No More Learning

I have just put the last hand to the song I meant for "Cauld kail in
Aberdeen. " If it suits you to insert it, I shall be pleased, as the
heroine is a favourite of mine; if not, I shall also be pleased;
because I wish, and will be glad, to see you act decidedly on the
business. 'Tis a tribute as a man of taste, and as an editor, which
you owe yourself.

R. B.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 229: Song CXCIX. ]

* * * * *




CCLXIV.


TO MR. THOMSON.

[The infusion of Highland airs and north country subjects into the
music and songs of Scotland, has invigorated both: Burns, who had a
fine ear as well as a fine taste, was familiar with all, either
Highland or Lowland. ]

_August_, 1793.

That crinkum-crankum tune, "Robin Adair," has run so in my head, and I
succeeded so ill in my last attempt, that I have ventured, in this
morning's walk, one essay more. You, my dear Sir, will remember an
unfortunate part of our worthy friend Cunningham's story, which
happened about three years ago. That struck my fancy, and I
endeavoured to do the idea justice as follows:

Had I a cave on some wild distant shore. [230]

By the way, I have met with a musical Highlander in Breadalbane's
Fencibles, which are quartered here, who assures me that he well
remembers his mother singing Gaelic songs to both "Robin Adair," and
"Grammachree.
" They certainly have more of the Scotch than Irish taste
in them.

This man comes from the vicinity of Inverness: so it could not be any
intercourse with Ireland that could bring them; except, what I
shrewdly suspect to be the case, the wandering minstrels, harpers, and
pipers, used to go frequently errant through the wilds both of
Scotland and Ireland, and so some favourite airs might be common to
both. A case in point--they have lately, in Ireland, published an
Irish air, as they say, called "Caun du delish. " The fact is, in a
publication of Corri's, a great while ago, you will find the same air,
called a Highland one, with a Gaelic song set to it. Its name there, I
think, is "Oran Gaoil," and a fine air it is. Do ask honest Allan or
the Rev. Gaelic parson, about these matters.

R. B.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 230: Song CC. ]

* * * * *




CCLXV.


TO MR. THOMSON.

[While Burns composed songs, Thomson got some of the happiest embodied
by David Allan, the painter, whose illustrations of the Gentle
Shepherd had been favourably received. But save when an old man was
admitted to the scene, his designs may be regarded as failures: his
maidens were coarse and his old wives rigwiddie carlins. ]

_August_, 1793.