The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume V Part 39

Quo' she, "I 'd need anither week to mak a gown mair braw;"

"The gown ye hae, we 'll mak it do!" "Oh, ye cowe a'!

Oh, ye cowe a'!" quo' she; "oh, ye cowe a'!

But wilfu' folk maun hae their way--oh, ye cowe a'!"

ALEXANDER HUME.

Alexander Hume was born at Edinburgh on the 17th February 1811. He is employed as a journeyman cabinetmaker in that city. As a musical composer he has attained considerable eminence. The following popular songs from his pen are published with music of his own composition.

MY AIN DEAR NELL.

Oh, bonnie Nelly Brown, I will sing a song to thee; Though oceans wide between us row, ye 'll aye be dear to me; Though mony a year 's gane o'er my head since, down in Linton's dell, I took my last fond look o' thee, my ain dear Nell.

Oh, tell me, Nelly Brown, do you mind our youthfu' days, When we ran about the burnie's side, or speel'd the gow'ny braes; When I pu'd the crawpea's blossom, an' the bloomin' heather-bell, To twine them round thy bonnie brow, my ain dear Nell!

How often, Nelly Brown, hae we wander'd o'er the lea, Where grow the brier, the yellow bloom, an' flowery hawthorn-tree; Or sported 'mang the leafy woods, till nicht's lang shadows fell-- Oh, we ne'er had thoughts o' partin' then, my ain dear Nell!

And in winter, Nelly Brown, when the nichts were lang an' drear, We would creep down by the ingle side, some fairy tale to hear; We cared nae for the snawy drift, or nippin' frost sae snell, For we lived but for each other then, my ain dear Nell!

They tell me, Nelly Brown, that your bonnie raven hair Is snaw-white now, an' that your brow, sae cloudless ance an' fair, Looks care-worn now, and unco sad; but I heed na what they tell, For I ne'er can think you 're changed to me, my ain dear Nell!

Ance mair then, Nelly Brown, I hae sung o' love and thee, Though oceans wide between us row, ye 're aye the same to me, As when I sigh'd my last farewell in Linton's flowery dell-- Oh, I ne'er can tine my love for thee, my ain dear Nell!

THE PAIRTIN'.

Mary, dearest maid, I leave thee, Hame, and frien's, and country dear; Oh! ne'er let our pairtin' grieve thee, Happier days may soon be here.

See yon bark, sae proudly bounding, Soon shall bear me o'er the sea, Hark! the trumpet loudly sounding Calls me far frae love and thee.

Summer flowers shall cease to blossom; Streams run backward frae the sea; Cauld in death maun be this bosom, Ere it cease to throb for thee.

Fare-thee-weel! may every blessin', Shed by Heaven, around thee fa'; Ae last time thy loved form pressin'-- Think o' me when far awa'.

METRICAL TRANSLATIONS

FROM

The Modern Gaelic Minstrelsy.

JOHN MACDONALD, D.D.

The Rev. John Macdonald, D.D., one of the most popular of Gaelic preachers, was born in 1778. He was ordained minister of the Gaelic Church, Edinburgh, in 1806, and was afterwards translated to the parish of Urquhart, in Ross-s.h.i.+re. While at Urquhart, he began a career of remarkable ministerial success; though it was as a missionary, or visitor of other Highland districts, that he established his professional fame. His powerful voice is said to have reached and moved thousands of auditors a.s.sembled in the open air. A long-expected volume of Gaelic poetry, consisting chiefly of elegies, hymns, and sacred lyrics, appeared from his pen in 1848. Dr Macdonald died in 1849. At the Disruption in 1843, he had joined the Free Church.

THE MISSIONARY OF ST KILDA.

The descriptive portion of a sacred lyric composed by Dr Macdonald on the occasion of his first visit to St Kilda, often called "_The Hirt_" or "_Hirta_," after the Gaelic. His missionary enterprise was blessed, we believe, with remarkable success.

I see, I see the Hirta, the land of my desire, And the missionary spirit within me is on fire; But needs it all--for, bristling from the bosom of the sea, Those giant crags are menacing, but welcome rude to me; The eye withdraws in horror from yon mountains rude and bare, Where flag of green nor tree displays, nor blushes flow'ret fair.

And how shall bark so frail as mine that beetling beach come near, Where rages betwixt cliff and surf the battle-din of fear?

It seems as, like a rocking hull, that Island of the main Were shaken from its bas.e.m.e.nt, and creaking with the strain!

But the siege of waters nought prevails 'gainst giant Hirt the grim, Save his face to furrow with some scars, or his brow with mist to dim.

Oh, needs a welcome to that sh.o.r.e, for well my thought might say, 'Twere better than that brow to face that I were leagues away.

But no, not so! what fears should daunt,--for what welcomes e'er outran The welcome that I bring with me, my call from G.o.d and man?

Nor vain my trust! my helmsman, He who sent me, now is steering, And, by His power, the wave-worn craft the sh.o.r.e in calm is nearing, And scarce my foot was on the beach when two hundred echoes spake Their welcome, and a hundred hands flew forth my hand to take.

And he, believe me, has his best protection by his side Who bears the call of G.o.d and man, from the reef, the crag, the tide; And, for welcome on the sh.o.r.e, give me the flas.h.i.+ng eyes that glow'd, When I told the men of Hirt the news I brought them from their G.o.d!

DUNCAN KENNEDY.

Duncan Kennedy was born about the year 1758. His father was gardener to Mr M'Lachlan of Kilanahanach, in the parish of Gla.s.sary, Argyles.h.i.+re. In his youth he enjoyed the advantage of attending the parish school, which was then conducted by an able cla.s.sical scholar. At an early age he was qualified to become an instructor of youth in a remote part of his native parish, and there he had frequent opportunities of becoming acquainted with "Iain Ban Maor" the Gaelic poet, and enjoyed the privilege of listening to the eminent Daniel Campbell and other pious ministers in the surrounding parishes. He was promoted to the parish school of Kilmelford about the year 1784, and soon thereafter published his collection of "Hymns and Spiritual Songs." During his summer vacations he travelled over the districts of Kintyre, Argyle, and Lorn, in search of legends concerning the Fingalians, and was successful in collecting a ma.s.s of information, which in Gaelic verse he styled "Sean dana." The MS. of his researches he intrusted to the perusal of a neighbouring clergyman, from whom he was never able to recover it, a circ.u.mstance which led him afterwards to inveigh against the clerical order. From Kilmelford parish school, Kennedy in 1790 removed to Glasgow, where he was engaged, first as an accountant, and afterwards in mercantile pursuits. At one period he realised about 10,000, but he was latterly unfortunate and indigent. During his old age he was allowed a small pension from "The Glasgow Merchants' Home." Several years subsequent to 1830 he resided at Ardrisaig in Argyles.h.i.+re. His death took place at Glasgow in 1836. He has left a MS. ready for publication, ent.i.tled "The Ark of Ancient Knowledge." His volume of hymns has pa.s.sed into a second edition.

THE RETURN OF PEACE.

With a breezy burst of singing Blow we out the flames of rage!

Europe's peace, through Europe ringing, Is, of peace, our lifetime pledge.

Faldar, aldar, aldar, ari, Faldar, aldar, aldar, e'; Faldar, aldar, aldar, ari, Faldar, ari, faldar, e'.

Every musket to the guard-house, And its lead to furlough send-- To the tilling of the meadows Every gallant bayonet bend.

See, a l.u.s.ty fleet is steering Homewards, to the sh.o.r.e of peace; And brave hearts, a host, are nearing To the expectant dear's embrace.

See the kilted Highlander As from Egypt's battles come-- Westlander and Norlander, Eager for the sight of home.

Seven years orphan'd of their fathers, Shelterless and sad no more, Quite a little army gathers, Shouting welcomes from the sh.o.r.e.