O WERE I ON PARNASSUS' HILL. THIS air is Oswald's: the song I made out of compliment to Mrs. Burns. O were I on Parnassus' hill, And write how dear I love thee, Then come, sweet Muse, inspire my lay! By night, by day, a field, at hame, And ay I muse and sing thy name, Tho' I were doom'd to wander on, THE CAPTIVE RIBBAND. THIS air is called Robie-donna Gorach. THERE'S A YOUTH IN THIS CITY. THIS air is claimed by Neil Gow, who calls it his lament for his brother. The first half-stanza of the song is old; the rest is mine.* * In a memorandum book, in the Editor's possession, he found the venerable portrait of this national musician thus drawn by Burns, with his usual characteristic strength and expression. A short, stout-built, honest highland figure, with his gray ish There's a youth in this city, it were a great pity ish hair shed on his honest social brow;-an interesting face, marking strong sense, kind open-heartedness, mixed with unmistrusting simplicity." The author of the Sabbath has also published tributary verses to his memory, that possess a tender simplicity, of which the subject is highly worthy. “The blythe Strathspey springs up, reminding some "Neil Gow was born in Strathbrand, Perthshire, in the year 1727. His coat is the hue of his bonnet sae blue; His fecket* is white as the new-driven snaw; His hose they are blae, and his shoon like the slae, And his clear siller buckles they dazzle us a.' His coat is the hue, &c. 1727. He died at Inver, near Dunkeld, on the 1st of March, 1807. In private life he was distinguished by a sound and vigorous understanding, by a singularly acute penetration into the character of those, both in the higher and lower spheres of society, with whom he had intercourse; and by the conciliating and appropriate accommodation of his remarks and replies, to the peculiarities of their station and temper. In these he often shewed a high degree of forcible humour, strong sense and knowledge of the world, and proved himself to have at once a mind naturally sagacious, and a very attentive and discriminating habit of observation. But his most honourable praise is to be drawn from a view of his character, which was not so obvious to the public. His moral and religious principles were originally correct, rational, and heartfelt, and they were never corrupted. His duty in the domestic relations of life, he uniformly fulfilled with exemplary fidelity, generosity, and kindness. In short, by the general integrity, prudence, and propriety of his conduct, he deserved, and he lived and died possessing, as large a portion of respect from his equals, and of good will from his superiors, as has ever fallen to the lot of any man of his rank. "Though he had raised himself to independent and affluent circumstances in his old age, he continued free of every appear * An under-waistcoat with sleeves. ance For beauty and fortune the laddie's been courtin Weel-featur'd, weel-tocher'd, weel mounted and braw; But chiefly the siller, that gars him gang till her, The pennie's the jewel that beautifies a'.There's Meg wi' the mailin, that fain wad a haen him, And Susy whase daddy was Laird o' the ha'; There's lang-tocher'd Nancy maist fetters his fancy, -But the laddie's dear sel he lo'es dearest of a'. ance of vanity or ostentation. He retained to the last, the same plain and unassuming simplicity in his carriage, his dress, and his manners, which he had observed in his early and more obscure years. His figure was vigorous and manly; and the expression of his countenance spirited and intelligent. His whole appearance, indeed, exhibited so characteristic a model of what national partiality conceives a Scottish highlander to be, that his portrait has been repeatedly copied. An admirable likeness of him was painted a few years ago, for the Hon. Mr. Maule of Panmure, M.P. for Forfarshire, by Mr. Raeburn: and he has been introduced into the View of a Highland Wedding, by the late ingenious Mr. Allan, to whom he was requested to sit for the purpose." SCOTS MAG. |