It were mair meet that those fine feet Were weel laced up in silken shoon, And 'twere more fit that she should sit Within yon chariot gilt aboon. Her yellow hair, beyond compare, Comes trinkling down her swan-white neck, And her two eyes, like stars in skies, Would keep a sinking ship frae wreck. O Mally's meek, Mally's sweet, Mally's modest and discreet, Mally's rare, Mally's fair, Mally's every way complete. SAE FAR AWA.‡ TUNE DALKEITH MAIDEN BRIDGE.' O, SAD and heavy should I part, Gie body strength, then I'll ne'er start Of this Song all which can be said is, that it occurs in the Musical Museum, p. 461, with Burns' name. How true is love to pure desert, And nocht can heal my bosom's smart, I feel but her's, sae far awa; O STEER HER UP.t TUNE O STEER HER UP, AND HAUD HER GAUN.' O STEER her and haud her gaun up Her mother's at the mill, jo; And gin she winna take a man, E'en let her take her will, jo: O steer her up, and be na blate, The first four lines of this Song, which occurs in the Musical Museum, p. 520, with Burns' name, are old. Ne'er break your heart for ae rebute, O, WHAR DID YE GET.† TUNE BONNIE DUNDEE.' O, WHAR did ye get that hauver meal bannock? O gin I saw the laddie that gae me't! Aft has he doudled me up on his knee; May Heaven protect my bonnie Scots laddie, And send him safe hame to his babie and me! This Song occurs in the Musical Museum, p. 100, but not with Burns' name. Mr. Allan Cunningham says, part of it is old, and that all that is natural or tender in it was added by Burns. The following characteristic letter from the Poet, sending a copy to his friend Mr. Cleghorn, shews how much of it should be attributed to Burns: Dear Cleghorn,-You will see by the above that I have added a stanza to Bonnie Dundee. If you think it will do, you may set it agoing 'Upon a ten string instrument "R. B. 'Mr. Cleghorn, farmer-God bless the trade." My blessin's upon thy sweet wee lippie, THE FETE CHAMPETRE.‡ TUNE KILLIECRANKIE.' O WHA will to Saint Stephen's house, The occasion of this ballad, which Burns sent to Mr. Thomson in December, 1794, is thus stated by Mr. Allan Cunningham, on the authority of Gilbert Burns: "When Mr. Cunninghame, of Enterkin, came to his estate, two mansion-houses, Enterkin and Anbank, were both in a ruinous state. Wishing to introduce himself with some eclat to the county, he got temporary erections made on the banks of Ayr, tastefully decorated with shrubs and flowers, for a supper and ball, to which most of the respectable families in the county were invited. It was a novelty in the county, and attracted much notice. A dissolution of parliament was soon expected, and this festivity was thought to be an introduction to a canvass for representing the county. Come, will ye court a noble lord, Or buy a score o' lairds, man? For worth and honour pawn their word, Anbank, wha guess'd the ladies' taste, When Love and Beauty heard the news, Sir Politics to fetter, As their's alone, the patent-bliss, Then mounted Mirth, on gleesome wing, Several other candidates were spoken of, particularly Sir John Whitefoord, then residing at Cloncaird, commonly pronounced Glencaird, and Mr. Boswell, the well-known biographer of Dr. Johnson. The political views of this festive assemblage, which are alluded to in the ballad, if they ever existed, were, however, laid aside, as Mr. C. did not canvass the county." |