The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume I Part 21

[36] These stanzas are in continuation of Burns's song, "John Anderson, my jo." Five other stanzas have been added to the continuation by some unknown hand, which will be found in the "Book of Scottish Song," p. 54.

Glasgow, 1853.

FAIR, MODEST FLOWER.

TUNE--_"Ye Banks and Braes o' bonnie Doon."_

Fair, modest flower, of matchless worth!

Thou sweet, enticing, bonny gem; Blest is the soil that gave thee birth, And bless'd thine honour'd parent stem.

But doubly bless'd shall be the youth To whom thy heaving bosom warms; Possess'd of beauty, love, and truth, He 'll clasp an angel in his arms.

Though storms of life were blowing snell, And on his brow sat brooding care, Thy seraph smile would quick dispel The darkest gloom of black despair.

Sure Heaven hath granted thee to us, And chose thee from the dwellers there; And sent thee from celestial bliss, To shew what all the virtues are.

KATE O' GOWRIE.[37]

TUNE--_"Locherroch Side."_

When Katie was scarce out nineteen, Oh, but she had twa coal-black een!

A bonnier la.s.s ye wadna seen In a' the Ca.r.s.e o' Gowrie.

Quite tired o' livin' a' his lane, Pate did to her his love explain, And swore he 'd be, were she his ain, The happiest lad in Gowrie.

Quo' she, "I winna marry thee, For a' the gear that ye can gi'e; Nor will I gang a step ajee, For a' the gowd in Gowrie.

My father will gi'e me twa kye; My mother 's gaun some yarn to dye; I 'll get a gown just like the sky, Gif I 'll no gang to Gowrie."

"Oh, my dear Katie, say nae sae!

Ye little ken a heart that 's wae; Hae! there 's my hand; hear me, I pray, Sin' thou 'lt no gang to Gowrie: Since first I met thee at the s.h.i.+el, My saul to thee 's been true and leal; The darkest night I fear nae deil, Warlock, or witch in Gowrie.

"I fear nae want o' claes nor nocht, Sic silly things my mind ne'er taught; I dream a' nicht, and start about, And wish for thee in Gowrie.

I lo'e thee better, Kate, my dear, Than a' my rigs and out-gaun gear; Sit down by me till ance I swear, Thou 'rt worth the Ca.r.s.e o' Gowrie."

Syne on her mou' sweet kisses laid, Till blushes a' her cheeks o'erspread; She sigh'd, and in soft whispers said, "Oh, Pate, tak me to Gowrie!"

Quo' he, "Let 's to the auld folk gang; Say what they like, I 'll bide their bang, And bide a' nicht, though beds be thrang; But I 'll hae thee to Gowrie."

The auld folk syne baith gi'ed consent; The priest was ca'd: a' were content; And Katie never did repent That she gaed hame to Gowrie.

For routh o' bonnie bairns had she; Mair strappin' lads ye wadna see; And her braw la.s.ses bore the gree Frae a' the rest o' Gowrie.

[37] See _postea_, in this volume, under article "Lady Nairn."

UPON THE BANKS O' FLOWING CLYDE.[38]

Upon the banks o' flowing Clyde The la.s.ses busk them braw; But when their best they hae put on, My Jeanie dings them a'; In hamely weeds she far exceeds The fairest o' the toun; Baith sage and gay confess it sae, Though drest in russit goun.

The gamesome lamb that sucks its dam, Mair harmless canna be; She has nae faut, if sic ye ca't, Except her love for me; The sparkling dew, o' clearest hue, Is like her s.h.i.+ning een; In shape and air wha can compare, Wi' my sweet lovely Jean.

[38] These two stanzas were written as a continuation of Burns's popular song, "Of a' the airts the wind can blaw." Two other stanzas were added by John Hamilton. See _ante_, p. 124.

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL.

A miscellaneous writer, a poet, and a musical composer, Alexander Campbell first saw the light at Tombea, on the banks of Loch Lubnaig, in Perths.h.i.+re. He was born in 1764, and received such education as his parents could afford him, which was not very ample, at the parish school of Callander. An early taste for music induced him to proceed to Edinburgh, there to cultivate a systematic acquaintance with the art.

Acquiring a knowledge of the science under the celebrated Tenducci and others, he became himself a teacher of the harpsichord and of vocal music, in the metropolis. As an upholder of Jacobitism, when it was scarcely to be dreaded as a political offence, he officiated as organist in a non-juring chapel in the vicinity of Nicolson Street; and while so employed had the good fortune to form the acquaintance of Burns, who was pleased to discover in an individual entertaining similar state sentiments with himself, an enthusiastic devotion to national melody and song.

Mr Campbell was twice married; his second wife was the widow of a Highland gentleman, and he was induced to hope that his condition might thus be permanently improved. He therefore relinquished his original vocation, and commenced the study of physic, with the view of obtaining an appointment as surgeon in the public service; but his sanguine hopes proved abortive, and, to complete his mortification, his wife left him in Edinburgh, and sought a retreat in the Highlands. He again procured some employment as a teacher of music; and about the year 1810, one of his expedients was to give lessons in drawing. He was a man of a fervent spirit, and possessed of talents, which, if they had been adequately cultivated, and more concentrated, might have enabled him to attain considerable distinction; but, apparently aiming at the reputation of universal genius, he alternately cultivated the study of music, poetry, painting, and physic. At a more recent period, Sir Walter Scott found him occasional employment in transcribing ma.n.u.scripts; and during the unhappy remainder of his life he had to struggle with many difficulties.

One of his publications bears the t.i.tle of "Odes and Miscellaneous Poems, by a Student of Medicine in the University of Edinburgh,"

Edinburgh, 1790, 4to. These lucubrations, which attracted no share of public attention, were followed by "The Guinea Note, a Poem, by Timothy Twig, Esquire," Edinburgh, 1797, 4to. His next work is ent.i.tled, "An Introduction to the History of Poetry in Scotland, with Ill.u.s.trations by David Allan," Edinburgh, 1798, 4to. This work, though written in a rambling style, contains a small proportion of useful materials very unskilfully digested. "A Dialogue on Scottish Music," prefixed, had the merit of conveying to Continental musicians for the first time a correct acquaintance with the Scottish scale, the author receiving the commendations of the greatest Italian and German composers. The work likewise contains "Songs of the Lowlands," a selection of some of the more interesting specimens of the older minstrelsy. In 1802 he published "A Tour from Edinburgh through various parts of North Britain," in two volumes quarto, ill.u.s.trated with engravings from sketches executed by himself. This work met with a favourable reception, and has been regarded as the most successful of his literary efforts. In 1804 he sought distinction as a poet by giving to the world "The Grampians Desolate," a long poem, in one volume octavo. In this production he essays "to call the attention of good men, wherever dispersed throughout our island, to the manifold and great evils arising from the introduction of that system which has within these last forty years spread among the Grampians and Western Isles, and is the leading cause of a depopulation that threatens to extirpate the ancient race of the inhabitants of those districts." That system to which Mr Campbell refers, he afterwards explains to be the monopoly of sheep-stores, a subject scarcely poetical, but which he has contrived to clothe with considerable smoothness of versification. The last work which issued from Mr Campbell's pen was "Albyn's Anthology, a Select Collection of the Melodies and Vocal Poetry Peculiar to Scotland and the Isles, hitherto Unpublished." The publication appeared in 1816, in two parts, of elegant folio. It was adorned by the contributions of Sir Walter Scott, James Hogg, and other poets of reputation. The preface contains "An Epitome of the History of Scottish Poetry and Music from the Earliest Times." His musical talents have a stronger claim to remembrance than either his powers as a poet or his skill as a writer.

Yet his industry was unremitted, and his researches have proved serviceable to other writers who have followed him on the same themes.

Only a few lyrical pieces proceeded from his pen; these were first published in "Albyn's Anthology." From this work we have extracted two specimens.

Mr Campbell died of apoplexy on the 15th of May 1824, after a life much chequered by misfortune. He left various MSS. on subjects connected with his favourite studies, which have fortunately found their way into the possession of Mr Laing, to whom the history of Scottish poetry is perhaps more indebted than to any other living writer. The poems in this collection, though bearing marks of sufficient elaboration, could not be recommended for publication. Mr Campbell was understood to be a contributor to _The Ghost_, a forgotten periodical, which ran a short career in the year 1790. It was published in Edinburgh twice a week, and reached the forty-sixth number; the first having appeared on the 25th of April, the last on the 16th of November. He published an edition of a book, curious in its way--Donald Mackintosh's "Collection of Gaelic Proverbs, and Familiar Phrases; Englished anew!" Edinburgh, 1819, 12mo.

The preface contains a characteristic account of the compiler, who described himself as "a priest of the old Scots Episcopal Church, and last of the non-jurant clergy in Scotland."

NOW WINTER'S WIND SWEEPS.

Now winter's wind sweeps o'er the mountains, Deeply clad in drifting snow; Soundly sleep the frozen fountains; Ice-bound streams forget to flow: The piercing blast howls loud and long, The leafless forest oaks among.

Down the glen, lo! comes a stranger, Wayworn, drooping, all alone;-- Haply, 'tis the deer-haunt Ranger!

But alas! his strength is gone!

He stoops, he totters on with pain, The hill he 'll never climb again.

Age is being's winter season, Fitful, gloomy, piercing cold; Pa.s.sion weaken'd, yields to reason, Man feels _then_ himself grown old; His senses one by one have fled, His very soul seems almost dead.

THE HAWK WHOOPS ON HIGH.