor, Ye spak na but gaed by like stoure : tr B.C.

Ye geek at me be-cause I'm poor, But Cent a hair care I.

CHORUS. O Tibbie, I hae seen Ihe day,

Ye ivadna been sae shy ;

For laik o* gear ye lightly me,

But, trowth, I care na by.

YESTREEN I met you on the moor, Ye spak na but gaed by like stoure : Ye geek at me because I'm poor, But fient a hair care I.

When comin hame on Sunday last, Upon the road as I cam past, Ye snufft an' gae your head a cast — But, trowth, I care't na by.

I doubt na, lass, but ye may think, Because ye hae the name o' clink, That ye can please me at a wink, Whene'er ye like to try.

But sorrow tak him that 's sae mean, Altho' his pouch o' coin were clean, Wha follows ony saucy quean, That looks sae proud and high !

Altho' a lad were e'er sae smart, If that he want the yellow dirt, Ye'll cast your head anither airt, And answer him fu' dry.

But if he hae the name o' gear, Ye'll fasten to him like a brier, Tho' hardly he, for sense or lear Be better than the kye.

But, Tibbie, lass, tak my advice, Your daddie's gear maks you sae nice ; The deil a ane wad speir your price, Were ye as poor as I.

There lives a lass beside yon park, I'd rather hae her in her sark Than you, wi' a' your thousand mark That gars you look sae high.

I. LOVE ! PERSONAL

No. 5. If ye gae up to yon hill-tap.

(Tune unknown.)

IF ye gae up to yon hill-tap,

Ye'll there see bonie Peggy ; She kens her father is a laird,

And she forsooth 's a leddy.

There 's Sophy tight, a lassie bright, Besides a handsome fortune ;

Wha canna win her in a night Has little art in courtin.

Gae down by Faile, and taste the ale,

And tak a look o' Mysie ; She's dour and din, a deil within,

But aiblins she may please ye.

If she be shy, her sister try, Ye'll maybe fancy Jenny ;

If ye'll dispense wi' want o' sense- She kens hersel she 's bonie.

As ye gae up by yon hillside, Speir in for bonie Bessy ;

She'll gie ye a beck, and bid ye

light, And handsomely address ye.

There 's few sae bonie, nane sae guid In a' King George' dominion ;

If ye should doubt the truth of this — It 's Bessy's ain opinion !

No. 6. Her flowing locks, the ravens wing.

(Tune unknown.)

HER flowing locks, the raven's wing, Adown her neck and bosom hing ; How sweet unto that breast to cling, And round that neck entwine her.'

Her lips are roses wat wi' dew ; O, what a feast, her bonie mou' ! Her cheeks a mair celestial hue, A crimson still diviner!

No. 7. Had I a cave.

Tune : Robin Adair or Aileen a roon (see No. 45).

HAD I a cave on some wild distant

shore, Where the winds howl to the wave's

dashing roar,

There would I weep my woes, There seek my lost repose, Till grief my eyes should close, Ne'er to wake more !

Falsest of womankind, canst thou

declare All thy fond, plighted vows fleeting

as air ?

To thy new lover hie, Laugh o'er thy perjury, Then in thy bosom try What peace is there !

6 TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 8. // ivas upon a Lammas night.

Tune : Corn rigs. Craig's Scots Tunes, 1730, p. 42. ely

Lively

It was up - on a Lammas night, When corn rigs are

bon - ie, Be - neath the moon's un - cloud - ed light,

~W~ v X. W ^ V 0 >^. _x- * •**

held a - \va to An

nip. : The time flew by, wi'

tent - less heed, Till 'tween the late and ear

Wi' sma' per - sua - sion she

greed

To see me thro' the bar

ley.

CHORUS.

Corn rigs, an' bar-ley rigs^ An1 corn rigs are bon • ie .

I'll ne'er for - get that hap • Py

mang the rigs u<r An

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

IT was upon a Lammas night,

When corn rigs are bonie, Eeneath the moon's unclouded light,

I held awa to Annie : The time flew by, wi' tentless heed*,

Till, 'tween the late and early, Wi' sma' persuasion she agreed

To see me thro' the barley.

CHORUS. Corn rigs, an' barley rigs, An' corn rigs are bonie: ril neer forget that happy night, Amang the rigs wf Annie.

The sky was blue, the wind was still,

The moon was shining clearly ; I set her down, wi' right good will,

Amang the rigs o' barley : I kent her heart was a' my ain ;

I lov'd her most sincerely ; I kiss'd her owre and owre again,

Amang the rigs o' barley.

I lock'd her in my fond embrace ;

Her heart was beating rarely : My blessings on that happy place,

Amang the rigs o' barley ! But by the moon and stars so bright,

That shone that hour so clearly ! She ay shall bless that happy night

Amang the rigs o' barley.

I hae been blythe wi' comrades dear;

I hae been merry drinking ; I hae been joyfu' gath'rin gear;

I hae been happy thinking: But a' the pleasures e'er I saw,

Tho' three times doubled fairly, That happy night was worth them a',

Amang the rigs o' barley.

In editions 1786 and 1787, 'head'; editions 1793 and 1794, 'heed.

8

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 9. O, leave novels, ye Mauchline belles.

Scots Musical Museum, 1803, No. 573.

Tune : Ye Mauchline belles. Lively

-^- ' ^~. -^- ^

O, leave no - vels, ye Mauch-line belles, Ye' re sa - fer at your

m

spin • ning wheel! Such witch - ing books are bait - ed hooks For

r

rak • ish rooks like Rob Moss - giel. Your fine Tom Jones and

r

Gran - di • sons They make your youth - ful fan - cies reel ; They

heat your brains, and fire your veins, And then you 're prey for Rob Mossgiel.

O, LEAVE novels, ye Mauchline belles, Ye Ye safer at your spinning-wheel !

Such witching books are baited hooks For rakish rooks like Rob Mossgiel.

Your fine Tom Jones and Grandisons They make your youthful fancies reel ;

They heat your brains, and fire your veins, And then you're prey for Rob Mossgiel.

Beware a tongue that 's smoothly hung, A heart that warmly seems to feel ;

That feeling heart but acts a part — 'Tis rakish art in Rob Mossgiel.

The frank address, the soft caress,

Are worse than poisoned darts of steel ;

The frank address, and politesse, Are all finesse in Rob Mossgiel.

* An 8ve lower in original.

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

No. 10. O, wha my babie-clouts will buyf

Tune : Whare wad bonie Annie lie. Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No. 324. Lively

O, \vha my ba - bie - clouts will buy? Wha will tent me

when I cry? Wha will kiss me where I lie? The ran - tin

dog, the dad - die o't. Wha will own he did the faut?

Wha will buy the groan - in maut ? Wha will tell me

how to ca't? The ran - tin dog, the dad - die o't.

O, WHA my babie-clouts will buy? Wha will tent me when I cry? Wha will kiss me where I lie? — The rantin dog, the daddie o't.

Wha will own he did the faut? Wha will buy the groan in maut? Wha will tell me how to ca 't ? — The rantin dog, the daddie o't.

When I mount the creepie-chair, Wha will sit beside me there? Gie me Rob, I'll seek nae mair, — The rantin dog, the daddie o't.

Wha will crack to me my lane? Wha will mak me fidgin fain ? Wha will kiss me o'er again ? — The rantin dog, the daddie o't.

10

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. ii. Now westlin winds and slaughtering gnus.

Tune: Port Gordon. CaL Pocket Companion^ c. 1756, viii. p. 25. Slow

Now \vest-lin winds and slaughtering guns Bring Autumn's plea - sant

wea-ther; And the moor - cock springs, on whirr - ing wings, A

^E

mang the bloom - ing hea-ther: Now wav - ing grain, wide o'er the plain,

fr tr

lU ~^**

De - lights the wea - ry far - mer ; And the moon shines bright,

when I rove at night, To muse up - on iny charm - er.

Now westlin winds and slaught'ring guns

Bring autumn's pleasant weather ; And the moorcock springs, on whirring wings,

Amang the blooming heather : Now waving grain, wide o'er the plain,

Delights the weary farmer; And the moon shines bright, when I rove at night,

To muse upon my charmer.

The partridge loves the fruitful fells ;

The plover loves the mountains ; The woodcock haunts the lonely dells,

The soaring hern the fountains : Thro' lofty groves the cushat roves.

The path of man to shun it ; The hazel bush o'erhangs the thrush,

The spreading thorn the linnet.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

II

Thus ev'ry kind their pleasure find,

The savage and the tender ; Some social join, and leagues combine ;

Some solitary wander : Avaunt, away ! the cruel sway,

Tyrannic man's dominion ; The sportsman's joy, the murd'ring c^,

The fluttering, gory pinion !

But Peggy dear, the evening's clear,

Thick flies the skimming swallow; The sky is blue, the fields in view,

All fading green and yellow : Come let us stray our gladsome way,

And view the charms of Nature ; The rustling corn, the fruited thorn,

And ev'ry happy creature.

We'll gently walk, and sweetly talk,

Till the silent moon shine clearly ; I'll grasp thy waist, and fondly prest,

Swear how I love thee dearly : Not vernal show'rs to budding flow'rs,

Not autumn to the farmer, So dear can be, as thou to me,

My fair, my lovely charmer !

No. 12. Full well thou knowst I love tkee, dear

Tune : Rothiemnrchie 's rani.

CHORUS. Fairest maid on Devon banks, Crystal Devon, winding Devon, Wilt thou lay that frown aside, And smile as thou wert wont to. do?

FULL well thou know'st I love thee, dear, Couldst thou to malice lend an ear? O, did not love exclaim : — ' Forbear, Nor use a faithful lover so ! '

Then come, thou fairest of the fair, Those wonted smiles, O let me share; And by thy beauteous self I swear

No love but thine my heart shall know.

12

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 13. Behind yon hills where L^lgar flows.

Tune : My Nanie, O. Orpheus Caledonius, 1725, No. 38.

Slowly

5£=E

S=

Be - liind yon hills where Lu - gar flows

^

S

5*

'Mang moors an' moss - es

ny, O,

The win - try sun the day has clos'd,

And

a - wa to Nan - ie, O.

?£=

The west - lin wind blaws loud an' shill;

The night's baith mirk and rai - ny, O

But I'll get my plaid, an' out I'll steal,

An' owre the hill to

Nan • ie, O.

BEHIND yon hills where Lugar flows

'Mang moors an' mosses many, O, The wintry sun the day has clos'd,

And I'll awa to Nanie, O. The westlin wind blaws loud an* shill ;

The night's baith mirk and rainy, O ; But I'll get my plaid, an* out I'll steal,

An' owre the hill to Nanie, O.

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

T3

My Nanie 's charming, sweet an' young ;

Nae artfu' wiles to win ye, O ; May ill befa' the flattering tongue

That wad beguile my Nanie, O. Her face is fair, her heart is true ;

As spotless as she's bonie, O; The op'ning gowan, wat wi' dew,

Nae purer is than Nanie, O. A country lad is my degree,

An' few there be that ken me, O ; But what care I how few they be,

I'm welcome ay to Nanie, O. My riches a's my penny-fee,

An' I maun guide it cannie, O ; But warl's gear ne'er troubles me,

My thoughts are a', my Nanie, O. Our auld guidman delights to view

His sheep an' kye thrive bonie, O; But I'm as blythe that hauds his pleugh,

An' has nae care but Nanie, O. Come weel, come woe, I care na by,

I'll tak what Heav'n will sen' me, O ; Nae ither care in life have I,

But live, an' love my Nanie, O !

No. 14. True-hearted was he, the sad swain o the Yarrow.

Tune : Bonie Dundee. TRUE-HEARTED was he, the sad swain o' the Yarrow,

And fair are the maids on the banks of the Ayr ; But by the sweet side o' the Nith's winding river

Are lovers as faithful and maidens as fair : To equal young Jessie seek Scotia all over:

To equal young Jessie you seek it in vain ; Grace, beauty, and elegance fetter her lover,

And maidenly modesty fixes the chain. Fresh is the rose in the gay, dewy morning,

And sweet is the lily at evening close ; But in the fair presence o' lovely young Jessie

Unseen is the lily, unheeded the rose. Love sits in her smile, a wizard ensnaring ;

Enthron'd in her een he delivers his law ; And still to her charms she alone is a stranger —

Her modest demeanour's the jewel of a'!

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 15. Young Peggy blooms our boniest lass.

Tune : Loch Eroch Side. Scots Musical Museum, 1787, No. 78. Andante

Young Peg - gy blooms our bon - iest lass,

Her

blush

is like the

ing,

ro - sy dawn, the spring - ing grass,

And

glit - ter o'er the chrys - tal streams,

And chear each fresh' - ning flow

YOUNG Peggy blooms our boniest lass,

Her blush is like the morning, The rosy dawn, the springing grass,

With early gems adorning ; Her eyes outshine the radiant beams

That gild the passing shower, And glitter o'er the chrystal streams,

And chear each fresh'ning flower.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

Her lips, more than the cherries bright-

A richer dye has graced them — They charm th' admiring gazer's sight,

And sweetly tempt to taste them ; Her smile is as the ev'ning mild,

When feather'd pairs are courting, And little lambkins wanton wild,

In playful bands disporting. Were Fortune lovely Peggy's foe,

Such sweetness would relent her : As blooming Spring unbends the brow

Of surly, savage Winter. Detraction's eye no aim can gain

Her winning powers to lessen, And fretful envy grins in vain

The poison'd tooth to fasten. Ye Powers of Honor, Love, and Truth,

From ev'ry ill defend her ! Inspire the highly-favour'd youth

The destinies intend her ! Still fan the sweet connubial flame

Responsive in each bosom ; And bless the dear parental name

With many a filial blossom.

No. 1 6. Althd thou maun never be mine.

Tune : Here 's a health to them that 's awa.

CHORUS. Here's a health to ane I lo'e dear.

Here's a health to ane 1 Ide dear', Thou art sweet as the smile ivhen fond lovers meet,

And soft as their parting tear — Jessy. ALTHO' thou maun never be mine,

Altho' even hope is denied ; 'Tis sweeter for thee despairing

Than ought in the world beside — Jessy.

I mourn thro' the gay, gaudy day,

As hopeless I muse on thy charms ; But welcome the dream o' sweet slumber,

For then I am lockt in thine arms— Jessy.

I guess by the dear angel smile,

I guess by the love-rolling e'e ; But why urge the tender confession,

'Gainst Fortune's fell cruel decree? —

i6

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 17. The Catrine woods were yellow seen.

Tune : The braes o' Ballochmyle. Scots Musical Museum, 1790, No. 276.

Slow

The Ca • trine woods were yel - low seen,

The flowers de - cay'd on Ca - trine lea;

±

3

-» r

Nae lav' - rock sang on hil • lock green,

?

But Na - ture sick - en'd

the e'e ;

Thro' fa

Her - sel' in beau - ty's bloom the while

And ay the wild - wood

1 Fare - weel the braes o' Bal - loch - myle ! '

THE Catrine woods were yellow seen,

The flowers decay'd on Catrine lea ; Nae lav'rock sang on hillock green,

But Nature sicken'd on the e'e; Thro' faded groves Maria sang,

Hersel' in beauty's bloom the while j And ay the wild-wood echoes rang ; —

' Fareweel the braes o' Ballochmyle J '

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

'Low in your wintry beds, ye flowers,

Again ye'll flourish fresh and fair; Ye birdies, dumb in withVing bowers,

Again ye'll charm the vocal air ; But here, alas ! for me nae mair

Shall birdie charm, or floweret smile ; Fareweel the bonie banks of Ayr,

Fareweel ! fareweel sweet Ballochmyle !

No. 1 8. Stay, my charmer, can y OIL leave me?

Tune: An gille dubh ciar dubh. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 129.

Slaw

Stay, my charm - er, can you leave me? Cru - el,

to de

ceive me ! Well 3rou

you grieve me : Cru

charm - er, can you go? Cru • el charm - er, can you go?

STAY, my charmer, can you leave me?

Cruel, cruel to deceive me !

Well you know how much you grieve me :

Cruel charmer, can you go ?

Cruel charmer, can you go ?

By my love so ill requited,

By the faith you fondly plighted,

By the pangs of lovers slighted,

Do not, do not leave me so !

Do not, do not leave me so !

i8

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 19. My heart was ance as blythe and free.

Tune : To the weaver's gin ye go. Slowly

Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 103.

My heart was ance as blythe and free as sim - mer days were

lang ; But a bonie, west - lin weaver lad Has gart me change my sang. CHORUS.

To the weavers gin ye go, fair maids, To the weavers gin ye

go, 1 rede you right, gang ne^er at night,To the weavers gin ye go.

MY heart was ance as blythe and free

As simmer days were lang ; But a bonie, westlin weaver lad

Has gart me change my sang.

CHORUS. To the weaver s gin ye go, fair maids,

To the weaver's gin ye go, I rede you right, gang ne'er at night, To the weavers gin ye go,

My mither sent me to the town,

To warp a plaiden wab ; But the weary, weary warpin o't

Has gart me sigh and sab.

A bonie, westlin weaver lad

Sat working at his loom ; He took my heart, as wi' a net,

In every knot and thrum.

I sat beside my warpin-wheel,

And ay I ca'd it roun' ; But every shot and every knock,

My heart it gae a stoun.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

The moon was sinking in the west

Wi' visage pale and wan, As my bonie, westlin weaver lad

Convoy'd me through the glen.

But what was said, or what was done,

Shame fa' me gin I tell ; But O ! I fear the kintra soon

Will ken as weel 's mysel !

No. 20. How long and dreary is the night.

Tune: A Gaelic air. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 175. Slow

How long and drear-y is the night, When I am frae my

dear - ie !

sleep - less lye frae e'en to morn, Tho

I were ne'er sae wear - y.

sleep - less lye frae

0 — : — • 1 m. 1

Tho'

I were ne'er

How long and dreary is the night,

When I am frae my dearie ! I sleepless lye frae e'en to morn, ) , .

Tho' I were ne'er sae weary.

When I think on the happy days

I spent wi' you, my dearie : And now what lands between us lye, ) , .

How can I be but eerie !

How slow ye move, ye heavy hours,

As ye were wae and weary ! It wasna sae ye glinted by, ) ^ .

When I was wi' my dearie.

C 2

20

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 21. Yon wild mossy mountains.

Tune : Phoebe. Cal. Pocket Companion, 1752, iv. p. 19.

Where the grouse lead their cov-eys thro' the heath - er to feed,

And the shep - herd tents his flock as he pipes on his reed. tr

Where the grouse lead their cov - eys thro' the heath -er to feeci

And the shep-herd tents his flock as he pipes on his reed.

YON wild mossy ihountains sae lofty and wide,

That nurse in their bosom the youth o' the Clyde,

Where the grouse lead their coveys thro' the heather to feed, )

And the shepherd tents his flock as he pipes on his reed. \

Not Cowrie's rich valley nor Forth's sunny shores, To me hae the charms o' yon wild mossy moors ; For there, by a lanely, sequestered stream, ) , .

Resides a sweet lassie, my thought and my dream, i

Amang thae wild mountains shall still be my path, Ilk stream foaming down its ain green, narrow strath ; For there wi' my lassie the day-lang I rove, While o'er us unheeded flie the swift hours o' love.

She is not the fairest, altho' she is fair- O' nice education but sma* is her share ; • Her parentage humble as humble can be ; But I lo'e the dear lassie because she lo'es me.

tis

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

21

To Beauty what man but maun yield him a prize, In her armour of glances, and blushes, and sighs? And when wit and refinement hae polish'd her darts, ) , . They dazzle our een, as they flie to our hearts. \

But kindness, sweet kindness, in the fond sparkling e'e Has lustre outshining the diamond to me, And the heart-beating love as I'm clasp'd in her arms, ) , . O, these are my lassie's all-conquering charms !

'No. 22. Anna, thy charms my bosom fire.

Tune: Bonny Mary. CaL Pocket Companion, 1743, i. p. 24.

Slow

Ann - a, thy charms my bo - som fire, And

:gz_ iq^^zzz^ p_g ^ _i_^

with care ; But ah ! licm

boot -

to ad • mire When fa - ted to des - pair !

tr

Yet in thy pre-sence, love - ly Fair, To

hope may be for - given ; For sure 'twere im - pious

to des - pair so much in sight of Hea - ven.

ANNA, thy charms my bosom fire,

And waste my soul with care ; But ah ! how bootless to admire

When fated to despair ! Yet in thy presence, lovely Fair,

To hope may be forgiven ; For sure 'twere impious to despair

So much in sight of Heaven.

22

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 23. 'Twas even — the dewy fields were green.

Orpheus Caledonius, 1733, No. 45.

Tune : Ettrick Banks. Moderate

'Twas even— the dew - y fields were green, On ev - ery blade the

pearls hang, The Ze - phyr wan - ton'd round the bean, And

fra - grant sweets a - Jang;

glen the ma - vis sang, All Na - ture list1 - ning

seenVd the while, Ex - cept where green - wood e - choes

rang

A - mang the

braes

loch - myle.

TWAS even — the dewy fields were green,

On every blade the pearls hang, The zephyr wanton'd round the bean,

And bore its fragrant sweets alang ;

In ev'ry glen the mavis sang, All Nature list'ning seem'd the while,

Except where greenwood echoes rang Amang the braes o* Ballochmyle.

With careless step I onward stray'd, My heart rejoic'd in Nature's joy,

When, musing in a lonely glade, A maiden fair I chanced to spy : Her look was like the morning's eye,

Her air like Nature's vernal smile ; Perfection whisper'd, passing by : —

'Behold the lass o' Ballochmyle!1

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

Fair is the morn in flowery May, And sweet is night in autumn mild,

When roving thro' the garden gay, Or wand'ring in the lonely wild: But woman, Nature's darling child —

There all her charms she does compile ; Even there her other works are foil'd

By the bonie lass o' Ballochmyle. -V^

O, had she been a country maid,

And I the happy country swain, Tho' sheltered in the lowest shed

That ever rose on Scotia's plain !

Thro' weary winter's wind and rain With joy, with rapture, I would toil,

And nightly to my bosom strain The bonie lass o' Ballochmyle!

Then pride might climb the slipp'ry steep, Where fame and honours lofty shine ;

And thirst of gold might tempt the deep, Or downward seek the Indian mine: Give me the cot below the pine,

To tend the flocks or till the soil, And ev'ry day have joys divine

With the bonie lass o' Ballochmyle.

No. 24. As I gaed up by yon gate-end.

(Tune unknown.)

As I gaed up by yon gate-end, When day was waxin weary,

Wha did I meet come down the street But pretty Peg, my dearie ?

Her air sae sweet, her shape complete,

Wi' nae proportion wanting, The Queen of Love did never move

Wi' motion mair enchanting !

Wi' linked hands we took the sands

Adoun yon winding river ; O, that sweet hour and shady bower

Forget it shall I never.

24

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 25. How pleasant the banks.

Tune : Bhannerach dhon na chrie. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 157. Slow

How pleas -ant the banks of the clear wind - ing De - von,

With green spread-ing bush - es . and flow'rs bloom - ing fair !

But the

bo - ni - est flow'r on the banks of the De - von

Was once a sweet bud on the braes of the Ayr. fc.

Mild be the sun on this sweet blush - ing flo

w - er

In the gay ro - sy morn, as it bathes in the dew!

And gen - tie the fall of the soft ver - nal show - er,

That steals on the even - ing each leaf to re - new !

How pleasant the banks of the clear winding Devon,

With green spreading bushes and flow'rs blooming fair! But the boniest flow'r on the banks of the Devon

Was once a sweet bud on the braes of the Ayr. Mild be the sun on this sweet blushing flower,

In the gay rosy morn, as it bathes in the dew ! And gentle the fall of the soft vernal shower,

That steals oh the evening each leaf to renew !

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

O, spare the dear blossom, ye orient breezes,

With chill, hoary wing as ye usher the dawn ! And far be thou distant, thou reptile that seizes

The verdure and pride of the garden or lawn ! Let Bourbon exult in his gay gilded lilies,

And England triumphant display her proud rose ! A fairer than either adorns the green vallies,

Where Devon, sweet Devon, meandering flows.

No. 26. The flower it blaws, it fades, it fas.

Tune : Ye' re welcome Charlie Stewart. Scots Musical Museum, 1796, No-., 471. Lively

tdt

Stew - art, There \? ne'er a flower that blooms in May> That's

Fine.

half so fair as thou art! The flower it blaws, it

worth and truth e - ter - nal youth Will gie to Pol • ly Stew - art !

CHORUS. O lovely Polly Stewart,

O charming Polly Stewart, There 's ne'er a flower that blooms in May, That's half so fair as thou art!

THE flower it blaws, it fades, it fa's,

And art can ne'er renew it; But worth and truth eternal youth

Will gie to Polly Stewart!

May he whase arms shall fauld thy charms .

Possess a leal and true heart ! To him be given to ken the heaven

He grasps in Polly Stewart !

26

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

Slow

No. 27. From thee Eliza, I must go.

Tune: Gilderoy. Orpheus Caledonius, 1733, No. 47.

From

thee

za,

I must go, And

^

1-1

I

•t*1-4*

from my na - tive shore: The

fates be -

•een us throw A bound - less o - cean's roar;

But

bound - less o

ceans,

roar - ing wide Be -

tween my love and me, They nev - er, nev - er

di - vide My heart and soul from thee.

FROM thee Eliza, I must go,

And from my native shore : The cruel fates between us throw

A boundless ocean's roar ; But boundless oceans, roaring wide

Between my love and me, They never, never can divide

My heart and soul from thee.

Farewell, farewell, Eliza dear,

The maid that I adore ! A boding voice is in mine ear,

We part to meet no more ! But the latest throb that leaves my heart,

While Death stands- victor by, That throb, Eliza, is thy part,

And thine that latest sigh!

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

27

No. 28. Where, braving angry winter's storms.

I'une : Lament for Abercaimcy. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 195.

Moderate time

Where, brav - ing an - gry win - ter's storms, The lof - ty

chils rise, Far in their shade my Peg - gy's charms First

N r> |s

blest my wonder - ing eyes ;

As one who by Eome

fe

sav - age stream A lone - ly gem sur - veys, A - ston - ish'd

doub - ly, marks it beam With art's most pol - ish'd blaze.

WHERE, braving angry winter's storms,

The lofty Ochils rise, Far in their shade my Peggy's charms

First blest my wondering eyes ; As one who by some savage stream

A lonely gem surveys, Astonish'd doubly, marks it beam

With art's most polish'd blaze.

Blest be the wild sequester'd shade,

And blest the day and hour, Where Peggy's charms I first survey'd,

When first I felt their pow'r! The tyrant Death with grim control

May seize my fleeting breath ; But tearing Peggy from my soul

Must be a stronger death.

28

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 29. My Peggy s face, my Peggy s form.

Tune : My Peggy" s face. Scots Musical Museum, 1803, No. 501.

Slowly

d H

My Peg -gy's face, ray Peg -gy's form The frost of her - mit

age might warm, My Peg - gy's worth, my Peg - gy's mind Might

charm the first of hu-man kind. I love my Peg - gy's

an - gel air, Her face so tru - ly heaven- ly fair, Her na - live

grace so void of art ; But I a - dore my Peg-gy's heart.

MY Peggy's face, my Peggy's form The frost of hermit age might warm ; My Peggy's worth, my Peggy's mind Might charm the first of human kind. I love my Peggy's angel air, Her face so truly heavenly fair, Her native grace so void of art ; But I adore my Peggy's heart.

The lily's hue, the rose's dye, The kindling lustre of an eye — Who but owns their magic sway ? Who but knows they all decay ? The tender thrill, the pitying tear, The generous purpose nobly dear, The gentle look that rage disarms — These are all immortal charms.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

29

No. 30. By O ughtcr tyre grows the aik.

Tune: Andro and his cutty gun.

Cheerily

Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 180.

CHORUS. Blythe, blythe and mer-ry was she, Blythe was she but and ben;

Fine.

Blythe by the banks of Earn, And blythe in Glen - tu - rit glen!

By Ough-ter - tyre grows the aik, On Yarrow banks the bir - ken shaw ;

D.C.

But Phe-mie was a bon - ier lass Than braes o' Yar-row ev-er saw.

CHORUS. Blythe, Blythe and merry was si

Blythe was she but and ben ; Blythe by the banks of Earn, And blythe in Glenturit glen I

BY Oughtertyre grows the aik,

On Yarrow banks the birkeri shaw ;

But Phemie was a bonier lass Than braes o' Yarrow ever saw.

Her looks were like a flow'r in May, Her smile was like a simmer morn :

She tripped by the banks o' Earn As light's a bird upon a thorn.

Her bonie face it was as meek

As ony lamb upon a lea : The evening sun was ne'er sae sweet

As was the blink o' Phemie's e'e.

The Highland hills I've wander'd wide, As o'er the Lawlands I hae been,

But Phemie was the blithest lass That ever trode the dewy green.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 31. A rosebud, by my early walk.

Tune: A rosebud. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 189.

Slow

A rose - bud, by my ear - ly walk A - down a corn - in -

clos - ed bawk, Sae gent - ly bent its thor - ny stalk, All

on a dew • y morn - ing. Ere twice the shades

dawn are fled, In a' its crim - son glo - ry spread, And

droop - ing rich the dew - y head, It scents the ear . ly morn - ing.

A ROSEBUD, by my early walk Adown a corn-inclosed bawk, Sae gently bent its thorny stalk,

All on a dewy morning. Ere twice the shades o' dawn are fled, In a1 its crimson glory spread, And drooping rich the dewy head,

It scents the early morning.

Within the bush, her covert nest

A little linnet fondly prest,

The dew sat chilly on her breast,

Sae early in the morning. She soon shall see her tender brood, The pride, the pleasure o' the wood, Amang the fresh green leaves bedew'd,

Awake the early morning.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

So thou, dear bird, young Jeany fair, On trembling string or vocal air Shall sweetly pay the tender care

That tents thy early morning! So thou, sweet Rosebud, young and gay, Shalt beauteous blaze upon the day, And bless the parent's evening ray

That watch'd thy early morning.

No. 32. Musing on the roaring ocean.

Tune : Druimionn dubh.

Slow

McDonald's Highland Airs, 1784, No. 89.

Mus - ing

the

Which di

vides my love and

me,

Weary - ing Heav'n in

33

For his

veal wher - e'er he be.

MUSING on the roaring ocean, Which divides my love and me,

Wearying Heav'n in warm devotion For his weal where'er he be.

Hope and fear's alternate billow Yielding late to Nature's law,

Whisp'ring spirits round my pillow, Talk of him that 's far awa.

Ye whom sorrow never wounded, Ye who never shed a tear,

Care-untroubled, joy-surrounded, Gaudy Day to you is dear.

Gentle Night, do thou befriend me ;

Downy Sleep, the curtain draw : Spirits kind, again attend me,

Talk of him that 's far awa !

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 33. She's fair and fans e that causes my smart.

Tune : The lads of Leith. Cal. Pocket Companion, 1752, iv. p. 31,

Slowly

^

She 's fair and fause that caus - es my smart ; I lo'ed her

mei-kle and lang ; She 's broken her vow, she 's broken my heart, And

tr

I may e'en gae hang. A coof cam in wi'

routh o' gear, And I hae tint my dear - est dear ; But rail. tempo

wo - man is but warld's gear, Sae let the bon-ie lass gang !

SHE'S fair and fause that causes my smart;

I lo'ed her meikle and lang; She 's broken her vow, she 's broken my heart,

And I may e'en gae hang. A coof cam in wi' routh o' gear, And I hae tint my dearest dear; But Woman is but warld's gear,

Sae let the bonie lass gang!

Whae'er ye be that woman love,

To this be never blind ; Nae ferlie 'tis tho' fickle she prove,

A Woman has't by kind. O Woman lovely, Woman fair, An angel form 's faun to thy share, 'Twad been o'er meikle to gien thee mair! —

I mean an angel mind.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

33

No. 34. Now Spring has clad the grove in green,

(Tune unknown.)

Now Spring has clad the grove in green,

And strew'd the lea wi' flowers ; The furrow'd, waving corn is seen

Rejoice in fostering showers; . While ilka thing in Nature join

Their sorrows to forego, O, why thus all alone are mine

The weary steps o' woe!

The trout within yon wimpling burn

That glides, a silver dart, And, safe beneath the shady thorn,

Defies the angler's art — My life was ance that careless stream,

That wanton trout was I, But love wi' unrelenting beam

Has scorch'd my fountains dry.

The little floweret's peaceful lot,

In yonder cliff that grows, Which, save the linnet's flight, I wot,

Nae ruder visit knows, Was mine, till love has o'er me past,

And blighted a' my bloom ; And now beneath the withering blast

My youth and joy consume.

The waken'd laverock warbling springs,

And climbs the early sky, Winnowing blythe his dewy wings

In morning's rosy eye ; As little reck't I sorrow's power

Until the flowery snare O' witching love in luckless hour

Made me the thrall o' care !

O, had my fate been Greenland snows

Or Afric's burning zone, Wi' man and Nature leagu'd my foes,

So Peggy ne'er I'd known! The wretch whase doom is, ' Hope nae mair,'

What tongue his woes can tell, Within whase bosom, save despair,

Nae kinder spirits dwell.

D

34

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 35. O, wilt thou go wi me, sweet Tibbie Dunbar*

Tune: Johnny McGill. Scots Musical Museum, 1790, No. 207. Briskly

O, wilt thou go wi' me, sweet Tib - bie Dun - bar?

1 • ^ ^ 1 1 1

O, wilt thou go wi' me, sweet Tib - bie Dun - bar?

Wilt thou ride on a horse, or be drawn in a car,

Or walk by my side, O sweet Tib - bie Dun -bar?

I care na thy dad - die, his lands and his mon - ey

I care na thy kin, sae high and sae lord

But say that thou'lt hae me for bet - ter or waur,

— N

And come in thy coa - tie, sweet Tib - bie Dun - bar.

O, WILT thou go wi' me, sweet Tibbie Dunbar? O, wilt thou go wi' me, sweet Tibbie Dunbar? Wilt thou ride on a horse, or be drawn in a car, Or walk by my side, O sweet Tibbie Dunbar?

' I care na thy daddie, his lands and his money ; I care na thy kin, sae high and sae lordly: But say that thou'lt hae me for better or waur, And come in thy coatie, sweet Tibbie Dunbar.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

35

No. 36. Fate gave the word — the arrow sped.

Tune : Finlayston house. Slow

Tune: Finlayston house. Scots Musical Museum, 1790, No. 271.

Slow

, 1 tar K= 1

=J=^

Fate gave the word — the

ar - row

.^1:^^^^^^^=]=^^=:

sped, And prerc'd my dar - ling's heart;. And with him

all the joys are fled Life can to

me im - part. tr

By cru - el hands the

sap

ling drops,

In

dust

dis

hon - our'd

age s

FATE gave the word — the arrow sped,

And pierc'd my darling's heart ; And with him all the joys are fled

Life can to me impart. By cruel hands the sapling drops,

In dust dishonour'd laid: So fell the pride of all my hopes,

My age's future shade.

fu

shade.

The mother-linnet in the brake

Bewails her ravish'd young; So I for my lost darling's sake

Lament the live-day long. Death, oft I've fear'd thy fatal blow,

Now fond I bare my breast ! O, do thou kindly lay me low

With him I love at rest !

D 2

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 37. The day returns, my bosom burns.

Tune: Seventh of November. Scots Musical Museum. 1790, No. 224. Notfast

t*

The day re - turns, my bo - som burns, The bliss - ful

day we twa did meet ; Tho' win - ter wild in tern - pest

^^SHH

3;*-1-* — Ud^> 4^ '4. J— j

toil'd, Ne'er sum • mer sun was half sae sweet. Than

a' the pride that loads the tide, And cross - es

o'er the sul - try line, Than king - ly robes, than crowns and

globes, Heav'n gave me more — it made thee mine!

THE day returns, my bosom burns,

The blissful day we twa did meet ; Tho' winter wild in tempest toil'd,

Ne'er summer sun was half sae sweet. Than a' the pride that loads the tide,

And crosses o'er the sultry line, • Than kingly robes, than crowns and globes,

Heav'n gave me more — it made thee mine !

While day and night can bring delight,

Or Nature aught of pleasure give ; While joys above my mind can move,

For thee, and thee alone, I live! When that grim foe of life below

Comes in between to make us part, The iron hand that breaks our band,

It breaks my bliss, it breaks my heart !

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

37

No. 38. Ye gallants bright, I rede you right.

Tune: Bonie Ann. Scots Musical Museum, 1790, No. 215.

Slowly

Ye gal - lants bright, I rede you right, Be -

hon

Ann ; Her come - ly

tr

face sae fu' o' grace, Your heart she will tre - pan :

P^TZ

Her een sae bright like stars by night, Her skin is

like the swan ; Sae jim - ply lac'd her

gen - ty waist, That sweet - ly ye might

YE gallants bright, I rede you right,

Beware o' bonie Ann ; Her comely face sae fu' o' grace,

Your heart she will trepan : Her een sae bright like stars by night,

Her skin is like the swan ; Sae jimply lac'd her genty waist,

That sweetly ye might span.

Youth, Grace, and Love attendant move,

And Pleasure leads the van : In a' their charms, and conquering arms,

They wait on bonie Ann. The captive bands may chain the hands,

But love enslaves the man : Ye gallants braw, I rede you a',

Beware o' bonie Ann !

span.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 39. / gaed a waef^l gate yestreen.

Tune : The blue ey' d lassie. Scots Musical. Museum, 1790, No. 294. Moderate time

I gaed a wae - fu1 gate yes - treen, A

:-*£

i

3

1

gate I fear I'll dear - ly rue ; I

i.

gat my death frae twa sweet een, Twa love - ly

^

een o' bon - ie blue! 'Twas not her gold - ei

ring - lets bright, Her lips like ros - es

wat wi' • dew, Her heav - ing bo - som

ly-

white — It was her een sae bon - ie blue.

I GAED a waefu' gate yestreen,

A gate I fear I'll dearly rue ; I gat my death frae twa sweet een,

Twa lovely een o* bonie blue ! 'Twas not her golden ringlets bright,

Her lips like roses wat wi' dew, Her heaving bosom lily-white —

It was her een sae bonie blue.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

39

She talk'd, she smil'd, my heart she wyl'd,

She charm'd my soul I wist na how; And aye the stound, the deadly wound,

Cam frae her een sae bonie blue. But 'spare to speak, and spare to speed* —

She'll aiblins listen to my vow : Should she refuse, I'll lay my dead

To her twa een sae bonie blue.

No. 40. Blythe hae I been on yon hill..

Tune : The Quaker's Wife. Bremner's Reels, 1759, p. 53. Slow

fore me, Care - less il - ka thought, and free As the

*

i£^i

& T3r~jr

breeze flew o'er me :

Q:k._-r^n_L,^ .filZgfj

3p=^I^=E*_-p=J=

_=^_i_i<i_ji= __^.

Now nae Ian - ger sport and tr

play, Mirth or sang can please me ;

Les - ley

sae fair and coy,

BLYTHE hae I been on yon hill

As the lambs before me, Careless ilka thought, and free

As the breeze flew o'er me ; Now nae langer sport and play,

Mirth or sang can please me; Lesley is sae fair and coy,

Care and anguish seize me.

Care and an - guish seize me.

Heavy, heavy is the task,

Hopeless love declaring ; Trembling, I dow nocht but glow'r,

Sighing, dumb despairing ! If she winna ease the thraws

In my bosom swelling, Underneath the grass-green sod

Soon maun be my dwelling.

4o

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 41. Yestreen I had a pint o wine.

Tune: Banks of Banna. Perth Musical Miscellany, 1786, p. 75.

Merrily

Yes - treen I had

pint o' wine, A

^

place where bo - dy

saw na ; Yes - treen lay on this

breast o' mine The gow - den locks of

tr

An - na. The hun - gry Jew in wil - der - ness Re

joicing o'er his man - na Was naething to my hi - ney

bliss Up

Up - on the lips of An - na.

YESTREEN I had a pint o' wine,

A place where body saw na ; Yestreen lay on this breast o1 mine

The gowden locks of Anna. The hungry Jew in wilderness

Rejoicing o'er his manna Was naething to my hiney bliss

Upon the lips of Anna.

Ye monarchs take the east and west

Frae Indus to Savannah ; Gie me within my straining grasp

The melting form of Anna : There I'll despise imperial charms,

An Empress or Sultana, While dying raptures in her arms

I give and take wi' Anna !

Awa, thou flaunting god of day !

Awa, thou pale Diana ! Ilk star, gae hide thy twinkling ray,

When I'm to meet my Anna ! Come, in thy raven plumage, Night !

(Sun, moon, and stars, withdrawn

a'),

And bring an angel-pen to write My transports with my Anna !

POSTSCRIPT. The kirk an' state may join, an' tell

To do sic things I maunna : The kirk an' state may gae to hell,

And I'll gae to my Anna. She is the sunshine o' my e'e

To live but her I canna : Had I on earth but wishes three,

The first should be my Anna.

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

No. 42. Wishfully I look and l&nguish,

Tune: Bonie wee thing. Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No. 341.

.. Slowly ^

CHORUS. Bon • ie wee thing^ Can • nie -wee thing, Love - ly

tr# - 1~% pn - ps^ — T=-*—^ ^^^—ipiS—

wee thing) wert thou mine, I -wad wear thee

— gsst— -^ — ^=£ c^ --- q — *^B_ irg_^._*_

# tine.

+ ^i

in my bos - om Lest my jew - el it should tine.

Wish - ful - ly I look and

Ian - guish

stounds w

guish, Lest my wee thing be

na mne.

CHORUS. Bonie wee thing, cannie wee thing.

Lovely wee thing, wert thou, mine, I wad wear thee in my bosom Lest my jewel it should tine.

WISHFULLY I look and languish

In that bonie face o' thine, And my heart it stounds wi' anguish,

Lest my wee thing be na mine.

Wit and Grace and Love and Beauty

In ae constellation shine ; To adore thee is my duty,

Goddess o' this soul o' mine!

42

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 43. O, how shall /, ttnskilfu, try.

2, No, 349.

Tune : Miss Muir. Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No, 349. Cheerfully

O, how shall I, un - skil - fu\ try The

po - et's oc - cu - pa - tion? The tune - fu'

powers, in hap - py hours That \vhis - per in - spi -

ra - tion; Even they maun dare an ef • fort mair Than

aught they ev - er gave us, Ere they re - hearse in

-"g T5a.

e - f(\ial verse The charms o1 love - ly Da - vies.

Each eye, it cheers, when she ap - pears, Like Phoe - bus

in the morn - ing, When past the shower, and eve - ry

flower The gar - den is

dorn - ing! As the

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

43

wretch looks o'er

Si

be

ria's shore, When

win - ter - bound the wave is, Sae droops our heart when

we maun part Frae charm - ing, love - ly

O, HOW shall I, unskilfu' try

The poet's occupation? The tunefu' powers, in happy hours

That whisper inspiration ; Even they maun dare an effort mair

Than aught they ever gave us, Ere they rehearse in equal verse

The charms o' lovely Davies. Each eye, it cheers, when she appears,

Like Phoebus in the morning, When past the shower, and every flower

The garden is adorning! As the wretch looks o'er Siberia's shore,

When winter- bound the wave is, Sae droops our heart when we maun part

Frae charming, lovely Davies.

Her smile 's a gift frae 'boon the lift,

That maks us mair than princes ; A sceptred hand, a king's command,

Is in her darting glances : The man in arms 'gainst female charms,

Even he her willing slave is : He hugs his chain, and owns the reign

Of conquering lovely Davies. My Muse to dream of such a theme

Her feeble powers surrenders ; The eagle's gaze alone surveys

The sun's meridian splendours : I wad in vain essay the strain :

The deed too daring brave is ! I'll drap the lyre, and, mute, admire

The charms o' lovely Davies,

Da - vies.

44

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 44. O, saw ye bonie Lesley ?

Tune ! The Collier s bon:e lassie. Thomson's Scotish Airs, 1798, No. 33. Merrily

O, saw ye bon - ie Les - ley, As she gaed o'er the

— g — N — — =^ — I — -^ — & . "isrr~ — r— i

:s -F=* — M— p-^-*— ~ izJ_J ^\ fs^=^:r~^ iz~zzz£q

— ^ — — t— K) — -^g *r-*—d — i^hri — -- N— ^ —

Bor - der? She's gane like A - lex - an - der, To

spread her con - quests far - ther! To see her is to

love her, and love but her for ev - er ; For Na - ture

made her what she is, And nev - er made a - ni - ther !

O, SAW ye bonie Lesley,

As she gaed o'er the Border? She's gane, like Alexander,

To spread her conquests farther! To see her is to love her,

And love but her for ever; For Nature made her what she is,

And never made anither !

That art a queen, fair Lesley —

Thy subjects, we before thee : Thou art divine, fair Lesley —

The hearts o' men adore thee. The deil he couldna skaith thee,

Or aught that wad belang thee ; He'd look into thy bonie face,

And say : — ' I canna wrang thee ! '

I. LOVE! PERSONAL

45

The Powers aboon will tent thee,

Misfortune sha' na steer thee: Thou'rt like themsel', sae lovely,

That ill they'll ne'er let near thee. Return again, fair Lesley,

Return to Caledonie ! That we may brag we hae a lass

There 's nane again sae bonie.

No. 45. While larks with little wing.

Tune : Aileen a roon. Cat. Pocket Companion, 1753, v. p. 2r.

Slow

While larks with lit - tie wing Fann'd the pure tr

View - ing the breath - ing spring, Forth I did fare :

Gay, the sun's gol-den eye Peep'd o'er the mountains high tr

-N:

t==±=±=I

±=j=g — ^

'Such thy bloom' did I cry— 'Phil - lis the fair.'

WHILE larks with little wing

Fann'd the pure air, Viewing the breathing spring,

Forth I did fare : Gay, the sun's golden eye Peep'd o'er the mountains high ; ' Such thy bloom,' did I cry —

'Phillis the fair.'

In each bird's careless song,

Glad, I did share ; While yon wild-flowers among,

Chance led me there :

Sweet to the op'ning day, Rosebuds bent the dewy spray ; * Such thy bloom,' did I say — 'Phillis the fair.'

Down in a shady walk

Doves cooing were ; I mark'd the cruel hawk

Caught in a snare : So kind may Fortune be, Such make his destiny, He who would injure thee,

Phillis the fair.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

[o. 46. Farewell) thou stream that winding flows. Tune : Alaceyat I came owr the moor. Skene MS., c. 1630. Slow Q. — — . , =^ PSB,- 1 , .
t * 1 1 1	— ir>~r~T~F~i~ -J — —
) III 1	*-. * * • j
	1 ! L - •- — '*
Fare - well, thou stream that wind - ing flows A 9. 1 js — pf^j — T^H , — i ,
— d— 1 J ^~ «	1* M !• _—i "i
r\ * • * m P . •	r^ r r*n
	1 r i J »
round E - li - za's Q -p-- ^= r — -^	dwel - ling! O mem - 'ry, — — 1 — | p^ |=^j —
L -^ — J — 0 — f	— *— ^ * H «' — J J^*
spare the cru	Lj h~ el throes With - in my
k — ^— * — r— j* — r^ —	_p *>—*. — j* ^ _j_^_^C_.j* —
ho - som swel - 0 1 1 STT"	ling: Con - demn'd to drag a =1"" ' i 1 1 \ : 1
£=f— 3— ^=^-
^L_ : 0 — i -^ 1 ^ • hope -less chain And yet in se - cret Ian - guish, To
4- — -m	_ ,.
) ^-i— k— « — jr~"^' "	^ ^ J

feel a fire in ev - ery vein, Nor dare dis • close my an • guish !

FAREWELL, thou stream that winding flows Around Eliza's dwelling !

0 mem'ry, spare the cruel throes' Within my bosom swelling :

Condemn'd to drag a hopeless chain

And. yet in secret languish, To feel a fire in every vein,

Nor dare disclose my anguish !

Love's veriest wretch, unseen, unknown,

I fain my griefs would cover : The bursting sigh, th' unweeting groan

Betray the hapless lover.

1 know thou doom'st me to despair, Nor wilt, nor canst relieve me ;

But, O Eliza, hear one prayer — For pity's sake forgive me !

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

47

The music of thy voice I heard,

Nor wist while it enslav'd me ; I saw thine eyes, yet nothing fear'd,

Till fears no more had saved me : The unwary sailor thus, aghast,

The wheeling torrent viewing, 'Mid circling horrors sinks at last

In overwhelming ruin.

No. 47. A slave to loves unbounded sway.

Scots Musical Museum, 1803, No. 574.

Tune : The Cordwainers march.

.Slow

in mine, lass, In mine, lass, in

, --' -ym \-^ • \-

mine, lass, And swear on thy -white hand, lass, That thou -wilt Fine.

my dead - ly

fae, Un - less thou be my ain.

CHORUS. O, lay thy loof in mine, lass, In mine, lass, in mine, lass, And swear on thy white hand, lass,

That thou wilt be my ain. A SLAVE to love's unbounded sway, He aft has wrought me meikle wae ; But now he is my deadly fae, Unless thou be my ain.

There's monie a lass has broke my rest, That for a blink I hae lo'ed best ; But thou art queen within my breast, For ever to remain.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 48. Turn again, thou fair Eliza !

Tune: A Gaelic air. Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No. 368. Slow

Turn a - gain, tliou fair E - li

za! Ae kind

blink be - fore we part ; Rue on thy des - pair - ing

lov - er — Canst thou break his faith - fu' heart ?

Turn a - gain, thou fair E - li - za ! If to

m

-. 9-

t-

love thy heart de - nies For pi - ty hide the

cru - el sen - tence Un - der friend - ship's kind dis - guise.

TURN again, thou fair Eliza!

Ae kind blink before we part ; Rue on thy despairing lover —

Canst thou break his faithfu' heart ? Turn again, thou fair Eliza!

If to love thy heart denies, For pity hide the cruel sentence

Under friendship's kind disguise !

Thee, dear maid, hae I offended?

The offence is loving thee : Canst thou wreck his peace for ever,

Wha for thine wad gladly die?

: PERSONAL

49

While the life beats in my bosom, Thou shalt mix in ilka throe :

Turn again, thou lovely maiden, Ae sweet smile on me bestow !

Not the bee upon the blossom,

In the pride o' sinny noon ; Not the little sporting fairy

All beneath the simmer moon, Not the poet, in the moment

Fancy lightens in his e'e, Kens the pleasure, feels the rapture,

That thy presence gies to me.

No. 49. There was a lass, and she was fair.

To its am tune. (Unknown.)

THERE was a lass, and she was fair,

At kirk and market to be seen When a* our fairest maids were met,

The fairest maid was bonie Jean.

And ay she wrought her country wark,

And ay she sang sae merrilie ; The blythest bird upon the bush

Had ne'er a lighter heart than she !

But hawks will rob the tender joys, That bless the little lintwhite's nest,

And frost will blight the fairest flowers, And love will break the soundest rest.

Young Robie was the brawest lad, The flower and pride of a' the glen,

And he had owsen, sheep, and kye, And wanton naigies nine or ten.

He gaed wi' Jeanie to the tryste, He danced wi' Jeanie on the down,

And, lang ere witless Jeanie wist,

Her heart was tint, her peace was stown !

As in the bosom of the stream

The moonbeam dwells at dewy e'en,

So, trembling pure, was tender love Within the breast of bonie Jean.

50 TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

And now she works her country's wark, And ay she sighs \vi' care and pain,

Yet wist na what her ail might be, Or what wad make her weel again.

But did na Jeanie's heart loup light, And did na joy blink in her e'e,

As Robie tauld a tale o' love Ae e'enin on the lily lea?

The sun was sinking in the west, The birds sang sweet in ilka grove ;

His cheek to hers he fondly laid,

And whisper'd thus his tale o' love : —

1 0 Jeanie fair, I lo'e thee dear — O, canst thou think to fancy me?

Or wilt thou leave thy mammie's cot, And learn to tent the farms wi' me?

'At barn or byre thou shalt na drudge, Or naething else to trouble thee,

But stray amang the heather-bells, And tent the waving corn wi' me.'

Now what could artless Jeanie do ?

She had nae will to say him na : At length she blush'd a sweet consent,

And love was ay between them twa.

No. 50. O Philly, happy be that day.

Tune : The Sow's tail to Geordie. McGlashan's Scots Measures, 1781, p. 39. Blythly

'

O Phil - ly, hap-py be that day When, rov-ing thro' the gath-er'd hay, My youth • fu' heart was stown a way, And by thy charms, my Phil - ly.

J. LOVE : PERSONAL 51

CHORUS. For a' the joys that gowd can gie, Both. I dinna care a single flie!

\lad \ T . (lad \ ,

The \ \ I love '& the \ . \ for- me,

( lass ) ( lass ) J

( Willy.

And that's my ain dear \ „. .„ ( Phtlly.

He. O PHILLY, happy be that day

When, roving thro* the gather'd hay, My youthfu' heart was stown away,

And by thy charms, my Philly. She. O, Willy, ay I bless the grove

Where first I own'd my maiden love, Whilst thou did pledge the Powers above To be my ain dear Willy.

He. As songsters of the early year Are ilka day mair sweet to hear, So ilka day to me mair dear

And charming is my Philly. She. As on the brier the budding rose

Still richer breathes, and fairer blows, So in my tender bosom grows The love I bear my Willy.

He. The milder sun and bluer sky,

That crown my harvest cares wi' joy, Were ne'er sae welcome to my eye

As is a sight o' Philly. She. The little swallow's wanton wing,

Tho' wafting o'er the flowery spring, Did ne'er to me sic tidings bring, As meeting o' my Willy.

He. The bee, that thro* the sunny hour Sips nectar in the op'ning flower, Compar'd wi' my delight is poor

Upon the lips o' Philly. She. The woodbine in the dewy weet,

When ev'ning shades in silence meet, Is nocht sae fragrant or sae sweet As is a kiss o' Willy.

: He. Let Fortune's wheel at random rin,

And fools may tyne, and knaves may win ; My thoughts are a' bound up in ane,

And that 's my ain dear Philly. She. What 's a' the joys that gowd can gie ? I dinna care a single flie ! The lad I love's the lad for me, And that 's my ain dear Willy.

£ 2

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 51. A down winding Nith I did wander.

Tune : The muckin o' Geordys byre. Orpheus Caledom'us, 1725, No. 33.

K	— r* ^ — i — sr~
	~r	s	fw	_K	IV-		K	— p*~
x. d^	"3	c	_r	r	J	— N^	"r	— m	^

A - down wind - ing Nith I did wan - der To

—

mark the sweet flowers as they spring ; A - down winding Nith I did

-H-		s "N		CHORUS. ^ I
	^	— * — * —		-J — J— ^ — | —	hH

•wan • der Of Phil - lis to muse and to sing. A -

wa wt" your belles and your beau • ties, They nev - er wi"

^

com -pare! \Vha • ev • er hae met wt"1 tny

^

/%// - tis, Has met zvt"1 the queen <?' the Fair.

ADOWN winding Nith I did wander

To mark the sweet flowers as they spring ;

Adown winding Nith I did wander Of Phillis to muse and to sing.

CHORUS. Awa wi"1 your belles and your beauties-

They never wi her can compare! Whaever hae met wC my Phillis, Has met mi' the queen d1 the Fair.

The daisy amus'd my fond fancy,

So artless, so simple, so wild ; 'Thou emblem,' said I, *o' my Phillis' —

For she is Simplicity's child.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

53

The rosebud's the blush o' my charmer, Her sweet balmy lip when 'tis prest :

How fair and how pure is the lily ! But fairer and purer her breast.

Yon knot of gay flowers in the arbour, They ne'er wi' my Phillis can vie :

Her breath is the breath of the woodbine, Its dew-drop o' diamond her eye.

Her voice is the song o' the morning,

That wakes thro' the green-spreading grove,

When Phebus peeps over the mountains On music, and pleasure, and love.

But beauty, how frail and how fleeting !

The bloom of a fine summer's day ! While worth in the mind o' my Phillis,

Will flourish without a decay.

No. 52. Here is the glen, and here the bower.

Tune: Banks of Cree. (Unknown.)

HERE is the glen, and here the bower

All underneath the birchen shade, The village bell has told the hour —

O, what can stay my lovely maid ? 'Tis not Maria's whispering call —

'Tis but the balmy breathing gale, . Mixt with some warbler's dying fall

The dewy star of eve to hail.

It is Maria's voice I hear ; —

So calls the woodlark in the grove His little faithful mate to cheer :

At once 'tis music and 'tis love ! And art thou come ? and art thou true ?

O, welcome, dear, to love and me, And let us all our vows renew

Along the flowery banks of Cree,

54

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 53. (9, wert thou in the cauld blast.

Tune: Lenox love to Blantyre. Scots Musical Museum, 1796, No. 483.

O, wert thou in the cauld blast On yon - der lea, on

=E==P=E:

yon • der lea, My plaid - ie to the an - gry airt,

shel - ter thee, P<J shel - ter thee; Or did Mis - for - tune'

bit - ter storms A - round thee blaw, a - round thee blaw, Thy

bield should be my bo - som, To share it a', to share it a'.

Or WERT thou in the cauld blast

On yonder lea, on yonder lea, My plaidie to the angry airt,

I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee ; Or did Misfortune's bitter storms

Around thee blaw, around thee blaw, Thy bield should be my bosom,

To share it a', to share it a'.

Or were I in the wildest waste,

Sae black and bare, sae black and bare, The desert were a paradise,

If thou wert there, if thou wert there ; Or were I monarch of the globe,

Wi' thee to reign, wi' thee to reign, The brightest jewel in my crown

Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

55

No. 54. Ilk care and fear, when thou art near.

Tune: Braes o1 Balquhidder. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 193.

Slow

CHORUS. And I'll kiss thee yet, yet, And I'll kiss thee o'er a • gain ;

Fine.

And I'll kiss thee yet, yet, My ban - ie Peg ~ gy A • li ~ son.

Ilk care and fear, when thou art near, I ev - er mair de - fy them, O ;

D.C.

Young kings upon their hansel throne Are no sae blest as I am, O !

CHORUS. And I'll kiss thee yet, yet,

And I'll kiss thee o'er again And I'll kiss thee yet, yet, My bonie Peggy Alison.

ILK care and fear, when thou art near,

I ever mair defy them, O ; Young kings upon their hansel throne

Are no sae blest as I am, O !

When in my arms, wi' a' thy charms, I clasp my countless treasure, O;

I seek nae mair o' Heav'n to share Than sic a moment's pleasure, O !

And by thy een, sae bonie blue, I swear I'm thine for ever, O !

And on thy lips I seal my vow, And break it shall I never, O!

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 55 On Cessnock banks a lassie dwells.

Tune: The butcher boy. Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No. 304. Slowly ^ ^

On Cessnock banks a las - sie dwells ; Could I describe her

~ r ^s

shape and mien ; Our las - sies a' she far ex - eels; An' she has twa tr

sparkling, rogueish een ; She 's sweet - er than the morning dawn, When

ris - ing Phoe - bus first is seen; When dew - drops twin - kle

o'er the lawn; An' she has twa sparkling rogue - ish een.

\ ^j ON Cessnock banks a lassie dwells ;

Could I describe her shape and mien ; Our lasses a' she far excels ; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

She's sweeter than the morning dawn, When rising Phoebus first is seen ;

When dew-drops twinkle o'er the lawn ; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

"y She's stately like yon youthful ash,

That grows the cowslip braes between, And drinks the stream with vigour fresh ; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

She's spotless like the flow'ring thorn,

With flow'rs so white and leaves so green,

When purest in the dewy morn ; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL 57

Her looks are like the vernal May,

When ev'ning Phoebus shines serene ; While birds rejoice on every spray ;

An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

Her hair is like the curling mist,

That climbs the mountain-sides at e'en, When flow'r-reviving rains are past ;

An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

Her forehead's like the show'ry bow,

When gleaming sunbeams intervene, And gild the distant mountain's brow;

An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

Her cheeks are like yon crimson gem,

The pride of all the flowery scene, Just opening on its thorny stem;

An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

Her bosom's like the nightly snow,

When pale the morning rises keen ; While hid the murmuring streamlets flow ;

An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

v Her voice is like the ev'ning thrush,

That sings on Cessnock banks unseen ; While his mate sits nestling in the bush ; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

V Her lips are like yon cherries ripe,

That sunny walls from Boreas screen ; They tempt the taste and charm the sight ; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

Her teeth are like a flock of sheep,

With fleeces newly washen clean : That slowly mount the rising steep,

An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

J Her breath is like the fragrant breeze That gently stirs the blossom'd bean ; When Phoebus sinks behind the seas; An' she has twa sparkling, rogueish een.

J But it's not her air, her form, her face, Tho' matching beauty's fabled queen ; Tis the mind that shines in every grace, An' chiefly in her rogueish een.

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 56. O Mary, at thy window be.

Tune: Duncan Davison. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 149.

Andante

O, Ma - ry at thy window be, It is the wish'd, the trysted hour !

Those smiles and glances let me see, That make the miser's treasure poor.

How blithely wad I bide the stoure, A weary slave frae sun to sun,

Could I the rich re - ward secure — The love • ly Ma - ry Mor - i - son.

O MARY, at thy window be,

It is the wish'd, the trysted hour! Those smiles and glances let me see,

That make the miser's treasure poor.

How blithely wad I bide the stoure, A weary slave frae sun to sun,

Could I the rich reward secure — The lovely Mary Morison.

Yestreen, when to the trembling string The dance gaed thro* the lighted ha',

To thee my fancy took its wing, I sat, but neither heard nor saw : Tho' this was fair, and that was braw,

And yon the toast of a' the town, I sigh'd and said amang them a' ; —

' Ye are na Mary Morison ! '

O Mary, canst thou wreck his peace

Wha for thy sake wad gladly die ? Or canst thou break that heart of his

Whase only faut is loving thee?

If love for love thou wilt na gie, At least be pity to me shown ;

A thought ungentle canna be The thought o' Mary Morison.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

59

No. 57. Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary?

Tune : Ewe-bughts Marion. Orpheus Caledonius, 1733, No. 15. Very slow

Will ye go to the Indies, my Ma - ry, And leave auld Sco-tia's

&

shore ? Will ye go to the Indies, my Ma - ry, A - cross th' At-

Ian - tic roar ? O, sweet grows the lime and the orange,

^ p_J —

And the ap - pie

the

pine ; But a'

the charms

o' the In - dies Can nev - er e - qual thine

WILL ye go to the Indies, my Mary, And leave auld Scotia's shore?

Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary, Across th' Atlantic roar?

O, sweet grows the lime and the orange,

And the apple on the pine; But a' the charms o' the Indies

Can never equal thine.

I hae sworn by the Heavens to my Mary, I hae sworn by the Heavens to be true,

And sae may the Heavens forget me, When I forget my vow !

O, plight me your faith, my Mary, And plight me your lily-white hand j

O, plight me your faith, my Mary, Before I leave Scotia's strand !

We hae plighted our troth, my Mary,

In mutual affection to join ; And curst be the cause that shall part us !

The hour and the moment o' time I

60

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

I

No. 58. Flow gently, sweet Afton.

Tune : Afton Water. Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No. 386. Slew

Flow gently, sweet Af-ton, a - mong thy green braes, Flow gently, I'll

sing thee a song in thy praise; My Ma-ry's a - sleep by thy mur-

mur - ing stream, Flow gently, sweet Af-ton, dis - turb not her dream !

FLOW gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise j My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream !

Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds thro' the glen, Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den, Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear, I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills, Far mark'd with the courses of clear, winding rills ; There daily I wander, as noon rises high, My flocks and my Mary's sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green vallies below, Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow ; There oft, as mild ev'ning weeps over the lea, The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

The crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,

And winds by the cot where my Mary resides ;

How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,

As, gathering sweet flow'rets, she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays ; My Mary 's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream !

I. LOVE I PERSONAL

6r

No. 59. Nae gentle dames, thd neer sae fair.

Tune : McLauchlin's Scots-measure. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 117. Slowly

Nae gen - tie dames, tho' ne'er sae fair, Shall ev - er be my Mu •

se's care: Their ti - ties a' are emp - ty show — Gie me my CHORUS.

0 rf^-isr , II (•-»-

•&

High - land las - sie, O. With - in the glen sae bush - y, O ! A -

boon the plain sae ra - shyt Of I

me down wi'

£

fight gude will, To sing my High - land las - sie, Of

NAE gentle dames, tho' ne'er sae

fair,

Shall ever be my Muse's care : Their titles a' are empty show — Gie me my Highland lassie, O.

CHORUS.

Within the glen sae bushy, O / A boon the plain sae rashy, O ! I set me dozvn wi' right gude will To sing my Highland lassie, O I

O, were yon hills and vallies mine, Yon palace and 37on gardens fine, The world then the love should

know I bear my Highland lassie, O.

But fickle Fortune frowns on me, And I maun cross the raging sea ; But while my crimson currents flow I'll love my Highland lassie, O.

Altho' thro' foreign climes I range, I know her heart will never change ; For her bosom burns with honour's

glow, My faithful Highland lassie, O.

For her Til dare the billows' roar, For her I'll trace a distant shore, That Indian wealth may lustre throw Around my Highland lassie, O.

She has my heart, she has my hand, By secret troth and honor's band ! 'Till the mortal stroke shall lay me

low, I'm thine, my Highland lassie, O.

CHORUS.

Farewetl the glen sae bushy, O ! Fareweel the plain sae rashy, O I To other lands I now must go To sing my Highland lassie, O !

62

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 60. Thou lingering star with lessening ray.

Tune : Captain Cook's death. Scots Musical Museum, 1790, No. 279.

Slow

Thou ling' - ring star with less1 - ning ray, That lov'st to greet

ear - ly morn, A - gain thou ush - er'st in the day

My Ma - ry from my

soul was torn.

Ma -

ry, dear de - part - ed shade ! Where is thy place of

bliss _ - ful rest ? See'st thou thy lov - er low - ly

+J ~ "^ ^ — ' *

laid ? Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast ?

THOU ling'ring star with less'ning ray,

That lov'st to greet the early morn, Again thou usher'st in the day

My Mary from my soul was torn. O Mary, dear departed shade !

Where is thy place of blissful rest ? See'st thou thy lover lowly laid?

Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast?

That sacred hour can I forget,

Can I forget the hallow'd grove, Where, by the winding Ayr, we met

To live one day of parting love ? Eternity can not efface

Those records dear of transports past, Thy image at our last embrace :

Ah ! little thought we 'twas our last !

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

Ayr, gurgling, kiss'd his pebbled shore,

O'erhung with wild woods thickening green ; The fragrant birch and hawthorn hoar

Twin'd amorous round the raptur'd scene ; The flowers sprang wanton to be prest,

The birds sang love on every spray; Till too, too soon, the glowing west

Proclaim'd the speed of winged day.

Still o'er these scenes my memVy wakes,

And fondly broods with miser care. Time but th' impression stronger makes,

As streams their channels deeper wear. O Mary, dear departed shade !

Where is thy place of blissful rest ? See'st thou thy lover lowly laid?

Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast?

No. 61. Ye banks and braes and streams around.

Tune : Lady Catherine Ogle. Slow

Apollo's Banquet, 1686.

-N

Ye banks and braes and streams around The castle o' Mont - go-mery, Green

1

be your woods and fair your flowers, Your wa-ters ne-ver drum - lie : There Sim-

N

mer first un - fald her robes, And there the lang - est tar - ry;

For there I took the last fareweel O' my sweet High-land Ma-ry.

YE banks and braes and streams around

The castle o' Montgomery, Green be your woods, and fair your flowers,

Your waters never drumlie : There Simmer first unfald her robes,

And there the langest tarry ; For there I took the last fareweel

O' my sweet Highland Mary.

64

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

How sweetly bloom'd the gay, green birk,

How rich the hawthorn's blossom, As underneath their fragrant shade,

I clasp'd her to my bosom ! The golden hours on angel wings

Flew o'er me and my dearie ; For dear to me as light and life

Was my sweet Highland Mary.

Wi' monie a vow and lock'd embrace

Our parting was fu' tender ; And, pledging aft to meet again,

We tore oursels asunder. But O, fell Death's untimely frost,

That nipt my flower sae early ! Now green 's the sod, and cauld 's the clay,

That wraps my Highland Mary !

O, pale, pale now, those rosy lips

I aft hae kiss'd sae fondly ; And clos'd for ay the sparkling glance

That dwalt on me sae kindly ; And mouldering now in silent dust

That heart that lo'ed me dearly ! But still within my bosom's core

Shall live my Highland Mary.

No. 62. Thd cruel fate shoitld bid us part.

Tune: She rose and let me in. Orpheus Caledonius, 1733, No. 14.

Slowly tr

Tho' cruel fate should bid us part Far as the pole and line; Her

dear i-dea round my heart Should ten-der - ly en - twine. Tho' moun- tains

rise, and des - erts howl, And o - ceans roar be-tween; Yet,

dear - er than my death - less soul, I still would love my Jean.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

THO' cruel fate should bid us part

Far as the pole and line, Her dear idea round rny heart

Should tenderly entwine. Tho' mountains rise, and deserts howl,

And oceans roar between ; Yet dearer than my deathless soul

I still would love my Jean.

No. 63. Altho my back be at the wa.

Tune : The job of journey work. From Burns's MS. (Key G). Brisk

qs

Al-tho' my back be at the wa1, And tho' he be the fau-tor, Al - tho'

my back be at the wa', Yet here's his health in wa-ter ! O, wae gae

tr

by his wan-ton sides, Sae braw-lie's he could flat -ter; Till for

tr

his sake I'm slighted sair, And dree the kin - tra clat - ter ! But,

tho' my back be at the wa', Yet here's his health in wa - ter

ALTHO' my back be at the wa',

And tho' he be the fautor, Altho' my back be at the wa',

Yet here 's his health in water ! O, wae gae by his wanton sides,

Sae brawlie 's he could flatter ; Till for his sake I'm slighted sair

And dree the kintra clatter ! But, tho' my back be at the wa',

Yet here 's his health in water !

66

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 64. When first I came to Stewart Kyle.

Tune : I had a horse, and I had nae mair. Scots Mus. Museum, 1788, No. 185. Moderate time

When first I came to Stew-art Kyle My mind it was na steady ; Wher-

e'er I gaed, wlier - e'er I rade, A mistress still I had ay : But when

I came roun' by Mauchline toun, Not dreadin an - y bo - dy, My

heart was caught, be - fore I thought, And by a Mauch-line la - dy.

WHEN first I came to Stewart Kyle

My mind it was na steady ; Where'er I gaed, where'er I rade,

A mistress still I had ay ; But when I came roun' by Mauchline toun,

Not dreadin any body, My heart was caught, before I thought,

And by a Mauchline

No. 65. In Mauchline there dwells six proper young belles.

Tune : Bonie Dundee.

IN Mauchline there dwells six proper young belles,

The pride of the place and its neighbourhood a', Their carriage and dress, a stranger would guess,

In Lon'on or Paris they'd gotten it a'. Miss Miller is fine, Miss Markland 's divine,

Miss Smith she has wit, and Miss Betty is braw ; There's beauty and fortune to get wi' Miss Morton,

But Armour's the jewel for me o' them a'.

I. LOVE : PERSONAL

No. 66. O thou pale Orb that silent shines.

Tune: Scots Queen. Scots Musical Museum, 1788, No. 190.

Slow

mor - tals sleep! Thou see1 st a wretch who in - ly pines, And wan -

ders here to wail and weep! With woe

night-ly vi

SIS

Us keep Be - neath thy wan, un - warm - ing beam; And mourn, in

n - ta - tion deep, How life and love are all O THOU pale Orb that silent shines

While care-untroubled mortals sleep ! Thou seest a wretch who inly pines, And wanders here to wail and weep ! With woe I nightly vigils keep, Beneath thy wan, unwarming beam ;

And mourn, in lamentation deep, How life and love are all a dream ! O, thou bright Queen, who o'er th'expanse

Now highest reign'st with boundless sway ! Oft has thy silent-marking glance

Observ'd us, fondly-wan'dring, stray !

The time, unheeded, sped away, While Love's luxurious pulse beat high,

Beneath thy silver-gleaming ray, To mark the mutual-kindling eye. O scenes in strong remembrance set !

Scenes, never, never to return ! Scenes if in stupor I forget,

Again I feel, again I burn !

From ev'ry joy and pleasure torn, Life's weary vale I'll wander thro',

And hopeless, comfortless, I'll mourrt A faithless woman's broken vow.

F2

a dream !

63

TONE-POETRY OF ROBERT BURNS

No. 67. Again rejoicing Natiire sees.

Tune : Jockey s gray breeks. Cal. Pocket Companion, c. 1745, ii. p. 32. Brisk

A - gain re - joic - ing