BALLADS ON MR. HERON'S ELECTION,

1795.

The death of General Stewart in January had created a vacancy in the representation of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright—a district so closely adjoining to Dumfries, that all its concerns are there deeply felt.

The vacant seat was contested between a Tory, under the Galloway influence, and an independent country gentleman of Whig politics. The latter was the same Mr. Heron, of Kerroughtree, whom Burns had visited in June of the past year, soon after his melancholy rencontre with David M'Culloch. He was a benevolent and most respectable man. The candidate in the Tory interest was Mr. Gordon, of Balmaghie, himself a man of moderate property and influence, but greatly fortified by the favor of his uncle, Mr. Murray, of Broughton (one of the wealthiest proprietors in the south of Scotland) as well as by the interest of the Earl of Galloway.

It was certainly most unsuitable for Burns to take any part in this conflict, as, while no public duty was neglected by his silence, his partisanship was ten times more likely to do him harm than good. He saw, however, some of his favorite aversions, such as the Earl of Galloway, and John Bushby of Tinwald

Downs, on the one side, while on the other stood a really worthy man, who had shown him some kindness, and whose political prepossessions accorded with his own. With his characteristic recklessness, he threw off several ballads, and even caused them to be circulated in print; effusions which must now be deemed of secondary importance in the roll of his works, but which yet are well worthy of preser vation for the traits of a keen satiric spirit which mingle with their local and scarcely intelligible al lusions.

BALLAD FIRST.

WHOм will you send to London town,
To Parliament and a' that?
Or wha in a' the country round
The best deserves to fa' that?
For a' that, and a' that,

Through Galloway and a' that;
Where is the laird or belted knight
That best deserves to fa' that?

Wha sees Kerroughtree's open yett,
And wha is't never saw that?
Wha ever wi' Kerroughtree meets,
And has a doubt of a' that?
For a' that, and a' that,
Here's Heron yet for a' that!
The independent patriot,
The honest man, and a' that.

get

Though wit and worth in either sex,

St. Mary's Isle can shaw that; Wi' dukes and lords let Selkirk mix, And weel does Selkirk fa' that. For a' that, and a' that, Here's Heron yet for a' that! The independent commoner Shall be the man for a' that.

But why should we to nobles jouk?
And is't against the law that?
For why, a lord inay be a gouk,
Wi' ribbon, star, and a' that.

For a' that, and a' that,

Here's Heron yet for a' that!
A lord may be a lousy loun,
Wi' ribbon, star, and a' that.1

A beardless boy comes o'er the hills,
Wi' uncle's purse and a' that;
But we'll hae ane frae 'mang oursel's,
A man we ken, and a' that.

For a' that, and a' that,

Here's Heron yet for a' that!

bend

fool

For we're not to be bought and sold,
Like naigs, and nowt, and a' that. cattle

1 The vituperation in this stanza refers, not to the Selkirk tamily, for which Burns had a respect, as shown in the pre ceding verse, but to the Earl of Galloway.

Then let us drink the Stewartry,

Kerroughtree's laird, and a' that,
Our representative to be,

For weel he's worthy a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,

Here's Heron yet for a' that!
A House of Commons such as he,

They would be blest that saw that.

BALLAD SECOND.

Fr, let us a' to Kirkcudbright,

For there will be bickering there;
For Murray's light horse are to muster,
And oh, how the heroes will swear! 1

First, there will be trusty Kerroughtree,
Whase honour was ever his law;
If the Virtues were packed in a parcel,
His worth might be sample for a'.

And strong and respectfu's his backing,
The maist o' the lairds wi' him stand;

1 This ballad is composed in imitation of a rough but amusing specimen of the old ballad literature of Scotland, descriptive of the company attending a country-wedding —

"Fy, let us a' to the wedding,

For there'll be lilting there," etc.

Mr. Heron, of Kerroughtree, the Whig candidate.

Nae gipsy-like nominal barons,

Whase property's paper, but lands.1

For there frae the Niddisdale borders,
The Maxwells will gather in droves,
Teugh Jockie, stanch Geordie, and Wellwood,
That griens for the fishes and loaves.

8

And there will be Heron the Major,
Wha'll ne'er be forgot in the Greys;
Our flattery we'll keep for some other,
Him only 'tis justice to praise.

And there will be Maiden Kilkerran, 6
And also Barskimming's guid knight;"
And there will be roaring Birtwhistle,
Wha luckily roars i' the right.

Next there will be wealthy young Richard
Dame Fortune should hing by the neck

9

longs

1 Many of the county electors were, previous to the Reform Act of 1832, possessors of fictitious votes only often called paper voters.

2 Mr. Maxwell, of Terraughty, the venerable gentleman on whose birthday Burns wrote some verses.

8 George Maxwell, of Carruchan.

4 Mr. Wellwood Maxwell.

See vol. ii. p. 291.

6 Major Heron, brother of the Whig candidate.

Sir Adam Ferguson, of Kilkerran.

7 Sir William Miller, of Barskimming; afterwards a julge uder the designation of Lord Glenlee.

8 Mr. Birtwhistle, of Kirkcudbright.

9 Richard Oswald, of Auchincruive.