No More Learning

"

Though it by no means follows that the silliest verses to an air must,
for that reason, be the original song; yet I take this ballad, of
which I have quoted part, to be old verses. The two songs in Ramsay,
one of them evidently his own, are never to be met with in the
fire-side circle of our peasantry; while that which I take to be the
old song, is in every shepherd's mouth. Ramsay, I suppose, had thought
the old verses unworthy of a place in his collection.

* * * * *


THE FLOWERS OF EDINBURGH.

This song is one of the many effusions of Scots Jacobitism. --The title
"Flowers of Edinburgh," has no manner of connexion with the present
verses, so I suspect there has been an older set of words, of which
the title is all that remains.

By the bye, it is singular enough that the Scottish muses were all
Jacobites. --I have paid more attention to every description of Scots
songs than perhaps anybody living has done, and I do not recollect one
single stanza, or even the title of the most trifling Scots air, which
has the least panegyrical reference to the families of Nassau or
Brunswick; while there are hundreds satirizing them. --This may be
thought no panegyric on the Scots Poets, but I mean it as such. For
myself, I would always take it as a compliment to have it said, that
my heart ran before my head,--and surely the gallant though
unfortunate house of Stewart, the kings of our fathers for so many
heroic ages, is a theme * * * * * *

* * * * *


JAMIE GAY.

Jamie Gay is another and a tolerable Anglo-Scottish piece.

* * * * *


MY DEAR JOCKIE.

Another Anglo-Scottish production.

* * * * *


FYE, GAE RUB HER O'ER WI' STRAE.

It is self-evident that the first four lines of this song are part of
a song more ancient than Ramsay's beautiful verses which are annexed
to them.
As music is the language of nature; and poetry, particularly
songs, are always less or more localized (if I may be allowed the
verb) by some of the modifications of time and place, this is the
reason why so many of our Scots airs have outlived their original, and
perhaps many subsequent sets of verses; except a single name or
phrase, or sometimes one or two lines, simply to distinguish the tunes
by.

To this day among people who know nothing of Ramsay's verses, the
following is the song, and all the song that ever I heard:

"Gin ye meet a bonnie lassie,
Gie her a kiss and let her gae;
But gin ye meet a dirty hizzie,
Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae.

Fye, gae rub her, rub her, rub her,
Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae:
An' gin ye meet dirty hizzie,
Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae. "

* * * * *


THE LASS O' LIVISTON.

The old song, in three eight-line stanzas, is well known, and has
merit as to wit and humour; but it is rather unfit for insertion. --It
begins,

"The Bonnie lass o' Liviston,
Her name ye ken, her name ye ken,
And she has written in her contract
To lie her lane, to lie her lane. "
&c. &c.

* * * * *


THE LAST TIME I CAME O'ER THE MOOR.

Ramsay found the first line of this song, which had been preserved as
the title of the charming air, and then composed the rest of the
verses to suit that line. This has always a finer effect than
composing English words, or words with an idea foreign to the spirit
of the old title. Where old titles of songs convey any idea at all, it
will generally be found to be quite in the spirit of the air.

* * * * *


JOCKIE'S GRAY BREEKS.

Though this has certainly every evidence of being a Scottish air, yet
there is a well-known tune and song in the north of Ireland, called
"The Weaver and his Shuttle O," which, though sung much quicker, is
every note the very tune.

* * * * *


THE HAPPY MARRIAGE.

Another, but very pretty Anglo-Scottish piece.