No More Learning

I do not remember any
single line that has more true pathos than

"How can she break that honest heart that wears her in its core! "

But as the song is Irish, it had nothing to do in this collection.

* * * * *


THE COLLIER'S BONNIE LASSIE.

The first half stanza is much older than the days of Ramsay. --The old
words began thus:

"The collier has a dochter, and, O, she's wonder bonnie!
A laird he was that sought her, rich baith in lands and money.
She wad na hae a laird, nor wad she be a lady,
But she wad hae a collier, the colour o' her daddie. "

* * * * *


MY AIN KIND DEARIE-O.

The old words of this song are omitted here, though much more
beautiful than these inserted; which were mostly composed by poor
Fergusson, in one of his merry humours. The old words began thus:

"I'll rowe thee o'er the lea-rig,
My ain kind dearie, O,
I'll rowe thee o'er the lea-rig,
My ain kind dearie, O,
Altho' the night were ne'er sae wat,
And I were ne'er sae weary, O;
I'll rowe thee o'er the lea-rig,
My ain kind dearie, O. "--

* * * * *


MARY SCOTT, THE FLOWER OF YARROW.

Mr. Robertson, in his statistical account of the parish of Selkirk,
says, that Mary Scott, the Flower of Yarrow, was descended from the
Dryhope, and married into the Harden family. Her daughter was married
to a predecessor of the present Sir Francis Elliot, of Stobbs, and of
the late Lord Heathfield.

There is a circumstance in their contract of marriage that merits
attention, and it strongly marks the predatory spirit of the times.
The father-in-law agrees to keep his daughter for some time after the
marriage; for which the son-in-law binds himself to give him the
profits of the first Michaelmas moon!

* * * * *


DOWN THE BURN, DAVIE.

I have been informed, that the tune of "Down the burn, Davie," was the
composition of David Maigh, keeper of the blood slough hounds,
belonging to the Laird of Riddel, in Tweeddale.

* * * * *


BLINK O'ER THE BURN, SWEET BETTIE.

The old words, all that I remember, are,--

"Blink over the burn, sweet Betty,
It is a cauld winter night:
It rains, it hails, it thunders,
The moon, she gies nae light:
It's a' for the sake o' sweet Betty,
That ever I tint my way;
Sweet, let me lie beyond thee
Until it be break o' day. --

O, Betty will bake my bread,
And Betty will brew my ale,
And Betty will be my love,
When I come over the dale:
Blink over the burn, sweet Betty,
Blink over the burn to me,
And while I hae life, dear lassie,
My ain sweet Betty thou's be. "

* * * * *


THE BLITHSOME BRIDAL.

I find the "Blithsome Bridal" in James Watson's collection of Scots
poems, printed at Edinburgh, in 1706. This collection, the publisher
says, is the first of its nature which has been published in our own
native Scots dialect--it is now extremely scarce.

* * * * *


JOHN HAY'S BONNIE LASSIE.

John Hay's "Bonnie Lassie" was daughter of John Hay, Earl or Marquis
of Tweeddale, and late Countess Dowager of Roxburgh. --She died at
Broomlands, near Kelso, some time between the years 1720 and 1740.

* * * * *


THE BONIE BRUCKET LASSIE.

The two first lines of this song are all of it that is old. The rest
of the song, as well as those songs in the Museum marked T. , are the
works of an obscure, tippling, but extraordinary body of the name of
Tytler, commonly known by the name of Balloon Tytler, from his having
projected a balloon; a mortal, who, though he drudges about Edinburgh
as a common printer, with leaky shoes, a sky-lighted hat, and
knee-buckles as unlike as George-by-the-grace-of-God, and
Solomon-the-son-of-David; yet that same unknown drunken mortal is
author and compiler of three-fourths of Elliot's pompous Encyclopedia
Britannica, which he composed at half a guinea a week!