song as I conveyed my chest so far on the road to Greenock, where I was to embark in a few days for Jamaica (November, 1786). I meant it as a farewell dirge to my native land."-BURNS. Professor Walker gives the following account relating to this song. "I requested him (Burns) to communicate some of his unpublished poems, and he recited his farewell song to the Banks of Ayr, introducing it with a description of the circumstances under which it was composed, more striking than the poem itself. He had left Dr. Laurie's family, after a visit which he expected to be the last, and on his way home, had to cross a wide stretch of solitary moor. His mind was strongly affected by parting for ever with a scene where he had tasted so much elegant and social pleasure; and depressed by the contrasted gloom of his prospects, the aspect of nature harmonised with his feelings; it was a lowering and heavy evening in the end of autumn. The wind was up, and whistled through the rushes and long spear grass which bent before it. The clouds were driving across the sky; and cold pelting showers at intervals added discomfort of body to cheerlessness of mind. Under these circumstances, and in this frame, Burns composed this poem. PAGE 205, NOTE 319.-This song relates to an incident in real life. The unfortunate heroine was a beautiful woman, daughter to a landed gentleman of Carrick, and niece to a baronet. Her lover was a landed gentleman of Wigtonshire. A mother without the sanction of matrimony, and deserted by her lover, she died of a broken heart. On the subsequent death of her brother, her younger sister inherited the family property, but not without opposition from an unexpected quarter. The seducer and deserter of the deceased lady now appeared in a court of law, to endeavour to establish the fact of a secret marriage with her, so as to entitle him. to succeed to her brother's estate, as the father and heir of her deceased child, whose claim, of course, would have been preferable to that of the younger sister, if his legitimacy could have been proved. In this attempt, the seducer, it is gratifying to add, was not successful. How can ye chant, ye little birds, And I sae fu' o' care! Thou'll break my heart, thou bonnie bird, When my fause luve was true. Thou'll break my heart, thou bonnie bird, And wist na o' my fate. And sae did I o' mine. But left the thorn wi' me. -BURNS. PAGE 205, NOTE 330.-"I composed these stanzas standing under the falls of Aberfeldy, at or near Moness, in Perthshire.". This was in the course of his Highland Excursion, in the month of September, 1787. After PAGE 205, NOTE 321.-James Macpherson was a noted Highland freebooter, of uncommon personal strength, and an excellent performer on the violin. holding the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray in fear for some years, he was seized by Duff, of Braco, ancestor of the Earl of Fife, and tried before the sheriff of Banffshire (November 7, 1700), along with certain gipsies who had been taken in his company. In the prison, while he lay under sentence of death, he composed a song, an appropriate air, the former commencing thus: "I've spent my time in rioting, Debauched my health and strength; I squandered fast as pillage came, But dantonly and wantonly, and I'll play a tune, and dance it roun", Beneath the gallows tree." When brought to the place of execution, on the Gallow-hill of Banff (Nov. 16), he played the tune on his violin, and then asked if any friend was present who would accept the instrument as a gift at his hands. No one coming forward, he indignantly broke the violin on his knee, and threw away the frag The following was the original version of the song, written soon after the poet's departure from Ayrshire, and afterwards altered to suit an air composed by a Mr. Miller,ments; after which he submitted to his writer in Edinburgh : Ye flowery banks o' bounie Doon, How can ye bloom sae fair! fate. The traditionary accounts of Macpherson's immense prowess are justified by his sword, which is still preserved in Duff House, at Banff, and is an implement of The own verses in that strain accordingly. Mr. great length and weight-as well as by his bones, which were found a few years ago, and were allowed by all who saw them to be much stronger than the bones of ordinary men. The verses of Burns-justly called by Mr. Lockhart, "a grand lyric, -were designed as an improvement on those of the freebooter, preserving the same air. In the edition of the poet's works, superintended by Messrs. Hogg and Motherwell (Glasgow, 1834), the reader will find ampler information on the subject of Macpherson and his "Rant." PAGE 207, NOTE 322.-The individual here meant is William, fourth Viscount of Strathallan, who fell on the insurgent side at the battle of Culloden, April, 1746. Burns, probably ignorant of this his real fate, de- PAGE 208, NOTE 327.-"I composed scribes him as having survived the action, these verses," says Burns, "out of compliand taken refuge from the fury of the government to a Mrs. McLachlan, whose husband meat forces in a Highland fastness. PAGE 207, NOTE 323.-These verses were composed on a charming girl, a Miss Charlotte Hamilton, who was since married to James M'Kitrick Adair, Esq., physician. She is sister of my worthy friend, Gavin | Hamilton, of Mauchline, and was born on the banks of Ayr, but was, at the time I wrote these lines, residing at Harvieston, in Clackmannanshire, on the romantic banks of the little river Devon."-BURNS. It was in the course of a short tour in company with Dr. Adair, August 1787, that the poet saw Miss Hamilton, at Harvieston. Introducing his fellow-traveller to the family, he was the means of bringing about an union, from which, says Adair, in 1800, “I have derived, "I and expect further to derive, much happiness." PAGE 207, NOTE 324.-"This song, says Burns, "I composed on one of the most accomplished of women, Miss Peggy Chalmers (that was), now Mrs. Lewis Hay, of Forbes and Co.'s bank, Edinburgh."BURNS. Miss Chalmers was first met by Burns in a trip through Clackmannanshire, in 1787. It was then that he visited Harvieston in the month of August. PAGE 208, NOTE 325.-"I composed these verses," says Burns, "on Miss Isabella McLeod, of Ramsay, alluding to her feelings on the death of her sister, and the still more melancholy death (1786) of her sister's husband, the late Earl of Loudon, who shot himself out of sheer heartbreak at some mortifications he suffered, owing to the deranged state of his finances." PAGE 208, NOTE 326.-"The chorus I picked up from an old woman in Dumblane; the rest of the song is mine."-BURNS. It is evident that the poet has understood the chorus in a Jacobite sense, and written his | was an officer in the East Indies.” PAGE 208, NOTE 328.-"I composed these verses while I staid at Ochtertyre with Sir William Murray (father of Sir George Murray, late Secretary for the colonies). The lady, who was also at Ochtertyre at the same time, was the well-known toast, Miss Euphemia Murray, of Lintrose, who was called, and very justly, the Flower of Strathmore."-BURNS. This visit to Ochtertyre took place in the month of June, 1787. PAGE 209, NOTE 329.-" This song," says Burns, "I composed on Miss Jenny Cruickshank, only child of my worthy friend Mr. William Cruickshank, of the High School, Edinburgh." To the same person were also addressed the charming lines which begin: Beauteous rosebud young and gay," and which were written by Burns in the fly-leaf of a book presented by him to her. This young lady, who was then only twelve years old, afterwards became the wife of Mr. Henderson, a writer or legal practitioner at Jedburgh. Mr. Cruickshank's house was a floor at the top of a common stair now marked, No. 30, in James's Square, Edinburgh; the poet for some time lived with him, his room being one which has a window looking out from the gable of the house upon the green behind the General Register House. Here Burns lay while confined with a bruised limb in the winter of 1787-8. Mr. Cruickshank died, March 8, 1795. PAGE 209, NOTE 330.—In imitation of a song of which that consummate libertine, Charles II., was the hero. PAGE 210, NOTE 331.-"I composed this song out of compliment to Miss Ann Master ton, the daughter of my friend Allan Master-light deepened, he appeared to grow very ton, the author of the air Strathallan's Lament, and two or three others in this work (Johnson's Scots Musical Museum)."BURNS. Miss Masterton afterwards became Mrs. Derbishire. PAGE 211, NOTE 332.-"The first half stanza of this song is old; the rest mine."BURNS. That half stanza was probably the same with the following, which occurs near the close of a homely ballad, printed in Hogg and Motherwell's edition of Burns, as preserved by Mr. Peter Buchan, who further communicates that the ballad was composed in 1636, by Alexander Lesley, of Edinburgh, | on Doveran side, grandfather to the celebrated Archbishop Sharpe : Ye'll bring me here a pint of wine, A health to my ain bonnie lassie." The fact of Burns pitching upon this one fine stanza of an old ballad, as a foundation for a new song, shows expressively the apt sense he had of all that was beautiful in poetry, and how ready his imagination was to take wing upon the slightest command. PAGE 211, NOTE 333.-These lines, which were found amongst the papers of Mrs. McLehose, were evidently addressed to her, and allude to the parting scene between the poet and his Clarinda. These exquisitely affecting stanzas contain the essence of a thousand love tales."-SIR WALTER SCOTT. PAGE 211, NOTE 334.-The tune of this song was composed by Marshall, who for many years served in the capacity of butler to the Duke of Gordon, and to whose genius we are indebted for some of the most exquisite of Scottish airs. Of the words Burns gives the following brief acconnt. "This song I composed out of compliment to Mrs. Burns. N.B.-It was the honey-moon." PAGE 212, NOTE 335.-"This air is Oswald's; the song I made out of compliment to Mrs. Burns."--BURNS. PAGE 212, NOTE 336.-"I composed this song," says Burns, "in the course of a most cheerless ride through the wild muirs which extend between Galloway and Ayrshire." sad about something,' and at length wandered out into the barn-yard, to which his wife, in her anxiety, followed him, entreating him in vain to observe that frost had set in, and to return to the fireside. On being again and again requested to do so, he promised compliance-but still remained where he was, striding up and down slowly, and contemplating the sky, which was singularly clear and starry. At last Mrs. Burns found him stretched on a mass of straw, with his eyes fixed on a beautiful planet, 'that shone like another moon,' and prevailed on him to come in. He immediately, on entering the house, called for his desk, and wrote exactly as they now stand, with all the ease of one copying from memory, these sublime and pathetic verses." PAGE 213, NOTE 338.-"I composed this song out of compliment to one of the happiest and worthiest married couples in the world, Robert Riddel, Esq., of Glenriddel, and his lady. At their fireside I have enjoyed more pleasant evenings than at all the houses of fashionable people in this country put together."-BURNS. Friars' Carse, closely adjacent to Ellisland, on the bank of the Nith, was the residence of this couple. Mr. Riddel died April, 1791. PAGE 213, NOTE 339.-"This air is Masterton's; the song mine. The occasion of it was this :-Mr. William Nicol, of the High School, Edinburgh, during the autumn vacation, being at Moffat, honest Allan, who was at that time on a visit to Dalswinton and I, went to pay Nicol a visit. We had such a joyous meeting, that Mr. Masterton and I agreed, each in our own way, that we should celebrate the business."-Burns. "This meeting," says Currie, writing in 1799, "took place at Laggan, a farm purchased by Mr. Nicol, in Nithsdale, on the recommendation of Burns. These three honest fellows-all men of uncommon talents are now all under the turf." Masterton has elsewhere been described by Burns as "one of the worthiest men in the world, and a man of real genius." Nicol, who died April 21, 1797, was a man of coarse nature and violent passions. PAGE 214, NOTE 340.-Composed on Miss Jean Jeffrey, daughter of the minister of Lochmaben. Burns, spending an evening with this gentleman at his manse, was much pleased with the young lady, who did the honours of the table; next morning, at breakfast, he presented her with the song. She is now Mrs. Renwick, and resides in New PAGE 213, NOTE 337.-" This celebrated poem was composed by Burns, in September 1789, on the anniversary of the day on which he heard of the death of his early love, Mary Campbell. According to Mrs. Burns, he spent that day, though labouring under cold, in the usual work of the harvest, and apparently in excellent spirits. But, as the twi-York.-CHAMBers. PAGE 215, NOTE 341.-This is an adaptation of the English ballad of Sir Robert Ayton, who was secretary to the Queen Consort of James I. (of England). The old ballad runs thus: "I do confess thou'rt sweet; yet find Thee such an unthrift of thy sweets, That kisseth every thing it meets; hands, Her scent no longer with her dwells, But scent and beauty both are gone, And leaves fall from her one by one. Such fate, ere long, will thee betide, When thou hast handled been awhile: And I shall sigh while some will smile: | thrashing upon; slated roofs, cold; feathers, good enough for fowls; in short, she abhorred change; and whenever anything new appeared, such as harrows with iron teeth, 'Ay, ay,' she would exclaim, 'ye'll see the upshot!' Of all modern things, she disliked china the most; she called it burnt clay,' and said it was only fit for 'hauding the broo o' stinking weeds,' as she called tea. On one occasion, a southern dealer in cups and saucers, asked so much for his ware, that he exasperated a peasant, who said, ‘I canna gang purchase, but I ken ane that will: there,' said he, pointing to the house of Willie's wife; dinna be blate or burdmouthed; ask a gude penny-she has the siller.' Away went the poor dealer, spread out his wares before her, and summed up all by asking a double price. A blow from her crummock was his instant reward, which not only fell on his person, but damaged his china. 'I'll learn ye,' quoth she, as she heard the saucers jingle, to come with yere brazent English face and yere bits o' burnt clay to me!' She was an unlovely dameher daughters, however, were beautiful.” PAGE 219, NOTE 345.-"Looking over, with a musical friend, M'Donald's Collection of Highland Airs, I was struck with one, an Isle of Skye tune, entitled Oran an Aoig, or the Song of Death, to the measure of which I have adapted my stanzas."-BURNS to Mrs. Dunlop, December 17, 1791, at which time the song had just been finished. PAGE 217, NOTE 342.-This song is supposed to be one of those which Burns only improved from old versions. William Gordon, sixth Viscount Kenmure, raised a body of troops for the Pretender in 1715, and had the chief command of the insurgent forces, in the south of Scotland. Taken at Preston, he was tried, and condemned to be beheaded, which sentence was executed on the 24th February, 1716. His forfeited estate was bought back by his widow, and transmitted to their son. By the son of that son-noW Viscount Kenmure, internal property was situated on the banks of consequence of the restoration of the titleBurns was, on one occasion, entertained at his romantic seat of Kenmure Castle, near New Galloway, PAGE 218, NOTE 343.-"The original title of this song was 'Fair Rabina: the heroine was a young lady to whom one of the poet's friends was attached, and Burns wrote it in compliment to his passion. Johnson, the proprietor of the Museum, disliked the name, and desiring to have one more suitable for singing, the poet, unwillingly, changed it to Eliza."-CUNNINGHAM. PAGE 218, NOTE 344.-Mr. Cunningham states that the heroine of this song was the wife of a farmer near Ellisland, and gives the following amusing account of her:-"She was a very singular woman : tea, she said, would be the ruin of the nation; sugar was a sore evil; wheaten bread was only fit for babes; earthenware was a pickpocket; wooden floors were but fit for PAGE 219, NOTE 346.-Composed in honour of Mrs. Stewart of Stair, whose pa the Afton, an Ayrshire tributary of the Nith, near New Cumnock. Mrs. Stewart was one of the first persons of rank who knew or extended any friendship to Burns. PAGE 220, NOTE 347.—In the edition of the Poems of Burns published by Hogg and Motherwell, there is a curious note attached to this song, in which all the parallel songs, ballads, or sketches of other authors are cited, as, in fact, they had, many of them, occurred to Burns. PAGE 220, NOTE 348.-This song was handed up to the chairman, extemporised on the back of a letter, by Burns, at a meeting of Excise officers, at Dumfries, when the poet was called upon for a song. PAGE 221, NOTE 349.-According to Mr. Cunningham, the heroine of this song, was Miss Jannette Miller, daughter of Mr. Miller, of Dalswinton, a young lady of very extraordinary beauty, who, subsequently, married (in 1795) Mr. John Thomas Erskine the younger, of Marr (since 13th Earl of Marr). PAGE 221, NOTE 350.-This song is supposed to express the love and admiration of Mr. Oswald, of Auchincruive, for Miss Lucy Johnstone-afterwards Mrs. Oswald, and who died of decline, at Lisbon, in 1798. PAGE 222, NOTE 351.-This song, whether absolutely original, or remodelled from some ancient ballad, was contributed by Burns to Johnson's Musical Museum. Mr. Cunningham pronounces it not original. I cannot, however, trace any ballad, either amongst the early English, or early Scottish Poesy, which will sustain Mr. Cunningham's judgment; and, moreover, there are sufficient grounds for identifying its absolute origiuality, the rhythm only being adopted. PAGE 224, NOTE 352.-"The occasion of this ballad was as follows:-When Mr. Cunninghame, of Enterkin, came to his to his estate, two mansion-houses on it, Enterkin and Anbank, were both in a ruinous state. Wishing to introduce himself with some éclat 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, 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. 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. Cunninghame did not canvass the county."-GILBERT BURNS. PAGE 225, NOTE 353.-There is an old superstition, that, out of the slough of adders, are formed the pretty annular pebbles, which have, of late years, become so popular, when polished, for mounting as jewels. PAGE 225, NOTE 354.-According to the family tradition, this song was composed in honour of Mrs. Riddel of Woodlee Park. PAGE 226, NOTE 355.—Miss Lesley Baillie was certainly worthy of the delicate and naïf eulogy of this poem. She was the daughter of a landed proprietor in Ayrshire, and, subsequently, married Mr. Cumming, of Logie. The occasion of the meeting, which furnished the impulse to this composition, was that on which, in 1792, Mr. and Miss Baillie were passing through Dumfries in their progress to England:-Burns accompanied them for some distance on their journey, and was thus evidently charmed with the worth as well as the beauty of his fair fellow-traveller, PAGE 226, NOTE 356.-"In my very early years," says Burns, "when I was thinking of going to the West Indies, I took this farewell of a dear girl (Mary Campbell), whom, although I did not leave the country, I never saw again.' PAGE 227, NOTE 357.-The castle here alluded to was that of Coilsfield, near Tarbolton, the seat of Colonel Hugh Montgomery, who was ultimately twelfth Earl of Eglinton. The heroine of the verses was Mary Campbell, who lived in that house as a dairy-woman, but now resides with poetical immortality. Burns, after a long courtship, and having agreed that they should be married, met her on the banks of the Ayr, to live one day of parting love, in anticipation of a visit she was to pay to her relations at Campbeltown in Argyleshire. Mary died at Greenock on her return, and thus left a blank in the poet's affections which nothing thereafter filled up. PAGE 228, NOTE 358.--This song, which is the version contributed to Thomson's Selection, and which elicited such merited admiration from that elegant compiler, was a rescript of a former song contributed by Burns to Johnson's Musical Museum. The latter, however, was not absolutely original, being founded on an old ballad, whereas this version is entirely original. The version furnished to the Musical Museum runs as follows: Braw, braw lads of Gala Water; Oh, braw lads of Gala Water; I'll kilt my coats aboon my knee, And follow my love thro' the water. Sae fair her hair, sae brent her brow, Sae bonnie blue her een, my dearie; Sae white her teeth, sae sweet her mou'; The mair I kiss sh'es aye my dearie. O'er yon bank, and e'er yon brae, O'er yon moss amang the heather; I'll kilt my coats aboon my knee, And follow my love thro' the water. Down amang the broom, the broom, Down amang the broom, my dearie, The lassie lost her silken snood, That cost her mony a blirt and blearic. PAGE 228, NOTE 359.-"This," says Burns, was one of my juvenile works." These |