AE FOND KISS.

TUNE-"Rory Dall's port.” AE fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas! for ever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee. Who shall say that Fortune grieves him, While the star of hope she leaves him? Me, nae cheerfu’ twinkle lights me; Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov’d sae blindly,
Never met-or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest;
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure !
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas! for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

Whistle, and I'll come to you.

17

OH WHISTLE AN'I'LL COME TO YOU,

MY LAD.
TUNE-"Whistle an' I'll come to you, my lad."
Oh whistle an' I'll come to you, my lad,
Oh whistle an' I'll come to you, my lad;
Tho' father an’ mither an'a' should gae mad,
Oh whistle an' I'll come to you, my

lad.

But warily tent, when ye come to court me,
And come na unless the back yett be a-jee;
Syne up the back stile, and let naebody see,
An' come as ye were na comin' to me.

An' come, &c.

At kirk, or at market, whene'er you meet me,
Gang by me as tho' that ye cared nae a flee;
But steal me a blink o' your bonnie black e'e,
Yet look as ye were na looking at me.

Yet look, &c.

Aye vow an' protest that ye care na for me,
An' whiles ye may lightly my beauty a wee;
But court na anither, tho' jokin' ye be,
For fear that she wile your fancy frae me.

For fear, &c.

C

HANDSOME NELL.*

TUNE-“I am a man unmarried."

Oh once I lov'd a bonnie lass,

Ay, and I love her still; An' whilst that honour warms my breast

I'll love my handsome Nell.

As bonnie lasses I ha'e seen,
An'
mony

full as braw;
But for a modest, gracefu' mien,

The like I never saw.

A bonnie lass, I will confess,

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

She's no the lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blithe and sweet,

An', what is best of a', Her reputation is complete,

An' fair without a flaw.

She dresses aye sae clean and neat,

Both decent and genteel: An' then there's something in her gait

Gars ony dress look weel.

Bonnie Lesley.

19

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 enchants my soul; For absolutely in my breast

She reigns without control.

BONNIE LESLEY.
TUNE="The collier's bonnie lassie.

Oh saw ye bonnie Lesley,

As she gaed owre the border? She's gane, like Alexander,

To spread her conquests farther.

To see her is to love her,

An' love but her for ever;
For nature made her what she is

An' never made anither!

Thou art a queen, fair Lesley,

Thy subjects we, before thee; Thou art divine, fair Lesley,

The hearts o' men adore thee.

The de'il he could na scaith thee,

Or aught that wad belang thee;
He'd look into thy bonnie face,

An' say, “ I canna wrang thee !”

The powers aboon will tent thee;

Misfortune sha' na steer thee;
Thou ’rt like themselves sae lovely,

That ill they 'll ne'er let near thee.

Return again, fair Lesley,

Return to Caledonie !
That we may brag, we ha’e a lass

There's nane again sae bonnie.

a

I DREAM'D I LAY WHERE FLOWERS

WERE SPRINGING. (“These two stanzas I composed when I was seventeen: they are among the oldest of my printed pieces.”—Burns. ] I DREAM'D I lay where flowers were springing

Gaily in the sunny beam;
List’ning to the wild birds singing,

By a falling crystal stream:
Straight the sky grew black and daring;

Thro’ the woods the whirlwinds rave;
Trees with aged arms were warring

O’er the swelling drumlie wave.