, which I
take to be Ramsay's original, as he has borrowed the chorus--"O my
bonie Highland lad," &c.
take to be Ramsay's original, as he has borrowed the chorus--"O my
bonie Highland lad," &c.
Robert Burns
His lordship observed that
she would be a fine theme for a song. --Allan lagged behind in
returning to Loudon Castle, and at dinner produced this identical
song.
* * * * *
THE TURNIMSPIKE.
There is a stanza of this excellent song for local humour, omitted in
this set. --Where I have placed the asterisms.
"They tak the horse then by te head,
And tere tey mak her stan', man;
Me tell tem, me hae seen te day,
Tey no had sic comman', man. "
* * * * *
HIGHLAND LADDIE.
As this was a favourite theme with our later Scottish muses, there are
several airs and songs of that name. That which I take to be the
oldest, is to be found in the "Musical Museum," beginning, "I hae been
at Crookieden. " One reason for my thinking so is, that Oswald has it
in his collection, by the name of "The Auld Highland Laddie. " It is
also known by the name of "Jinglan Johnie," which is a well-known song
of four or five stanzas, and seems to be an earlier song than Jacobite
times. As a proof of this, it is little known to the peasantry by the
name of "Highland Laddie;" while everybody knows "Jinglan Johnie. " The
song begins
"Jinglan John, the meickle man,
He met wi' a lass was blythe and bonie. "
Another "Highland Laddie" is also in the "Museum," vol. v.
, which I
take to be Ramsay's original, as he has borrowed the chorus--"O my
bonie Highland lad," &c. It consists of three stanzas, besides the
chorus; and has humour in its composition--it is an excellent, but
somewhat licentious song. --It begins
"As I cam o'er Cairney mount,
And down among the blooming heather. "
This air, and the common "Highland Laddie," seem only to be different
sets.
Another "Highland Laddie," also in the "Museum," vol. v. , is the tune
of several Jacobite fragments. One of these old songs to it, only
exists, as far as I know, in these four lines--
"Where hae ye been a' day,
Bonie laddie, Highland laddie?
Down the back o' Bell's brae,
Courtin Maggie, courtin Maggie. "
Another of this name is Dr. Arne's beautiful air, called the new
"Highland Laddie. "
* * * * *
THE GENTLE SWAIN.
To sing such a beautiful air to such execrable verses, is downright
prostitution of common sense! The Scots verses indeed are tolerable.
* * * * *
HE STOLE MY TENDER HEART AWAY.
This is an Anglo-Scottish production, but by no means a bad one.
she would be a fine theme for a song. --Allan lagged behind in
returning to Loudon Castle, and at dinner produced this identical
song.
* * * * *
THE TURNIMSPIKE.
There is a stanza of this excellent song for local humour, omitted in
this set. --Where I have placed the asterisms.
"They tak the horse then by te head,
And tere tey mak her stan', man;
Me tell tem, me hae seen te day,
Tey no had sic comman', man. "
* * * * *
HIGHLAND LADDIE.
As this was a favourite theme with our later Scottish muses, there are
several airs and songs of that name. That which I take to be the
oldest, is to be found in the "Musical Museum," beginning, "I hae been
at Crookieden. " One reason for my thinking so is, that Oswald has it
in his collection, by the name of "The Auld Highland Laddie. " It is
also known by the name of "Jinglan Johnie," which is a well-known song
of four or five stanzas, and seems to be an earlier song than Jacobite
times. As a proof of this, it is little known to the peasantry by the
name of "Highland Laddie;" while everybody knows "Jinglan Johnie. " The
song begins
"Jinglan John, the meickle man,
He met wi' a lass was blythe and bonie. "
Another "Highland Laddie" is also in the "Museum," vol. v.
, which I
take to be Ramsay's original, as he has borrowed the chorus--"O my
bonie Highland lad," &c. It consists of three stanzas, besides the
chorus; and has humour in its composition--it is an excellent, but
somewhat licentious song. --It begins
"As I cam o'er Cairney mount,
And down among the blooming heather. "
This air, and the common "Highland Laddie," seem only to be different
sets.
Another "Highland Laddie," also in the "Museum," vol. v. , is the tune
of several Jacobite fragments. One of these old songs to it, only
exists, as far as I know, in these four lines--
"Where hae ye been a' day,
Bonie laddie, Highland laddie?
Down the back o' Bell's brae,
Courtin Maggie, courtin Maggie. "
Another of this name is Dr. Arne's beautiful air, called the new
"Highland Laddie. "
* * * * *
THE GENTLE SWAIN.
To sing such a beautiful air to such execrable verses, is downright
prostitution of common sense! The Scots verses indeed are tolerable.
* * * * *
HE STOLE MY TENDER HEART AWAY.
This is an Anglo-Scottish production, but by no means a bad one.
