bonny Dochter; and if the following rhapsody, I regret that your song for the Lea-rig is so which I composed the other day, on a charming short; the air is easy, soon sung, and very pleas Ayrshire girl, Miss -, as she passed through ing; so that, if the singer stops at the end of this place to England, will suit your taste bet- two stanzas, it is a pleasure lost ere it is well ter than the Collier Lassie, fall on and wel-possessed. come. (0 saw ye bonnie Lesslie, p. 194.) I have hitherto deferred the sublimer, more pathetic airs, until more leisure, as they will take, and deserve, a greater effort. However, they are all put into your hands, as clay into the hands of the potter, to make one vessel to hopour, and another to dishonour. Farewell, &c. No. VI. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. Ye banks, and braes, and streams around, MY DEAR SIR, Although a dash of our native tongue and manners is doubtless peculiarly congenial, and appropriate to our melodies, yet I shall be able to present a considerable number of the very Flowers of English Song, well adapted to those melodies, which in England at least will be the means of recommending them to still greater attention than they have procured there. But you will observe, my plan is, that every air shall in the first place have verses wholly by Scottish poets; and that those of English writers shall follow as additional songs, for the choice of the singer. What you say of the Ewe-bughts is just; I admire it, and never meant to supplant it. All I requested was, that you would try your hand on some of the inferior stanzas, which are apparently no part of the original song; but this I do not urge, because the song is of sufficient length though those inferior stanzas be omitted, 14th November, 1792. as they will be by the singer of taste. You must I AGREE with you that the song, Katherine not think I expect all the songs to be of superlaOgie, is very poor stuff, and unworthy, alto- tive merit; that were an unreasonable expectagether unworthy, of so beautiful an air. I tried tion. I am sensible that no poet can sit down dogto mend it, but the awkward sound Ogie recur-gedly to pen verses, and succeed well at all times. ring so often in the rhyme, spoils every attempt I am highly pleased with your humorous and at introducing sentiment into the piece. The amorous rhapsody on Bonnie Lesslie; it is a foregoing song pleases myself; I think it is in thousand times better than the Collier's Lassie. my happiest manner; you will see at first glance "The deil he cou'dna scaith thee," &c. is an ecthat it suits the air. The subject of the song is centric and happy thought. Do you not think, one of the most interesting passages of my youth- however, that the names of such old heroes as ful days; and, I own that should be much Alexander, sound rather queer, unless in pomflattered to see the verses set to an air which pous or mere burlesque verse? Instead of the would insure celebrity. Perhaps, after all, 'tis line "And never made anither," I would humthe still glowing prejudice of my heart, that bly suggest, "And ne'er made sic anither;" throws a borrowed lustre over the merits of the and I would fain have you substitute some other composition. I have partly taken your idea of Auld Rob Morris. I have adopted the two first verses, and am going on with the song on a new plan, which promises pretty well. I take up one or another, just as the bee of the moment buzzes in my bonnet-lug; and do you, sans ceremonie, make what use you choose of the productions. Adieu! &c. line for "Return to Caledonie," in the last verse, because I think this alteration of the orthography, and of the sound of Caledonia, disfigures the word, and renders it Hudibrastic. Of the other song, My wife's a winsome wee thing, I think the first eight lines very good : but I do not admire the other eight, because four of them are a bare repetition of the first verse. I have been trying to spin a stanza, but could make nothing better than the following: do you mend it, or, as Yorick did with the love-letter, whip it up in your own way. O leeze me on my wee thing, You perceive, my dear Sir, I avail myself of My ain kind dearie, O. I am interrupted. Yours, &c. the liberty which you condescend to allow me, | Gie me the hour o' gloamin grey, I remain yours faithfully, &c. P. S. Your verses upon Highland Mary, are just come to hand: they breathe the genuine spirit of poetry, and, like the music, will last for ever. No. IX. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. (Auld Rob Morris, p. 192.) 4th December, 1792. better judgment. Acquit them or condemn THE foregoing I submit, my dear Sir, to your them as seemeth good in your sight. Such verses united to such an air, with the delicate harmony of Pleyel superadded, might form a treat worthy of being presented to Apollo himself. I have heard the sad story of your Mary: you always seem inspired when you write Gray is that kind of light-horse gallop of an air, which precludes sentiment. The ludicrous is its ruling feature. of her. Duncan No. VIII. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. Dumfries, 1st December, 1798. Your alterations of my Nannie. O are perfactly right. So are those of "My wife's a wanton wee thing." Your alteration of the second stanza is a positive improvement. Now, my dear Sir, with the freedom which characterises our correspondence, I must not, cannot alter "Bonnie Lesslie." You are right, the word "Alexander" makes the line a little un couth, but I think the thought is pretty. Of "For nature made her what she is, This is in my opinion more poetical than "Ne'er made sic anither." However, it is immaterial: Make it either way. "Caledonie," I agree with you, is not so good a word as could be wished, though it is sanctioned in three or four instances by Allan Ramsay; but I cannot help it. In short, that species of stanza is the most difficult that I have ever tried. The "Lea-rig" is as follows. (Here the poet gives the two first stanzas as before, p. 244, with the following in addition.) The hunter loe's the morning sun, To rouse the mountain deer, my jo; At noon the fisher seeks the glen, Along the burn to steer, my jo; Sir. No. X. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. (Foortith Cauld, p. 222.) January 1793. MANY returns of the season to you, my dear How comes on your publication? will these two foregoing be of any service to you? I should like to know what songs you print to each tune, besides the verses to which it is set. In short, I would wish to give you my opinion on all the poetry you publish. You know it is my trade, and a man in the way of his trade may suggest useful hints, that escape men of much superior parts and endowments in other things. The four last songs with which you favoured for your perusal the only one I have yet got me, viz. Auld Rob Morris, Duncan Gray, from him, being for the fine air "Lord GreGalla Water, and Cauld Kail, are admirable. gory." The Scots verses printed with that air, Duncan is indeed a lad of grace, and his humour are taken from the middle of an old ballad, callwill endear him to every body. ed, The Lass of Lochroyan, which I do not admire. I have set down the air therefore as a creditor of yours. Many of the Jacobite songs are replete with wit and humour; might not the best of these be included in our volume of comic songs? The distracted lover in Auld Rob, and the happy shepherdess in Galla Water, exhibit an excellent contrast; they speak from genuine feeling, and powerfully touch the heart. POSTSCRIPT, FROM THE HON. A. ERSKINE. The number of songs which I had originally in view was limited, but I now resolve to include every Scotch air and song worth singing, leaving none behind but mere gleanings, to which the publishers of omnegatherum are welcome. I would rather be the editor of a collection from which nothing could be taken away, than of one to which nothing could be added. We intend presenting the subscribers with two beautiful stroke engravings; the one characteristic of the plaintive, and the other of the lively songs; and I have Dr. Beattie's pro-me a perusal of your songs, Highland Mary is mise of an essay upon the subject of our national music, if his health will permit him to write it. As a number of our songs have doubtless been called forth by particular events, or by the charms of peerless damsels, there must be many curious anecdotes relating to them. The late Mr. Tytler of Woodhouselee, I believe, knew more of this than any body, for he joined to the pursuits of an antiquary, a taste for poetry, besides being a man of the world, and possessing an enthusiasm for music beyond most of his contemporaries. He was quite pleased with this plan of mine, for I may say, it has been solely managed by me, and we had several long conversations about it, when it was in embryo. If I could simply mention the name. of the heroine of each song, and the incident which occasioned the verses, it would be gratifying. Pray, will you send me any information of this sort, as well with regard to your own songs, as the old ones? To all the favourite songs of the plaintive or pastoral kind, will be joined the delicate accompaniments, &c. of Pleyel. To those of the comic or humorous class, I think accompaniments scarcely necessary; they are chiefly fitted for the conviviality of the festive board, and a tuneful voice, with a proper delivery of the words, renders them perfect. Nevertheless, to these I propose adding bass accompaniments, because then they are fitted either for singing, or for instrumental performance, when there happens to be no singer. I mean to employ our right trusty friend Mr. Clarke to set the bass to these, which he assures me he will do, con amore, and with much greater attention than he ever bestowed on any thing of the kind. But for this last class of airs, I will not attempt to find more than one set of verses. That eccentric bard Peter Pindar, has started I know not how many difficulties, about writing for the airs I sent to him, because of the peculiarity of their measure, and the trammels hey impose on his flying Pegasus. I subjoin MR. THOMSON has been so obliging as to give most enchantingly pathetic, and Duncan Gray I am your hearty admirer, No. XII. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. 26th January, 1793. I APPROVE greatly, my dear Sir, of your plans. Dr. Beattie's Essay will of itself be a treasure. On my part, I mean to draw up an appendix to the Doctor's Essay, containing my stock of anecdotes, &c. of our Scots songs. All the late Mr. Tytler's anecdotes I have by me, taken down in the course of my acquaintance with him from his own mouth. I am such an enthusiast, that in the course of my several peregrinations through Scotland, I made a pilgri mage to the individual spot from which every song took its rise," Lochaber," and the "Braes of Ballenden," excepted. So far as the locality, either from the title of the air, or the tenor of the song, could be ascertained, I have paid my devotions at the particular shrine of every Scotch muse. I do not doubt but you might make a very valuable collection of Jacobite songe-but would it give no offence? In the mean time, do not you think that some of them, particularly "The Sow's tail to Geordie," as an air, with other words, might be well worth a place in your collection of lively songs? If it were possible to procure songs of merit, it would be proper to have one set of Scots words to every air, and that the set of words to which the notes ought to be set. There is a naivete, a pastoral simplicity, in a slight intermixture of Scots words and phraseology, which is more in unison (at least to my taste, and I will add, to every genuine Caledonian taste), with the simple pathos, or rústic sprightliness of our native music, than any English verses what ever. think it very remarkable, either for its merits, or demerits. It is impossible (at least I feel it so in my stinted powers), to be always original, entertaining, and witty. What is become of the list, &c. of your songs? I shall be out of all temper with you by and by. I have always looked on inyself as the prince of indolent correspondents, and valued myself adcordingly; and I will not, cannot bear rivalship from you, nor any body else. No. XIV. THE SAME TO THE SAME. (Wandering Willie, p. 240.) The very name of Peter Pindar, is an acquisition to your work. His "Gregory" is beautiful. I have tried to give you a set of stanzas in Scots, on the same subject, which are at your service. Not that I intend to enter the lists with Peter; that would be presumption indeed. I leave it to you, my dear Sir, to determine My song, though much inferior in poetic merit, whether the above, or the old "Through the has I think more of the ballad simplicity in it.lang Muir," be the best. (Lord Gregory, p. 209.) My most respectful compliments to the honourable gentleman who favoured me with a postscript in your last. He shall hear from me and receive his MSS. soon. No. XIII. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. (Mary Morison, p. 211.) MY DEAR SIR, • The song of Dr. Walcott on the same subject is as follows: An ope, Lord Gregory, thy door, A midnight wanderer sighs; Hard rush the rains, the tempests roar, And lightnings cleave the skies. Who comes with woe at this drear night- If she whose love did once delight, Alas! thou heard'st a pilgrim mourn, But should'st thou not poor Marian know, And think the storms that round me blow, It is but doing justice to Dr. Walcott to mention, that his song is the original. Mr. Burns saw it, liked It, and immediately wrote the other on the same subject, which is derived from an old Scottish ballad of uncertain origin. No. XV. March, 1798. THE SAME TO THE SAME. (Open the Door to Me, O, p. 219.) I do not know whether this song be really mended. No. XVL THE SAME TO THE SAME. (True-hearted was he, p. 240.) No. XVII. MR. THOMSON TO THE POET. Edinburgh, 2d April, 1793. I WILL not recognise the title you give yourself, the prince of indolent correspondents ;" but if the adjective were taken away, I think the title would then fit you exactly. It gives me pleasure to find you can furnish anecdotes with respect to most of the songs: these will be a literary curiosity. I now send you my list of the songs, which I believe will be found nearly complete. I have put down the first lines of all the English songs, which I propose giving in addition to the Scotch verses. If any others occur to you, better adapted to the character of the airs, pray mention them, when you favour me with your strictures | the moor, and several other lines in it, are beau» upon every thing else relating to the work. tiful: but in my opinion-pardon me, revered Pleyel has lately sent me a number of the shade of Ramsay! the song is unworthy of the songs, with his symphonies and accompaniments divine air. I shall try to make, or mend. For added to them. I wish you were here, that I ever, Fortune wilt thou prove, is a charming might serve up some of them to you with your song; but Logan burn and Logan braes, are own verses, by way of dessert after dinner. There sweetly susceptible of rural imagery: I'll try is so much delightful fancy in the symphonies, that likewise, and if I succeed, the other song and such a delicate simplicity in the accom- may class among the English ones. I remempaniments: they are indeed beyond all praise.ber the two last last lines of a verse in some of I am very much pleased with the several last the old songs of Logan water, (for I know & productions of your muse: your Lord Gregory, good many different ones) which I think pretty : in my estimation, is more interesting than Far, far frae me and Logan braes.” Peter's, beautiful as his is! Your Here Awa"Now my dear lad maun face his faes, The gentleman I have mentioned, whose fine taste you are no stranger to, is so well pleased both with the musical and poetical part of our work, that he has volunteered his assistance, and has already written four songs for it, which, by his own desire, I send for your perusal. No. XVIII. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. (The Soldier's Return, p. 285.) (Meg o' the Mill. p. 211.) No. XIX. THL POET TO MR. THOMSON. My Patie is a lover gay, is unequal. “His mind is never muddy," is a muddy expression indeed. "Then I'll resign and marry Pate, And syne my cockernony." This is surely far unworthy of Ramsay, or your book. My song, Rigs of barley, to the same tune, does not altogether please me; but if I can mend it, and thrash a few loose sentiments out of it, I will submit it to your consideration. The lass o' Patie's mill is one of Ramsay's best songs; but there is one loose sentiment in it, which my much-valued friend, Mr. Erskine, will take into his critical consideration. In Sir J. Sinclair's Statistical volumes are two claims, one, I think, from Aberdeenshire, and the other from Ayrshire, for the honour of this song. The following anecdote, which I had from the present Sir William Cunningham, of Robertland, who had it of the late John Earl of Loudon, I can on such authorities believe. Allan Ramsay was residing at Loudon Castle with the then Earl, father to Earl John; and one forenoon, riding, or walking out together, his Lordship and Allan passed a sweet romantic spot on Irvine water, still called "Patie's Mill," where a bonnie lass was "tedding hay, bareheaded on the green." My Lord observed to Allan, that it would be a fine theme for a hind, he composed the first sketch of it, which song. Ramsay took the hint, and lingering behe produced at dinner. 7th April, 1799. THANK you, my dear Sir, for your packet. You cannot imagine how much this business of composing for your publication has added to my enjoyments. What with my early attachment to ballads, your book, &c. ballad-making is now as completely my hobby-horse, as ever fortification was Uncle Toby's; so I'll e'en canter it away till I come to the limit of my race, (God) grant that I may take the right side of the win-but for consistency's sake alter the name "AdoOne day I heard Mary say, Is a fine song; ning-post!) and then cheerfully looking back Was there ever such banus published, as on the honest folks with whom I have been happy, I shall say, or sing, "Sae merry as we aa purpose of marriage between Adonis and Mahae been!" and raising my last looks to the whole ry? I agree with you that my song, There's human race, the last words of the voice of Coi-nought but care on every hand, is much superila shall be "Good night and joy be wi' you mill, mill O, though excellent, is, on account of or to Poortith cauld. The original song, The a'!" So much for my last words: now for a few present remarks, as they have occurred at random, on looking over your list. The first lines of The last time I came o'er The gentleman alluded to was Mr. Andrew Erskine. The poet adopted part of the alterations, and Jejected the rest. nis." delicacy, inadmissible; still I like the title, and think a Scottish song would suit the notes best; and let your chosen song, which is very pretty, follow, as an English set. The banks of the Dee is, you know, literally Langoles to slow time. The song is well enough, but has some false imagery in it: for instance, |