514 SONGS, AND CORRESPONDENCE fending your independent spirit, checked my resolution. I thank you heartily, therefore, for the frankness of your letter of the 12th, and, with great pleasure, inclose a draft for the very sum I proposed sending.* Would I were Chancellor of the Exchequer but for one day, for your sake! Pray, my good Sir, is it not possible for you to muster a volume of poetry? If too much trouble to you, in the present state of your health, some literary friend might be found here, who would select and arrange from your manuscripts, and take upon him the task of editor. In the mean time it could be advertised to be published by subscription. Do not shun this mode of obtaining the value of your labour: remember Pope published the Iliad by subscription. Think of this, my dear Burns, and do not reckon me intrusive with iny advice. You are too well convinced of the respect and friendship I bear you, to impute any thing I say to an unworthy motive. Yours, faithfully, G. T. The verses to "Rothemurche," will answer finely. I am happy to see you can still tune your lyre. and declared he would write only because it gave him pleasure. Nevertheless, Mr. Thomson, in the course of their correspondence, ventured to send a pecuniary present, which, although not forming an adequate recompense for Burns's services, was still one which such men might be apt, at that period, to offer and accept from each other. This Burns, with hesitation, accepted; but sternly forbade any further remittance, protesting that it would put a period to their correspondence. Yet Mr. Thomson, from time to time, expressed his sense of obligation by presents of a different nature, and these the Poet accepted. Burns ultimately, on an emergency, requested a renewal of the former remittance, using such terms on the occasion as showed that his former scorn of all pecuniary remuneration was still a predominant feeling in his mind. Mr. Thomson, therefore, sent the very sum asked, believing, if he presumed to send more, that he would run a greater risk of offending than of gratifying the Poet in the then irritable state of his feelings. In all this we humbly conceive that no unprejudiced person at the time would have seen grounds for any charge against Mr. Thomson. "It may further be remarked that, at the time of the Poet's death, though many songs bad! ["The pecuniary circumstances attending been written, only six had been published, Mr. Thomson's connection with Burns appear namely, those in the first half volume, so that, liable, at the present day, to much misappre- during the life of the Poet, the publisher bad hension. This gentleman, whose work has ulti- realised nothing by the songs, and must have i mately met with a good sale, seems to be re- still been greatly doubtful if he should ever regarded by some as an enriched man who mea- cover what he had already expended on the, sured a stinted reward to a poor one, looking work. Before many more of the songs had apfor a greater recompense; and several writers peared in connection with his music, the friends have on this ground spoken of him in a very of the Poet's family had resolved to collect his ungracious manner. When we go back to the works for publication; upon which Mr. Thomtime of the correspondence between the two son thought it a duty incumbent on him to give men, and consider their respective circumstances, up the manuscripts of the whole of the songs, and the relation in which they came to stand together with the Poet's and his own letters, towards each other, the conduct of Mr. Thom- to Dr. Currie, that they might form part of son assumes quite a different aspect. He and the edition of Burns's works. The full benefit Burns were enthusiasts, the one in music, of them, as literary compositions, was thus the other in poetry; they were both of them realised for the Poet's family, Mr. Thomservants of the government, on limited salaries, son only retaining an exclusive right to with rising families. Mr. Thomson, with publish them afterwards in connection with the little prospect of profit, engaged in the pre- music. And hence, after all, the debtor side of paration of a work, which was designed to his account with Burns is not so great as it is set forth the music of his native land to apt to appear. No further debate could arise every possible advantage, and of which the on this subject, if it were to be regarded in the paper and print alone were likely to exhaust his light in which the parties chiefly interested have very moderate resources. For literary aid, in regarded it. We see that Burns himself manithis labour of love, he applied to the great fests no trace of a suspicion that his corresponScottish Poet, who had already gratuitously as-dent was a selfish or niggardly man; and it is! sisted Johnson in his Scottish Musical Museum. Mr. Thomson offered reasonable remuneration; but the Poet scorned the idea of recompense, ["The dying Poet wrote entreatingly for five pounds, and Thomson sent the exact sum which he requested, from inability to send more; or, as he avers, from a dread of giving offence to the sensitive mind of Burns. It would have been as well had the sum been larger; but one cannot well see how equally certain that his surviving family always looked on that gentleman as one of the Poet's and their own kindest friends. Thomson deserves censure for doing that, and no more, which his correspondent requested him to do. Professor Walker, a man little inclined to irony, says that, on this subject, the delicate mind of Mr. Thomson is at peace with itself."-CUNNINGHAM.] "It is a curious fact, not hitherto known to the public, nor even to Mr. Thomson himself, that the five pounds sent by him to Burns, as well as the larger sum which the Poet borrowed about the same time from his cousin, Mr. Burness of Montrose, were not made use of on the occasion, but that the bank orders for both sums remained in Burns's house at the time of his death. This is proved by the following document, for which we are indebted to Mr. Alexander Macdonald, of the General Register House, Edinburgh: "The testament dative, and inventory of the debts and sums of money which were justly owing to the late Robert Burns, officer of excise in Dumfries, at the time of his decease, viz., the 21st day of July last, faithfully made out and given up by Jean Armour, widow of the said defunct, and executrix qua relict decerned to him by decreet dative of the Commissary of Dumfries, dated 16th September last. "There was justly owing to the said defunct, at the time of his decease aforesaid, the principal sum of five pounds sterling, contained in a promissory note, dated the 14th July last, granted by Sir William Forbes and Co., bankers in Edinburgh, to George Thomson, payable on demand; which note is by the said George Thomson indorsed, payable to the defunct: Item, the principal sum of ten pounds sterling, contained in a draft dated the 15th July last, drawn by Robert Christie upon the manager for the British Linen Co. in Edinburgh, in favour of James Burness or order; which draft is by the said James Burness indorsed payable to the defunct. Sum of the debts owing to the defunct, £15 sterling. "Thomas Goldie of Craigmuie, commissary of the commissariat of Dumfries specially constituted for confirmation of testaments within the bounds of the said commissariat-understanding that, after due summoning and lawful warning, made by public form of edict of the executors, testamentary spouse, bairns, if any were, and intromitters with the goods and gear of the said Robert Burns, and all others having or pretending to have interest in the matter underwritten, &c. &c., I decerned therein, &c., and in His Majesty's name, constitute, ordain, and confirm the said Jean Armour, executrix qua relict to the said defunct, and in and to the debt and sums of money above written.At Dumfries, 6th Oct. 1796. "-CHAMBERS.] ["Mr. Thomson has been very much abused about this transaction, and, I confess, I do not know well what to say about it; but it must ever be regretted that George Thomson did not contrive to send him more at this dismal period than just the bare five pounds, when he could not but perceive the gloomy and altered state of the Poet's mind. After Burns' letter of July, 1793, I exculpate Mr. Thomson from making any attempts at remuneration, previous to the receiving this letter from Brow. But, all things considered, I wish to God he had sent him at least ten or twenty pounds, for his own honour, and that of the literary and musical character. I am quite aware that Mr. Thomson, at that period, could not have made any money from Burns' songs, but that, on the contrary, he must have been much money out of pocket, considering the efficient and costly way he took of bringing out the work. But then the songs were his, and poor Burns had toiled for him, while at the same time the speculation was certain and sure. Upon the whole, I cannot account for Mr. Thomson's parsimony here; for I know him well, and he is any thing but a close-fisted niggardly gentleman. In fact, he is quite the reverse, a kind open-hearted fellow, who entertains literary and musical people inost liberally, as many of my acquaintance can witness. I have written a good many songs for him myself, and it was not for want of remuneration that I did not write far more; but then he is the most troublesome devil to write songs for that ever was created, for he is always either bothering one with alterations, or else popping them in himself. But, as to niggardliness in remuneration, I can bear testimony that he rather errs on the other side; and, as an instance, I was once out of pure shame obliged to return him a violin, which I was told was valued at £35, on pretence that I had a better one, and could not be plagued with another. Both Mrs. Hogg and I had previously got presents of sterling value. George Thomson is a pragmatical but real good man. What was done cannot be recalled; but it has been compensated since by every kindness in his power to bestow." -HOGG.] ["Thus terminated the correspondence of Burns with Thomson, in a manner as melancholy as it commenced joyously,-it ended in the death of one who was, and, we believe, ever will be, considered the first lyrist of his native land. On the willows of the winding Devon, the dying Bard suspended the harp of Coila, and long we fear is it destined to remain mute; for what master-hand can again touch its strings with such exquisite simplicity, skill, pathos, passion, and truth? "In closing this portion of Burns' works, we can scarely trust ourself to the expression of our own individual feelings. Men differently constituted feel and think differently; and hence, were we on this occasion to say what, on a review of the correspondence now before us, we both feel and think, our sentiments perhaps would merely represent our own peculiar idiosyncracies, instead of reflecting the sentiments and emotions of the greater bulk of mankind. Still it is a deeply affecting sight to behold a fellow-being of exalted genius, of a proud and peculiarly sensitive spirit, and a truly generous heart, in the very prime of his days smitten 'Farewell, thou fair day, thou green earth, and ye skies, "We attach blame to no one and to no party; but we cannot conceal from ourself the mournful fact, knowing, as we almost fancy we do, the writhings and workings of such a mind as Burns was endowed with, that he literally died of a broken heart. "With our friend the Shepherd, we must ever regret that Mr. Thomson was so exactly mercantile as to inclose to the dying poet precisely the sum which he sought the loan of, and, what is still more curious, the precise sum which he, Mr. Thomson," proposed sending," apparently before, as may be inferred from his own words, he was aware of Burns' peculiarly embarrassed pecuniary circumstances, and almost hopeless state of health."-MOTHERWELL.] to insult him. He would instantly have construed such conduct into a virtual assertion that his prohibition was insincere, and his independence affected; and the more artfully the transaction had been disguised, the more rage it would have excited, as implying the same assertion with the additional charge, that if secretly made it would not be denied." But on this subject the public have an opportunity of hearing Mr. Thomson himself, who expresses himself thus: "Upon my publishing the first twenty-five melodies with Pleyel's symphonies and accompaniments, and songs by different authors, six of Burns' songs being of the number, (and those six were all I published in bis life-time), I, of course, sent a copy of this half volume to the Poet: and as a mark of my gratitude for his excessive kindness, I ventured, with all possible delicacy, to send him a small pecuniary present, notwithstanding what he had said on the subject. He retained it after much hesita tion, but wrote me (Letter 28) that, if I presumed to repeat it, he would, on the least motion of it, indignantly spurn what was past, and commence entire stranger to me. "Who that reads the letter above referred to, and the first one which the Poet sent me, can think I have deserved the abuse which anonymous scribblers have poured upon me, for not endeavouring to remunerate the Poet? If had dared to go farther than I did, in sending him money, is it not perfectly clear that be would have deemed it an insult, and ceased to write another song for me? [Alluding to this subject, Mr. Lockhart, in his admirable Life of the Poet, says, and we "Had I been a selfish or avaricious man, I agree with him in opinion: "Why Burns, who had a fair opportunity, upon the death of the was of opinion, when he wrote his letter to Poet, to put money in my pocket; for I might Mr. Carfrae, that no profits are more honour- then have published, for my own behoof, all the able than those of the labours of a man of beautiful lyrics he had written for me, the ongenius,' and whose own notions of independ-ginal manuscripts of which were in my posses ence had sustained no shock on the receipt of hundreds of pounds from Creech, should have spurned the suggestion of pecuniary recompense from Mr. Thomson, it is no easy matter to explain: nor do I profess to understand why Mr. Thomson took so little pains to argue the matter in limine with the poet, and convince him that the time which he himself considered as fairly entitled to be paid for by a common bookseller ought of right to be valued and acknowledged on similar terms by the editor and proprietor of a book containing both songs and music."] "Burns," says Professor Walker, "had all the unmanageable pride of Samuel Johnson, and, if the latter threw away with indignation the new shoes which had been placed at his chamber-door, secretly and collectively by his companions, the former would have been still more ready to resent any pecuniary donation with which a single individual, after his peremptory prohibition, should avowedly have dared sion. But instead of doing this, I was nc sooner informed that the friends of the Poet's family had come to a resolution to collect his works, and to publish them for the benefit of the family, and that they thought it of import ance to include my MSS., as being likely, from their number, their novelty, and beauty, to prove an attraction to subscribers, than I felt it at once my duty to put them in possession of all the songs and of the correspondence between the Poet and myself, and accordingly, through Mr. John Syme, of Ryedale, I transmitted the whole to Dr. Currie, who had been prevailed on, immensely for the advantage of Mrs. Burns and her children, to take on himself the task of editor. "For thus surrendering the manuscripts, I received both verbally, and in writing, the warm thanks of the Trustees for the family, Mr. John Syme, and Mr. Gilbert Burns; who considered what I had done as a fair return for the Poet's generosity of conduct to me. 666 "DEAR SIR: Perth, 14th April, 1811. 'Before I left Edinburgh, I sent a copy of my account of Burns to Lord Woodhouselee; and since my return I have had a letter from his Lordship, which among other passages, contains one that I cannot withhold from you! He writes thus:-I am glad that you have embraced the occasion which lay in your way, of doing full justice to Mr. George Thomson, who, I agree with you in thinking, was most harshly and illiberally treated by an anonymous dull calumniator. I have always regarded Mr. Thomson as a man of great worth and most respectable character: and I have every reason to believe that poor Burns felt himself as much indebted to his good counsels and active friendship as a man, as the public is sensible he was to his good taste and judgment as a critic !' 66 "Of the unbiassed opinion of such a highly respectable gentleman and accomplished scholar as Lord Woodhouselee, I certainly feel not a little proud: it is of itself more than sufficient to silence the calumnies by which I have been assailed, first, anonymously, and afterwards, to my great surprise, by some writers who might have been expected to possess sufficient judgment to see the matter in its truc light." G. T. Thomson," says Chambers, "little can be added. "To this letter of my excellent friend Mr. His work, the labour of his life-time, has long been held the classical depository of Scottish melody and song, and is extensively known. His own character, in the city where he has spent so many years, has ever stood high. It was scarcely necessary that Mr. Thomson should enter into a defence of himself, against the inconsiderate charges which have been brought against him. "When Burns refused remuneration from one whom he knew to be, like himself, of the generation of Apollo, rather than of Plutus, and while his musical friend was only entering upon a task, the results of which no one could tell, how can Mr. Thomson be fairly blamed? "If a moderate success ultimately crowned his enterprise and toil, and the success has probably been much more moderate than Mr. Thomson's assailants suppose-long after the poor bard was beyond the reach of money, and all superior consolations,-who can envy it, or who can say that it offers any offence to the manes of the unhappy poet? The charge was indeed never preferred but in ignorance, and would be totally unworthy of notice, if ignorant parties were still apt to be imposed upon by it." ALEXANDER CUNNINGHAM AND HIS FAITHLESS FAIR ONE. "One THE story of Cunningham's unfaithful mistress, which is alluded to in the song, "Now Spring has clad the grove in green," p. 506; as well as in the songs, "She's fair and fause," p. 417, and "Had I a Cave on some wild distant shore," p. 467, made a great sensation at the time, and has been kept in remembrance by the verses of the Poet. evening, a very few years ago," says Mr. Chambers, in 1838, "a friend of mine, visiting a musical family who resided opposite St. John's Chapel, in Prince's-street, chanced to request one of the young ladies to sing "Had I a Cave," &c. She was about to comply, when it was recollected that the heroine of the lay lived below, an aged widow, and might overhear it; for which reason the intention of singing the song was laid aside." The "fair and fause" Peggy in question, after "plighting her troth" with Cunningham, married the late Dr. Dewar, of Princes Street, Edinburgh. At his death he left three daughters and a son, who were all well provided for-the latter became an Advocate at the Scottish Bar, but to the great mortification and disappointment of his widow, he left her only one hundred pounds per ann., which made her in a great measure dependant on her son, having been accustomed for many years to live in the first style. Here was something like retributive justice!-Her second daughter was the celebrated Jessie Dewar, the loveliest girl that at one period adorned the Scottish metropolis. A young Clerk in the Royal Bank, of the name of L, went almost out of his wits regarding her, and annoyed her exceedingly. Kay, the celebrated Caricaturist, published an admirable likeness of the fair girl, with her tormentor following her, and vociferating, "If it were not for these d-d blankets, I would have got her!" alluding to his mother having for many years been a retailer of Flannels in the High Street, Edinburgh. This created a good deal of merriment at the time, and the lovely young Jessie was no longer tormented by his addresses. She afterwards married the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Tourner, and is now settled in London. The lady whom Burns has immortalized in these three songs, above alluded to, was the prototype of her lovely daughter. Every thing had been arranged for her marriage with Cunningham, who was devotedly attached to her; indeed, for a time it appears to have been reciprocated: "But woman is but warld's gear." Dr. Dewar, who had been paying her professional and friendly visits at the same time, made her many handsome presents; and, although her senior for many years, and not to be compared to his rival in personal appearance, or talents, he persuaded her to break off the match. Cunningham at that time not being in affluent circumstances, and the lady knowing that the Doctor had "wrouth o' gear," she consented to marry him. This was a shock which poor Cunningham never got the better of, "Till grief his eyes did close, Ne'er to weep more." Such was the strength of his affection for the object of his blighted love that, long after she had jilted him, he has been seen stealthily for many an evening in the gloaming, to traverse for hours the opposite side of the street where she resided-pause for a moment opposite her windows, and when he had caught a glimpse of her, burst into tears-then wend his way slowly home by the most lonely path-his handkerchief over his eyes, completely absorbed in grief. Time mollified his hopeless passion; and his friends, knowing his extreme susceptibility, always avoided the slightest allusion to the circumstance. He died a few years' since, beloved and respected by all who had the happiness of his acquaintance. REMARKS ON SCOTTISH SONGS AND BALLADS, ANCIENT AND MODERN; WITH ANECDOTES OF THEIR AUTHORS. BY ROBERT BURNS. "There needs na' be so great a phrase, They're douff and dowie at the best, REV. JOHN SKINNER. [THE following Remarks on Scottish Song [The Highland King, intended as a parody exist in the hand writing of Burns, in an inter- on the former, was the production of a young leaved copy of the first four volumes of John- lady, the friend of Charles Wilson, of Edinson's Musical Museum, which the Poet pre-burgh, who edited a collection of Songs, ensented to Captain Riddel, of Friar's Carse. titled “Cecilia,” which appeared in 1779. On the death of Mrs. Riddel, these precious The following are specimens of these songs:— volumes passed into the hands of her niece, THE HIGHLAND QUEEN. Eliza Bayley, of Manchester, who kindly permitted Mr. Cromek to transcribe and publish How blest that youth whom gentle fate Has destin'd for so fair a mate! them in his volume of the Reliques of Burns. These remarks now form an integral part in Has all these wond'ring gifts in store, And each returning day brings more; all modern editions of the Poet's works. No youth so happy can be seen. Possessing thee, my Highland Queen. Respecting the songs which form the subject of these remarks, Dr. Currie says:-"In the changes of language these songs may no doubt suffer change; but the associated strain of sentiment and of music will perhaps survive, while the clear stream sweeps down the vale of Yarrow, or the yellow broom waves on the Cowdenknowes."] The Highland Queen. THE Highland Queen, music and poetry, was composed by Mr. M'Vicar, purser of the Solebay man of war.-This I had from Dr. Blacklock. THE HIGHLAND KING. Jamie, the pride of a' the green, THE HIGHLAND QUEEN. |