So kind may Fortune be, HAD I A CAVE, ETC. An unfortunate circumstance which happened to his friend Cunningham, sug gested this fine pathetic song to the Poet's fancy. TO THE SAME TUNE. HAD I a cave on some wild, distant shore, There seek my lost repose, Till grief my eyes should close, Falsest of womankind, canst thou declare, What peace is there! ADOWN WINDING NITH. "A favorite air of mine," says Burns, "is 'The muckin' o' Geordie's Byre,' when sung slow, with expression. I have often wished that it had had better poetry that I have endeavored to supply as follows." TUNE-The muckin' o' Geordie's Byre. ADOWN winding Nith I did wander, To mark the sweet flowers as they spring; Of Phillis to muse and to sing. . Awa wi' your belles and your beauties, The daisy amused my fond fancy, The rose-bud's the blush o' my charmer, Yon knot of gay flowers in the arbor, Her voice is the song o' the morning, But beauty how frail and how fleeting, ON THE SEAS AND FAR AWAY. "I do not think 'On the Seas and far away' one of your very happy productions, though it certainly contains stanzas that are worthy of all acceptation."— Thomson to Burns. TUNE-O'er the hills, &c. How can my poor heart be glad, On the seas and far away, At the starless midnight hour, When winter rules with boundless power; And thunders rend the howling air, Peace, thy olive wand extend, And as a brother kindly greet: Then may heaven with prosperous gales, Fill my sailor's welcome sails, To my arms their charge convey, SAW YE MY PHELY! Written for the Museum. The air must have been altered to suit the present verses, as the measure of the old song is very different-"When she cam ben she bobbit fu' low." TUNE-When she cam ben she bobbit. Oн saw ye my dear, my Phely? Oh saw ye my dear, my Phely? She's down i' the grove, she's wi' a new love, What says she, my dearest, my Phely? LET NOT WOMAN E'ER COMPLAIN. Duncan Gray was a favorite air of the Poet's. He had already written to it his admirable Scottish song "Duncan Gray cam here to woo." The fol"owing is an attempt to dress it in English. TUNE-Duncan Gray. LET not woman e'er complain, Look abroad through Nature's range, Man should then a monster prove? Mark the winds, and mark the skies: Round and round the seasons go. Why then ask of silly man, You can be no more, you know. SLEEP'ST THOU, OR WAK'ST THOU, ETC. Written for Thomson's collection. For some curious alterations of this song see Currie's edition, vol. iv. page 137. TUNE-Deil tak the Wars. SLEEP'ST thou, or wak'st thou, fairest creature? Numbering ilka bud which Nature Waters wi' the tears o' joy: Wild Nature's tenants freely, gladly stray; Chants o'er the breathing flower; The lav'rock to the sky Ascends wi' sangs o' joy, While the sun and thou arise to bless the day. Phoebus gilding the brow o' morning, Banishes ilk darksome shade, Night's gloomy shades, cloudy, dark, o'ercast my sky: 'Tis then I wake to life, to light, and joy. MY CHLORIS, MARK HOW GREEN THE GROVES. "How do you like," says Burns to Thomson, the simplicity and tenderness of this pastoral? I think it pretty well." TUNE-My lodging is on the cold ground. My Chloris, mark how green the groves, The balmy gales awake the flowers, And wave thy flaxen hair. The lav'rock shuns the palace gay, And o'er the cottage sings: Ι For nature smiles as sweet, I ween, Let minstrels sweep the skilfu' string The shepherd stops his simple reed, 1 Linnet.-2 Hall.-3 Small wood in a hollow. |