THE POET'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH MR. GEORGE THOMSON. THE Poet, besides his ample contributions to the Musical Museum, published by Johnson, engaged in the somewhat similar, but far more extended undertaking of Mr. George Thomson, entitled Select Melodies of Scotland,-a Work more systematically planned, and scientifically executed, as to the Music-and more chastened in the composition and sentiment of the Songs, than any of its precursors; and which still maintains its superiority over all other collections as the National Repertory of Scottish Song, both as to the poetry and music. The following Correspondence shews the rise and progress, with much of the interesting details of our Poet's contributions to Mr. Thomson's Work: SIR, No. I. MR. THOMSON TO THE POET, SOLICITING HIS CO-OPERATION. : will esteem your poetical assistance a particular Edinburgh, September 1792. FOR some years past, I have, with a friend or two, employed many leisure hours in selecting and collating the most favourite of our national melodies for publication. We have engaged Pleyel, the most agreeable composer living, to put accompaniments to these, and also to com. pose an instrumental prelude and conclusion to each air, the better to fit them for concerts, both public and private. To render this work perfect, we are desirous to have the poetry improved, wherever it seems unworthy of the music; and that it is so in many instances, is allowed by every one conversant with our musical collections. The editors of these seem in general Relying on the letter accompanying this to be to have depended on the music proving an ex-forgiven for the liberty I have taken in addresscuse for the verses; and hence, some charming ing you, I am, with great esteem, Sir, your melodies are united to mere nonsense and dog- most obedient humble servant, grel, while others are accommodated with rhymes so loose and indelicate, as cannot be sung in decent company. To remove this reproach, would be an easy task to the author of The Cotter's Saturday Night; and, for the honour of Caledonia, I would fain hope he may be induced to take up the pen. If so, we shall be enabled to present the public with a collection infinitely more interesting than any that has yet appeared, and acceptable to all persons of taste, whether they wish for correct melodies, delicate accompaniments, or characteristic verses. We the request you make to me will positively add SIR, G. THOMSON No. II. THE POET'S ANSWER. Dumfries, 16th Sept. 1792. I HAVE just this moment got your letter. As to my enjoyments in complying with it, I shall warmest acknowledgments for the enthusiasm nter into your undertaking with all the small with which you have entered into our undertsportion of abilities I have, strained to their ut-king. We have now no doubt of being able to most exertion by the impulse of enthusiasm. produce a collection, highly deserving of public Only, don't hurry me: "Deil tak the hind-attention, in all respects. most" is by no means the cri de guerre of my I agree with you in thinking English verses, muse. Will you, as I am inferior to none of that have merit, very eligible, wherever new you in enthusiastic attachment to the poetry and verses are necessary; because the English bemusic of old Caledonia, and, since you request comes every year, more and more, the language it, have cheerfully promised my mite of assist- of Scotland; but, if you mean that no English ance-will you let me have a list of your airs, verses, except those by Scottish authors, ought with the first line of the printed verses you in- to be adınitted, I am half inclined to differ from tend for them, that I may have an opportunity you. I should consider it unpardonable to saof suggesting any alteration that may occur to crifice one good so in the Scottish dialect, to me. You know 'tis in the way of my trade; make room for Englis.. erses; but, if we can still leaving you, gentlemen, the undoubted right select a few excellent ones suited to the unproof publishers, to approve, or reject, at your plea-vided or ill-provided airs, would it not be the sure, for you wn plicatio. Apropos! if very bigotry of literary patriotism to reject such you are for Englis,, erses, here on my part, merely because the authors were born south of an end of the matter. Wheth theplicity the Tweed? Our sweet air, My Nannie 0, of the ballad, or the pathos of the song, I can which in the collections is joined to the poorest only hope to please myself in being allowed at stuff that Allan Ramsay ever wrote, beginning. least a sprinkling of our native tongue. Eng- While some for pleasure pawn their health, anlish verses, particularly the works of Scotsmen, swers so finely to Dr. Percy's beautiful song that have merit, are certainly very eligible. O Nancy wilt thou go with me, that one would Tweedside; Ah the poor shepherd's mournful think he wrote it on purpose for the air. Howfate! Ah Chloris, could I now but sit, &c. ever, it is not at all our wish to confine you to you cannot mend: But such insipid stuff as, English verses: you shall freely be allowed a To Funny fair could I impart, &c. usually set sprinkling of your native tongue, as you elegantto The Mill, Mill O, is a disgrace to the col-ly express it; and moreover, we will patiently lections in which it has already appeared, and would doubly disgrace a collection that will have the very superior merit of yours. But more of this in the farther prosecution of the business, if I am called on for my strictures and amendments-I say, amendments; for I will not alter except where I myself at least think that I amand. wait your own time. One thing only I beg, which is, that however gay and sportive the muse may be, she may always be decent. Let her not write what beauty would blush to speak, nor wound that charming delicacy which forms the most precious dowry of our daughters. I do not conceive the song to be the most proper vehicle for witty and brilliant conceits: simpliAs to any remuneration, you may think my city, I believe, should be its prominent feature; songs either above or below price; for they but, in some of our songs, the writers have conshall absolutely be the one or the other. In the founded simplicity with coarseness and vulgahonest enthusiasm with which I embark in your rity; although, between the one and the other, undertaking, to talk of money, wages, fee, hire, as Dr. Beattie well observes, there is as great a &c. would be downright prostitution of soul! difference as between a plain suit of clothes and A proof of each of the songs that I compose or a bundle of rags. The humorous ballad, or paamend, I shall receive as a favour. In the rusthetic complaint, is best suited to our artless tic phrase of the season, "Gude speed the melodies; and more interesting indeed in all wark!" songs than the most pointed wit, dazzling descriptions, and flowery fancies. I am, Sir, your very humble Servant, P. S.-I have some particular reasons for wishing my interference to be known as little as possible. With these trite observations, I send you eleven of the songs, for which it is my wish to substi tute others of your writing. I shall soon trans mit the rest, and, at the same time, a prospectus of the whole collection: and you may believe we will receive any hints that you are so kind as to give for improving the work, with the greatest pleasure and thankfulness. 1 remain, Dear Sir, &c. MY DEAR SIR, morning before my conveyance goes away, I will give you Nannie O at length. (See p. 213.) Your remarks on Ewe-bughts, Marion, are LET me tell you that you are too fastidious just: still it has obtained a place among our in your ideas of songs and ballads. I own that more classical Scottish songs; and what with your criticisms are just; the songs you specify many beauties in its composition, and more prein your list have all but one the faults you re-judices in its favour, you will not find it easy mark in them; but who shall mend the matter? to supplant it. Who shall rise up and say-Go to, I will make a better? For instance, on reading over The Lea-rig, I immediately set about trying my hand on it, and, after all, I could make nothing more of it than the following, which, Heaven knows, is poor enough: (See p. 244.) In my very early years, when I was thinking of going to the West Indies, I took the following farewell of a dear girl. It is quite trifling, and has nothing of the merits of Ewe-bughts; but it will fill up this page. You must know, that all my earlier love-songs were the breathings of ardent passion, and though it might have been easy in after-times to have given them a polish, yet that polish, to me, whose they were, and who perhaps alone cared for them, would have defaced the legend of my heart, which was so faithfully inscribed on them. Their uncouth simplicity was, as they say of wines, their race. Gala Water and Auld Rob Morris, I think, will most probably be the next subject of my musings. However, even on my verses, speak out your criticisms with equal frankness. My wish is, not to stand aloof, the uncomplying bigot of opiniatrete, but cordially to join issue Your observation as to the aptitude of Dr. Percy's ballad to the air Nannie O, is just. It is besides, perhaps, the most beautiful ballad in the English language. But let me remark to you, that, in the sentiment and style of our Scottish airs, there is a pastoral simplicity, a something that one may call the Doric style and (Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary, p. 243.) dialect of vocal music, to which a dash of our native tongue and manners is particularly, nay peculiarly, apposite. For this reason, and, upon my honour, for this reason alone, I am of opinion (but, as I told you before, my opinion is yours, freely yours, to approve, or reject, as you please), that my ballad of Nannie O might perhaps do for one set of verses to the tune. Now don't let it enter into your head, that you are under any necessity of taking my verses. I have long ago made up my mind as to my own reputation in the business of authorship; and have nothing to be pleased or offended at, in your adoption or rejection of my verses. Though you should reject one half of what I give you, I shall be pleased with your adopting the other half, and shall continue to serve you with the same assiduity. In the printed copy of my Nannie O, the name of the river is horridly prosaic. I will alter it, "Behind yon hills where Lugar flows." Girvan is the name of the river that suits the idea of the stanza best, but Lugar is the most agreeable modulation of syllables. with you in the furtherance of the work. No. V. THE POET TO MR THOMSON. November 8th, 1792. IF you mean, my dear Sir, that all the songs in your collection shall be poetry of the first merit, I am afraid you will find more difficulty in the undertaking than you are aware of. There is a peculiar rhythmus in many of our airs, and a necessity of adapting syllables to the emphasis, or what I would call the feature-notes of the tune, that cramp the poet, and lay him under almost insuperable difficulties. For instance, in the air, My wife's a wanton wee I will soon give you a great many more re-thing, if a few lines smooth and pretty can be marks on this business; but I have just now an opportunity of conveying you this scrawl, free of postage, an expense that it is ill able to pay so, with my best compliments to honest Allan, Good be wi' ye, &c. Friday night. Saturday Morning. As I find I have still an hour to spare this adapted to it, it is all you can expect. The following were made extempore to it; and though, on farther study, might give you something more profound, yet it might not suit the light-horse gallop of the air so well as this random clink. (My wife's a winsome wee thing. p. 214.) I have just been looking over the Collier's bonny Dochter; and if the following rhapsody, I regret that your song for the Lea-rig is so which I composed the other day, on a charming short; the air is easy, soon sung, and very pleasAyrshire girl, Miss as she passed through ing; so that, if the singer stops at the end of this place to England, will suit your taste bet-two stanzas, it is a pleasure lost ere it is well ter than the Collier Lassie, fall on and wel-possessed. come. (O saw ye bonnie Lesslie, p. 194.) I have hitherto deferred the sublimer, more pathetic airs, until more leisure, as they will take, and deserve, a greater effort. However, they are all put into your hands, as clay into the hands of the potter, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour. Farewell, &c. No. VI. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. Ye banks, and braes, and streams around, MY DEAR SIR, Although a dash of our native tongue and manners is doubtless peculiarly congenial, and appropriate to our melodies, yet I shall be able Flowers of English Song, well adapted to those to present a considerable number of the very me.oaies, which in England at least will be the means of recommending them to still greater attention than they have procured there. you will observe, my plan is, that every air shall in the first place have verses wholly by Scottish poets; and that those of English writers shall follow as additional songs, for the choice of the singer. But What you say of the Ewe-bughts is just; I admire it, and never meant to supplant it. All I requested was, that you would try your hand on some of the inferior stanzas, which are apparently no part of the original song; but this I do not urge, because the song is of sufficient length though those inferior stanzas be omitted, 14th November, 1792. as they will be by the singer of taste. You must I AGREE with you that the song, Katherine not think I expect all the songs to be of superlaOgie, is very poor stuff, and unworthy, alto- tive merit; that were an unreasonable expecta gether unworthy, of so beautiful an air. I tried tion. I am sensible that no poet can sit down dogto mend it, but the awkward sound Ogie recur-gedly to pen verses, and succeed well at all times. ring so often in the rhyme, spoils every attempt at introducing sentiment into the piece. The oregoing song pleases myself; I think it is in ay happiest manner; you will see at first glance that it suits the air. The subject of the song is centric and happy thought. Do you not think, one of the most interesting passages of my youth-however, that the names of such old heroes as ful days; and, I own that I should be much Alexander, sound rather queer, unless in pom. flattered to see the verses set to an air which would insure celebrity. Perhaps, after all, tisine And never made anither," I would humInstead of the pous or mere burlesque verse? the still glowing prejudice of my heart, that bly suggest, "And ne'er made sic anither;" throws a borrowed lustre over the merits of the and I would fain have you substitute some other composition. I have partly taken your idea of Auld Rob Morris. I have adopted the two first verses, and am going on with the song on a new plan, which promises pretty well. I take up one or another, just as the bee of the moment buzzes in my bonnet-lug; and do you, sans ceremonie, make what use you choose of the productions. Adieu! &c. I am highly pleased with your humorous and thousand times better than the Collier's Lassie. amorous rhapsody on Bonnie Lesslie; it is a The deil he cou'dna saith thee," &c. is an ec line for "Return to Caledonie," in the last verse, because I think this alteration of the orthography, and of the sound of Caledonia, disfigures the word, and renders it Hudibrastic. thing, I think the first eight lines very good : O leeze me on my wee thing, You perceive, my dear Sir, I avail myself of the liberty which you condescend to allow me, by speaking freely what I think. Be assured, it is not my disposition to pick out the faults of any poem or picture I see my first and chief object is to discover and be delighted with the beauties of the piece. If I sit down to examine critically, and at leisure, what perhaps you have written in haste, I may happen to observe careless lines, the re-perusal of which might lead you to improve them. The wren will often see what has been overlooked by the eagle. I remain yours faithfully, &c. Gie me the hour o' gloamin grey, I am interrupted. Yours, &c. No. IX. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. (Auld Rob Morris, p. 192.) 4th December, 1792. P. S. Your verses upon Highland Mary, are just come to hand: they breathe the genuine spirit of poetry, and, like the music, will last for ever. Such verses united to such an air, with the delicate harmony of Pleyel superadded, might form a treat worthy of being presented to Apollo better judgment. Acquit them or condemn THE foregoing I submit, my dear Sir, to your himself. I have heard the sad story of your them as seemeth good in your sight. Duncan Mary: you always seem inspired when you write Gray is that kind of light-horse gallop of an air, which precludes sentiment. is its ruling feature. of her The ludicrous No. VIII. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON. Dumfries, 1st December, 1792. YOUR alterations of my Nannie O are perfectly right. So are those of "My wife's a wanton wee thing." Your alteration of the second stanza is a positive improvement. Now, my dear Sir, with the freedom which characterises our correspondence, I must not, cannot alter "Bonnie Lesslie." You are right, the word "Alexander" makes the line a little un couth, but I think the thought is pretty. Of "For nature made her what she is, This is in my opinion more poetical than No. X. THE POET TO MR. THOMSON (Poortith Cauld, p. 222.) January 1793. MANY returns of the season to you, my dear Sir. How comes on your publication? will these two foregoing be of any service to you ? I should like to know what songs you print to each tune, besides the verses to which it is set. In short, I would wish to give you my opinion on all the poetry you publish. You know it is my trade, and a man in the way of his trade may suggest useful hints, that escape men of much superior parts and endowments in other things. If you meet with my dear and much valued C. greet him in my naine, with the compliments of the season. No. XI. Yours, &c. MR. THOMSON TO THE POET, WITH A POSTSCRIPT FROM THE HON. A. ERSKINE. Edinburgh, January 20th, 1793. You make me happy, my dear Sir, and thousands will be happy to see the charmings songs you have sent me. Many merry returns of the season to you, and may you long continue among the sons and daughters of Caledonia, to delight them, and to honour yourself. |