ROBERT BURNS.

1759-1796.

CRAIGIEBURN WOOD.

In August, 1792, Johnson published the fourth volume of his Scots Musical Museum, containing a number of songs by Burns, either wholly original, or improvements upon rude ditties of the olden time. Such as have not already been inserted in connection with particular dates and circumstances are here presented.

SWEET closes the eve on Craigieburn Wood,
And blithely awaukens the morrow;
But the pride of the spring in the Craigieburn
Wood

Can yield me nothing but sorrow.

Beyond thee, dearie, beyond thee, dearie, beside
And oh, to be lying beyond thee!
O sweetly, soundly, weel may he sleep
That's laid in the bed beyond thee.

I see the spreading leaves and flowers,
I hear the wild birds singing;

But pleasure they hae nane for me,
While care my heart is wringing.

I canna tell, I maunna tell,

I darena for your anger;

But secret love will break my heart,
If I conceal it langer.

I see thee gracefu', straight, and tall,
I see thee sweet and bonny;
But oh, what will my torments be,
If thou refuse thy Johnnie!

To see thee in another's arms,
In love to lie and languish,

"Twad be my dead, that will be seen, death My heart wad burst wi' anguish.

But, Jeanie, say thou wilt be mine,
Say thou lo'es nane before me,
And a' my days o' life to come
I'll gratefully adore thee.

ET. 34.]

CRAIGIEBURN WOOD.

3

CRAIGIEBURN WOOD.

The above, Burns himself tells us, was composed as a representation of the passion which a Mr. Gillespie, a particular friend of his, had for a young lady named Lorimer [the Chloris of two years later], who had been born at Craigieburn Wood, a beautiful place near Moffat. The names of Gillespie and Lorimer are still to be seen inscribed on a pane in the poet's parlor window at Ellisland. As Miss Lorimer was born in 1775, she must have been only sixteen at most when wooed vicariously in these impassioned stanzas. It was not her destiny to become Mrs. Gillespie; but it was reserved for her to be the subject of many other lays by Burns, as will be learned more particularly further on. Burns afterwards altered and reduced the song of Craigieburn Wood into the following more correct, but also tamer form.

SWEET fa's the eve on Craigieburn,
And blithe awakes the morrow;
But a' the pride o' spring's return
Can yield me nocht but sorrow.

I see the flowers and spreading trees,
I hear the wild birds singing;

4

FRAE THE FRIENDS AND LAND I LOVE. [1792.

But what a weary wight can please,
And care his bosom wringing?

Fain, fain would I my griefs impart,
Yet darena for your anger;
But secret love will break my heart
If I conceal it langer.

If thou refuse to pity me,

If thou shalt love anither,

When yon green leaves fade frae the tree,
Around my grave they'll wither.

FRAE THE FRIENDS AND LAND I LOVE.

AIR Carron Side.

"Burns says of this song: 'I added the last four lines by way of giving a turn to the theme of the poem, such as it is.' The whole song, however, is in his own handwriting, and I have reason to believe it is all his own." - Stenhouse.

FRAE the friends and land I love

Driven by Fortune's felly spite,

Frae my best beloved I rove,

Never mair to taste delight;

AT. 34.] MEIKLE THINKS MY LOVE.

Never mair maun hope to find
Ease frae toil, relief frae care:
When remembrance wracks the mind,
Pleasures but unveil despair.

Brightest climes shall mirk appear,
Desert ilka blooming shore,
Till the Fates nae mair severe,
Friendship, Love, and Peace restore;
Till Revenge, wi' laurelled head,
Bring our banished hame again,

And ilk loyal bonny lad

Cross the seas and win his ain.

5

MEIKLE THINKS MY LOVE.

TUNE-My Tocher's the Jewel.

Although this song appears in the Museum with the name of Burns, Mrs. Begg affirms that it is in reality only an improvement by her brother upon an old song.

O MEIKLE thinks my luve o' my beauty,
And meikle thinks my luve o' my kin;
But little thinks my luve I ken brawlie

know well

My tocher's the jewel has charms for him. portion