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II. LOVE-SONGS : GENERAL 407 |
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Burns disapproved of the arrangement of the tune printed with the old song in the Museum, and recommended Thomson to adopt the copy in the Caledonian Pocket Companion, and to put the chorus of the song to the high part of the tune. With his usual perversity, the editor set the chorus to the low part.
The tune, entitled The goune new made, is said to be in Leyden's MS., 1685 ; as I would have my goune made in Sinkler's MS., 1710; entitled Will ye lend me your loom, lass in the Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1752, iv. 21; the Scots Musical Museum, 1792, No. }ii, with the old words amended by Burns; and in Dale's Scotch Songs, 1794, ii. 97.
No. 160. "Will ye go to the Highlands, Leezie Lindsay P Scots Musical Museum, 1796, No. 4)4, entitled Leezie Lindsay. Burns appears to have recovered the ballad of Leezie Lindsay, and intended to make a complete song out of it. Johnson of the Museum marked on the musical MS. which Burns sent, ' Mr. Burns is to send words,' but the four lines in the text are the whole contribution. Jamieson, in Popular Ballads, 1806, ii. 149, first published the complete ballad, which refers to Donald MacDonald, heir of Kingcausie, who proposes to go to Edinburgh for a wife. His mother consents on the condition that he shall represent himself as a poor man. To the ' bonny young ladies' of Edinburgh he promises curds and whey, a bed of bracken, &c. The tune was communicated to Johnson of the Museum, where it was first printed. It is a remarkably sImple melody.
*No. 161. 'Twas past one o'clock. Scots Musical Museum, 1790, No. 227, signed 'Z.' The MS. verses are in the British Museum. In the Law MS., ' Mr. Burns's old words'; and further on in the same sheet is the note: ' There is an excellent set of this tune in McGibbon which exactly suits with the words,' which were first sketched in August, 1788, at Mauchline. The air in a rudimentary form is in the opera Flora, 1729, with Cibber's verses, beginning :— ' 'Twas past twelve o'clock on a fine summer morning When all the village slept pleasantly/ &c.
The tune with a Celtic title, Chi mi ma chattle, is in Ramsay's Musick, c. 1726, and a song is so marked in the Tea-Table Miscellany, 1724. The music, widely known, is in the Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1752, iv. 16; McGibbon's Scots Tunes, 1768, iv. 119 ; and Thumoth's Scotch and Irish Airs.
In my copy of McGibbon some previous owner has marked the title Madhyn Bugeeven, as if it were a Dutch melody.
Mo. 162. Jockie 's taen the parting kiss. Cnrrie, Works, 1800, iv.^97 ; Scots Musical Museum, 1803, No. _f70, 'Written for this work by Robert Burns'; Edinburgh edition, 1877, and Centenary Burns, 1897. Stenhouse remarks that ' this charming song was written by Burns for the Museum ' (Illustrations, p. 490).
The tune is probably English, and the copy is a bad setting of Bonie lass take a man in the Caledonian Pocket Companion, c.1759, xi. 18, which, according to Mr. Glen, was one of the airs sung in Mitchell's opera, Highland Fair, '731-
Mo. 163. As I was walking up the street. Scots Musical Museum, 1803, No./517, 'Written for this work by.Robert Burns ;' Edinburgh edition, 1877 ; and in the Centenary Burns, 1897, I'll. 20J, where the last and best stanza is omitted. Steuhouse affirms that the song was written by Burns for the Museum (Illustrations, p.jio). When and why it was written has not been discovered. It is the second last song by Burns in the Museum. The time is said by Stenhouse to have been communicated by Burns. Mr. Glen states that the air is entitled Devil fly over the water wi her in Aird's Reels, c. 1788, a collection which I have not seen.
No. 164. Is this thy plighted, fond regard? Scotish Airs, 1799, 70, ' Written for this work by Robert Burns. Air, Boy's wife.' The MS. is in the |
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