The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume I Part 15

AIR--_"Johnnie's Gray Breeks."_

Jenny's heart was frank and free, And wooers she had mony, yet The sang was aye, "Of a' I see, Commend me to my Johnnie yet.

For ear' and late, he has sic gate To mak' a body cheerie, that I wish to be, before I dee, His ain kind dearie yet."

Now Jenny's face was fu' o' grace, Her shape was sma' and genty-like, And few or nane in a' the place, Had gowd or gear mair plenty, yet Though war's alarms, and Johnnie's charms, Had gart her oft look eerie, yet She sung wi' glee, "I hope to be My Johnnie's ain dearie yet.

"What though he's now gane far awa', Whare guns and cannons rattle, yet Unless my Johnnie chance to fa'

In some uncanny battle, yet Till he return my breast will burn Wi' love that weel may cheer me yet, For I hope to see, before I dee, His bairns to him endear me yet."

THE TROOPS WERE EMBARKED.

The troops were all embark'd on board, The s.h.i.+ps were under weigh, And loving wives, and maids adored, Were weeping round the bay.

They parted from their dearest friends, From all their heart desires; And Rosabel to Heaven commends The man her soul admires!

For him she fled from soft repose, Renounced a parent's care; He sails to crush his country's foes, She wanders in despair!

A seraph in an infant's frame Reclined upon her arm; And sorrow in the lovely dame Now heighten'd every charm:

She thought, if fortune had but smiled-- She thought upon her dear; But when she look'd upon his child, Oh, then ran many a tear!

"Ah! who will watch thee as thou sleep'st?

Who 'll sing a lullaby, Or rock thy cradle when thou weep'st, If I should chance to die?"

On board the s.h.i.+p, resign'd to fate, Yet planning joys to come, Her love in silent sorrow sate Upon a broken drum.

He saw her lonely on the beach; He saw her on the strand; And far as human eye can reach He saw her wave her hand!

"O Rosabel! though forced to go, With thee my soul shall dwell, And Heaven, who pities human woe, Will comfort Rosabel!"

JOHN HAMILTON.

Of the personal history of John Hamilton only a few particulars can be ascertained. He carried on business for many years as a music-seller in North Bridge Street, Edinburgh, and likewise gave instructions in the art of instrumental music to private families. He had the good fortune to attract the favour of one of his fair pupils--a young lady of birth and fortune--whom he married, much to the displeasure of her relations.

He fell into impaired health, and died on the 23d of September 1814, in the fifty-third year of his age. To the lovers of Scottish melody the name of Mr Hamilton is familiar, as a composer of several esteemed and beautiful airs. His contributions to the department of Scottish song ent.i.tle his name to an honourable place.

THE RANTIN' HIGHLANDMAN.

Ae morn, last ouk, as I gaed out To flit a tether'd ewe and lamb, I met, as skiffin' ower the green, A jolly, rantin' Highlandman.

His shape was neat, wi' feature sweet, And ilka smile my favour wan; I ne'er had seen sae braw a lad As this young rantin' Highlandman.

He said, "My dear, ye 're sune asteer; Cam' ye to hear the lav'rock's sang?

Oh, wad ye gang and wed wi' me, And wed a rantin' Highlandman?

In summer days, on flow'ry braes, When frisky are the ewe and lamb, I 'se row ye in my tartan plaid, And be your rantin' Highlandman.

"Wi' heather bells, that sweetly smell, I 'll deck your hair, sae fair and lang, If ye 'll consent to scour the bent Wi' me, a rantin' Highlandman.

We 'll big a cot, and buy a stock, Syne do the best that e'er we can; Then come, my dear, ye needna fear To trust a rantin' Highlandman."

His words, sae sweet, gaed to my heart, And fain I wad hae gi'en my han'; Yet durstna, lest my mither should Dislike a rantin' Highlandman.

But I expect he will come back; Then, though my kin should scauld and ban, I 'll ower the hill, or whare he will, Wi' my young rantin' Highlandman.

UP IN THE MORNIN' EARLY.[25]

Cauld blaws the wind frae north to south; The drift is drifting sairly; The sheep are cow'rin' in the heuch; Oh, sirs, it 's winter fairly!

Now, up in the mornin's no for me, Up in the mornin' early; I'd rather gae supperless to my bed Than rise in the mornin' early.

Loud roars the blast amang the woods, And tirls the branches barely; On hill and house hear how it thuds!

The frost is nippin' sairly.

Now, up in the mornin's no for me, Up in the mornin' early; To sit a' nicht wad better agree Than rise in the mornin' early.

The sun peeps ower yon southland hills, Like ony timorous carlie; Just blinks a wee, then sinks again; And that we find severely.

Now, up in the mornin's no for me, Up in the mornin' early; When snaw blaws in at the chimley cheek, Wha 'd rise in the mornin' early?

Nae linties lilt on hedge or bush: Poor things! they suffer sairly; In cauldrife quarters a' the nicht, A' day they feed but sparely.

Now, up in the mornin's no for me, Up in the mornin' early; A pennyless purse I wad rather dree, Than rise in the mornin' early.

A cosie house and canty wife Aye keep a body cheerly; And pantries stowed wi' meat and drink, They answer unco rarely.

But up in the mornin'--na, na, na!

Up in the mornin' early!

The gowans maun glint on bank and brae When I rise in the mornin' early.

[25] Burns composed two verses to the same tune, which is very old. It was a favourite of Queen Mary, the consort of William III. In his "Beggar's Opera," Gay has adopted the tune for one of his songs. It was published, in 1652, by John Hilton, as the third voice to what is called a "Northern Catch" for three voices, beginning--"I'se gae wi' thee, my sweet Peggy."

GO TO BERWICK, JOHNNIE.[26]

Go to Berwick, Johnnie; Bring her frae the Border; Yon sweet bonnie la.s.sie, Let her gae nae farther.

English loons will twine ye O' the lovely treasure; But we 'll let them ken A sword wi' them we 'll measure.