By heedless chance I turned mine eyes, Had I a statue been o' stane, His darin' look had daunted me; And frae his harp sic strains did flow, As ever met a Briton's ear. He sang wi' joy the former day, He weeping wailed his latter times; A favourite walk of Burns during his residence in Dumfries was one along the right bank of the river above the town, terminating at the ruins of Lincluden Abbey and Church, which occupy a romantic situation on a piece of rising-ground in the angle at the junction of the Cluden Water with the Nith. These ruins include many fine fragments of ancient decorative architecture, and are enshrined in a natural scene of the utmost beauty. Burns, according to his eldest son, often mused amidst the Lin cluden ruins. There is one position on a little mount, to the south of the church, where a couple of landscapes of witching loveliness are obtained, set, as it were, in two of the windows of the ancient building. It was probably the 'Calvary' of the ancient church precinct. This the younger Burns remembers to have been a favourite resting-place of the poet. Such is the locality of the grand and thrilling ode, entitled A Vision, in which he hints-for more than a hint could not be ventured upon-his sense of the degradation of the ancient manly spirit of his country under the conservative terrors of the passing era. 1 Var.-Now looking over firth and fauld Her horn the pale-faced Cynthia reared; SONGS IN JOHNSON'S FIFTH VOLUME. OUT OVER THE FORTH. TUNE-Charlie Gordon's welcome Hame. Out over the Forth I look to the north, But what is the north and its Highlands to me? That happy my dreams and my slumbers may be; The lad that is dear to my babie and me. 71 SOMEBODY! TUNE-For the Sake of Somebody. For the sake of somebody. I could range the world around, Ye powers that smile on virtuous love, I wad do what wad I not? For the sake o' somebody! [The whole of this song was written by Burns, except the third and fourth lines of stanza first, which are taken from Ramsay's song to the same tune.'-Stenhouse.] WILT THOU BE MY DEARIE ? AIR-The Sutor's Dochler. Wilt thou be my dearie? When sorrow wrings thy gentle heart, I swear and vow that only thou Only thou, I swear and vow, Lassie, say thou loes me; Thou, for thine may choose me, LOVELY POLLY STEWART. TUNE-Ye're welcome, Charlie Stewart. O lovely Polly Stewart ! O charming Polly Stewart ! There's not a flower that blooms in May That's half so fair as thou art. But worth and truth eternal youth Will give to Polly Stewart. May he whose arms shall fauld thy charms, Possess a leal and true heart; To him be given to ken the heaven He grasps in Polly Stewart. O lovely Polly Stewart ! O charming Polly Stewart! There's ne'er a flower that blooms in May That's half so sweet as thou art. [Polly Stewart was the daughter of a certain Willie Stewart, on whom Burns wrote some impromptu stanzas. She was reared in comfortable circumstances, a few miles from Burns's residence at Ellisland, and was married to a gentleman of large property. Sad to relate of one for whom Burns promised that worth and truth would give her eternal youth, this poor woman fell aside from the path of honour, and sunk into the most humble circumstances in her old age. It was stated a few years ago, that she lived as a poor lavender' (to use a phrase of Barbour's) in Maxwelltown. She is believed to have subsequently died in France.j SONGS IN JOHNSON'S FIFTH VOLUME. COULD AUGHT OF SONG.1 TUNE-At Setting Day. Could aught of song declare my pains, They who but feign a wounded heart When wastes the soul with anguish ? Then let the sudden bursting sigh WAE IS MY HEART. TUNE-Wae is my Heart. Wae is my heart, and the tear's in my ee; Love, thou hast pleasures, and deep hae I loved: Oh, if I were happy, where happy I hae been, 1 The air to which Burns wrote this song, was the production of Dr Samuel IV. D It 73 HERE'S TO THY HEALTH, MY BONNIE LASS. TUNE-Laggan Burn. Here's to thy health, my bonnie lass, But I can live without thee: Thou'rt aye sae free informing me I ken they scorn my low estate, Sma' siller will relieve me. I count my health my greatest wealth, I'll fear nae scant, I'll bode nae want, But far-off fowls hae feathers fair, And aye until ye try them: Though they seem fair, still have a care, They may prove waur than I am. But at twal at night, when the moon shines bright, My dear, I'll come and see thee; For the man that loes his mistress weel, Nae travel makes him weary. Of the songs which appeared in Johnson's fifth volume, there are others which Burns had to some extent amended as they passed through his hands; but as the songs themselves are of no great merit, and the improvements by Burns make no conspicuous appearance amidst their rough, and often indelicate stanzas, they are postponed to a subordinate place in this work. After all, the fifth volume of Johnson did not apparently exhaust the contributions of the poet, for in a sixth, published in 1803, there are a few pieces undoubtedly by him. |