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POEMS AND SONGS.

Song-Handsome Nell.1

Tune-"I am a man unmarried."

O ONCE I lov'd a bonie lass,
Ay, and I love her still;

And whilst that virtue warms my breast,
I'll love my handsome Nell.

As bonie lasses I hae seen,
And mony full as braw; a

But, for a modest gracefu' mien,
The like I never saw.

A bonie lass, I will confess,

Is pleasant to the e'e;

But, without some better qualities,

She's no a lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,

And what is best of a',

Her reputation is complete,

And fair without a flaw.

a handsome.

1"The first of my performances," says Burns. The song was an "embodiment" of the favourite reel of Nelly Kirkpatrick, daughter of the blacksmith at Mount Oliphant in 1773.

The text is that of the Commonplace Book, agreeing with that in

Johnson's Museum, vol. vi. (1803). In
the Stair MS. the 5th verse is omitted,
and the 4th reads :-

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet
Good-humoured, frank, and free,
And still the more I view them o'er,
The more they captive me.

O TIBBIE, I HAE SEEN THE DAY

She dresses aye sae clean and neat,
Both decent and genteel;

And then there's something in her gait
Garsa ony dress look weel.

A gaudy dress and gentle air
May slightly touch the heart;
But it's innocence and modesty
That polishes the dart.

"Tis this in Nelly pleases me,
"Tis this enchants my soul;
For absolutely in my breast
She reigns without control.

Song O Tibbie, I hae seen the day.""

Tune-"Invercauld's Reel, or Strathspey."

Chor.-O Tibbie, I hae seen the day,
Ye wadna been sae shy;
For laik o' gear ye lightly me,
But, trowth, I care na by.

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O TIBBIE, I HAE SEEN THE DAY

When coming hame on Sunday last,
Upon the road as I cam past,
Ye snufft and ga'e your head a cast-
But trowth I care't na by.

O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

I doubt na, lass, but ye may think,
Because ye hae the name o' clink,"
That ye can please me at a wink,
Whene'er ye like to try.

Ŏ Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But sorrow tak' him that's sae mean,
Altho' his pouch o' coin were clean,
Wha follows ony saucy quean,
That looks sae proud and high.

O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

Altho' a lad were e'er sae smart,
If that he want the yellow dirt,
Ye'll cast your head anither airt,b
And answer him fu' dry.

O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But if he hae the name o' gear,
Ye'll fasten to him like a brier,
Tho' hardly he, for sense or lear,
Be better than the kye.d

O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But, Tibbie, lass, tak' my advice:
Your daddie's gear maks you sae nice;
The deil a ane wad speirf your price,
Were ye as poor as I.

O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

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I DREAM'D I LAY

There lives a lass beside yon park,
I'd rather hae her in her sark,a
Than you wi' a' your thousand mark;
That gars you look sae high.

O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

Song-I dream'd I lay.1

I DREAM'D I lay where flowers were springing
Gaily in the sunny beam;
List'ning to the wild birds singing,

By a falling crystal stream:

Straight the sky grew black and daring;
Thro' the woods the whirlwinds rave;

Trees with aged arms were warring,

c

O'er the swelling drumlie wave.

Such was my life's deceitful morning,
Such the pleasures I enjoyed:
But lang or noon, loud tempests storming
A' my flowery bliss destroy'd.

Tho' fickle fortune has deceiv'd me

She promis'd fair, and perform'd but ill,

Of mony a joy and hope bereav'd me-
I bear a heart shall support me still.

Song-In the Character of a ruined Farmer.2

Tune-"Go from my window, Love, do."

THE sun he is sunk in the west,

All creatures retired to rest,

While here I sit, all sore beset,

With sorrow, grief, and woe:

And it's O, fickle Fortune, Ó!

⚫ shift.

b makes.

1 An early example of Burns's need of a model to imitate. Here he followed Mrs Cockburn's variant of The Flowers o' the Forest, based on the old song whereof we now, probably,

muddy, troubled.

have only a snatch -
-"Now ride I
single in my saddle."
Burns assigns
the piece to his seventeenth year.
2 Suggested by the misfortunes of
the poet's father.

A RUINED FARMER

The prosperous man is asleep,

Nor hears how the whirlwinds sweep;
But Misery and I must watch

The surly tempest blow:

And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

There lies the dear partner of my breast;
Her cares for a moment at rest:
Must I see thee, my youthful pride,
Thus brought so very low!

And it's O, fickle Fortune, O,

There lie my sweet babies in her arms; No anxious fear their little hearts alarms; But for their sake my heart does ache, With many a bitter throe:

And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

I once was by Fortune carest:
I once could relieve the distrest:
Now life's poor support, hardly earn'd,
My fate will scarce bestow:

And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

No comfort, no comfort I have!
How welcome to me were the grave!
But then my wife and children dear-
O, whither would they go!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

O whither, O whither shall I turn!
All friendless, forsaken, forlorn!
For, in this world, Rest or Peace
I never more shall know!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

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