And wi' the merry ploughman she'll whistle and sing, And at night she'll return to her nest back again. I'LL AYE CA' IN BY YON TOWN. I'll aye ca' in by yon town, And by yon garden green, again ; I'll aye ca' in hy yon town, And see my bonnie Jean again. There's nane sall ken, there's nane sall guess, What brings me back the gate again, But she my fairest, faithfu' lass, And stownlins* we sall meet again. She'll wander by the aiken tree, When trystin-timet draws near again; And when her lovely form I see, O haith, she's doubly dear again! WHISTLE O'ER THE LAVE O'T. First when Maggy was my care, Whistle o'er the lave o't. Meg was meek, and Meg was mild, Nearest to heaven ;-sweet emblem of his songt, Who sung thee wakening by the daisy's side ! Grahame's Birds of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 4. * Stownlins-By stealth. + Trystin-time-The time of appointment. * Burns, -Wiser men than me's beguil'd ; Whistle o'er the lave o't. How we live, my Meg and me, -Whistle o'er the lave o't, Wha I wish were maggot's meat, Whistle o'er the lave o't, YOUNG JOCKEY. Young Jockey was the blythest lad In a' our town or here awa; Fu' lightly danc'd he in the ha'! He roos'd my waist sae genty sma; An'aye my heart came to my mou, When ne'er a body heard or saw. My Jockey toils upon the plain, Thro' wind and weet, thro' frost and snaw; And o'er the lee I leuk fu' fain When Jockey's owsen hameward ca'. An' aye the night comes round again, When in his arms he taks me a'; An'aye he vows he'll be my ain As lang's he has breath to draw. M'PHERSON'S FAREWELL. Farewell, ye dungeons, dark and strong, The wretch's destinie! * The gaud-at the plough. MiPherson's time will not be long On yonder gallows tree. Sae rantingly, sae wantonly, Sae dauntingly gaed he ; Below the gallows tree. On mony a bloody plain Sae rantingly, &c. Untie these bands from off my hando, And bring to me my sword ; Sae rantingly, dc. I've lived a life of sturt and strife ; I die by treacherie ; Sae rantingly, doc. Now farewell light, thou sunshine bright, And all beneath the sky !"- Sae rantingly, &c. SONG, Here's a bottle and an honest friend ! What wad ye wish for mair, mån? Wha kens, before his life may end, What his share may be of care, man? Then catch the moments as they fly, And use them as ye ought, man:Believe me, happiness is shy, And comes pot aye when sought, man.. SONG. Tune-Braes o' Balquhidder. I'll kiss thee yet, yet, An' i'll kiss thee o'er again, My bonnie Peggy Alison ! Ilk care and fear, when they are near, I ever mair defy them, O; I'll kiss thee, 6c. When in my arms, wi' a' thy charms, I clasp my countless treasure, 0; I'll kiss thee, &c. And by thy e'en sae bonnie blue, I swear I'm thine for ever, O!And on thy lips I seal my vow, And break it shall I never, o! I'll kiss thee, C. SONG*. Tune-If he be a butcher neat and trim. On Cessnock banks there lives a lass, Could I describe her shape and mien : The graces of her weelfar'd face, And the glancin' of her sparklin' e’en. She's fresher than the morning dawn When rising Phæbus first is seen, When dewdrops twinkle o’er the lawn; And she's twa glancin' sparklin' e'en. She's stately like yon youthful ash, That grows the cowslip braes between, And shoots its head above each bush; An' she's twa glancin', sparklin'e'en. she's spotless as the flowring thorn, With flow'rs so white and leaves so green, When purest in the dewy morn; An she's twa glancin' sparklin' e'en. lIer looks are like the sportive lamb, When flow'ry May adorns the scene, That wantons round its bleating dam ; An' she's twa glancin' sparklin' e'en. Her hair is like the curling mist Thạt shades the inuuntain side at e'en, When flow'r-reviving rains are past; An' she's twa glancin' sparklin' e'en. Her forehead's like the show'ry bow, When shining sunbeams intervene, * This song was an early production. It was recovered by the editor from the oral communication of a lady residing at Glasgow, whom the bard in early life affectionately admired. |