I see thee gracefu', straight, and tall, To see thee in anither's arms, There are several variations of this song, and they are all so good that they have become popular. The heroine was one of the ladies to whose personal charms the Muse of Burns did frequent acts of homage, under the name of "Chloris," "The Lassie wi' the lintwhite locks," and "The Lass of Craigie-burn." She was as condescending as she was beautiful. It is written in the measure of an old song, of which the chorus is still popular : O to be lying beyond thee, dearie, O to be lying beyond thee: How light and sweet would be his sleep Who lay in the bed beyond thee ! NAEBODY. I hae a wife o' my ain, I hae naething to lend, I am naebody's lord, I'll be slave to naebody; I hae a gude braid sword, I'll take dunts frae naebody. I'll be merry and free, I'll be sad for naebody; If naebody care for me, This little, lively, lucky song was written at Ellisland. Burns had built his house-he had committed his seedcorn to the ground-he was in the prime, nay the morning of life-health, and strength, and agricultural skill were on his side-his genius had been acknowledged by his country, and rewarded by a subscription more extensive than any Scottish poet ever received before; no wonder, therefore, that he broke out into voluntary song expressive of his sense of importance and independence. The poet, however, modulated his chant by the sentiment and measure of an old rustic bard, who sung with less vigour, but with equal truth: I hae a wife o' my ain, I'll be behadin to naebodie; I hae a pat and a pan, I'll borrow frae naebody. I'LL AY CA' IN BY YON TOWN. I'll ay ca' in by yon town, And by yon garden green again; I'll ay ca' in by yon town, And see my bonnie Jean again. There's nane shall ken, there's nane shall guess, But she, my fairest faithfu' lass, As stowlins we shall meet again. She'll wander by the aiken-tree, Popular report has dedicated this charming little song to more than one beauty. The air was one of Burns's favourites, and the subject had caught his fancy, for he has indulged us with another song of the same character, of greater length, but not of greater loveliness. An old song supplied him with a few words: I'll gang nae mair to yon town, Na, never a' my life again; COUNTRY LASSIE. In simmer when the hay was mawn, Blithe Bessie, in the milking shiel, Says, I'll be wed, come o't what will; It's ye hae wooers, mony a ane, And, lassie, ye're but young, ye ken ; : A routhie but, a routhie ben: for For Johnie o' the Buskie-glen I dinna care a single flie; He lo'es sae weel his craps and kye, He has nae love to spare for me: And weel I wat he lo'es me dear; Ae blink o' him I wadna gie For Buskie-glen an' a' his gear. O thoughtless lassie, life's a faught; But ay fu' han't is fechtin best; A hungry care's an unco care: But some will spend, and some will spare, An' wilfu' fouk maun hae their will; Syne as ye brew, my maiden fair, Keep mind that ye maun drink the yill. gear will buy me rigs o' land, And gear will buy me sheep and kye; The gowd and siller canna buy. |