The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume Vi Part 13

KATIE BLAIR.[8]

I 've met wi' mony maidens fair In kintras far awa, I 've met wi' mony here at hame, Baith bonny dames an' braw; But nane e'er had the power to charm My love into a snare Till ance I saw the witchin' e'e An' smile o' Katie Blair.

She wons by Kelvin's bonnie banks, Whar' thick the greenwoods grow, Whar' waters loupin' drouk the leaves While merrily they row.

They drouk the lily an' the rose, An' mony flowerets fair, Yet they ne'er kiss a flower sae sweet As winsome Katie Blair.

She is a queen owre a' the flowers O' garden an' o' lea-- Her ae sweet smile mair cheering is Than a' their balms to me.

As licht to morn she's a' to me, My bosom's only care; An' worthy o' the truest love Is winsome Katie Blair.

FOOTNOTES:

[8] Printed from the Author's MS.

DAVID TAYLOR.

David Taylor was born, in April 1817, in the parish of Dollar, and county of Clackmannan. In early life his parents, having removed to the village of St Ninians, near Stirling, he was there apprenticed to a tartan manufacturer. He has continued to reside at St Ninians, and has been chiefly employed as a tartan weaver. He has written numerous poems and lyrics, and composed music to some of the more popular songs.

Latterly he has occupied himself as a teacher of vocal music.

MY AIN GUDEMAN.

O dear, dear to me Is my ain gudeman, For kindly, frank, an' free Is my ain gudeman.

An' though thretty years ha'e fled, An' five sin' we were wed, Nae bitter words I 've had Wi' my ain gudeman.

I 've had seven bonnie bairns To my ain gudeman, An' I 've nursed them i' their turns For my ain gudeman; An' ane did early dee, But the lave frae skaith are free, An' a blessin' they 're to me An' my ain gudeman.

I cheerie clamb the hill Wi' my ain gudeman; An', if it 's Heaven's will, Wi' my ain gudeman, In life's calm afternoon, I wad toddle cannie doun, Syne at the foot sleep soun'

Wi' my ain gudeman.

ROBERT CATHCART.

Robert Cathcart was born in 1817, and follows the occupation of a weaver in Paisley. Besides a number of fugitive pieces of some merit, he published, in 1842, a small collection of verses ent.i.tled, "The Early Blossom."

MARY

Sweet 's the gloamin's dusky gloom, Spreadin' owre the lea, Mary; Sweeter far thy love in bloom, Whilk blaws alane for me, Mary.

When the woods in silence sleep, And is hid in dusk the steep, When the flowers in sorrow weep I 'll sigh and smile wi' thee, Mary.

When love plays in rosy beams Roun' the hawthorn-tree, Mary, Then thine e'e a language gleams Whilk tells o' love for me, Mary.

When thy sigh blends wi' my smile, Silence reigns o'er us the while, Then my heart, 'mid flutt'ring toil, Tells thy love's bloom'd for me, Mary.

When our hands are join'd in love, Ne'er to part again, Mary, Till death ance mair his arrows prove And tak us for his ain, Mary; Then our joys are crown'd wi' bliss!

In a hallow'd hour like this, We in rapture join to kiss And taste o' heaven again, Mary.

WILLIAM JAMIE.

William Jamie was born on the 25th December 1818, in the parish of Marykirk, Kincardines.h.i.+re. He received his education at the parish school of Maryculter, Aberdeens.h.i.+re, whither his father removed during his boyhood. After working for some time with his father as a blacksmith, he engaged for several years in the work of tuition. From early manhood a writer of verses, he published, in 1844, at Laurencekirk, a small volume of poems, ent.i.tled, "The Muse of the Mearns," which pa.s.sed through two editions. Of his various subsequent publications may be enumerated, "The Emigrant's Family, and other Poems;" "The Musings of a Wanderer," and a prose tale, ent.i.tled, "The Jacobite's Son." Since 1851 he has resided at Pollockshaws, in the vicinity of Glasgow. On the sale of his poetical works he is wholly dependent for subsistence.

AULD SCOTIA'S SANGS.

Although the lays o' ither lands Ha'e mony an artfu' air, They want the stirrin' melody An auld man lo'es to hear.

Auld Scotia's sangs hae winnin' charms Which maks the bosom fain; And to her sons, that 's far awa', Wi' thochts o' hame again.

Sweet bygane scenes, and native charms, They fondly bring to min'

The trystin'-tree and bonny la.s.s, Wi a' love's dreams langsyne.

Oh! lilt me owre some tender strain, For weel I lo'e to hear-- Be 't bonny "Broom o' Cowdenknowes,"

And "Bush aboon Traquair."

Or "Banks and braes o' bonny Doon,"

Whaur Robin tuned his lyre; And "Roslin Castle's" ruined wa's-- Oh! sing, and I'll admire!

For I hae heard auld Scotia's sangs Sung owre and owre wi' glee; And the mair I hear their artless strains They dearer grow to me.

Enchanting strains again they bring, Fond memory glints alang To humble bards wha woke the lyre, And wove the patriot's sang.

Oh! leeze me on our ain auld sangs, The sangs o' youth and glee; They tell o' Bruce and glorious deeds, Which made our country free.

JOHN CRAWFORD.

A poet possessing, in an eminent degree, the lyrical simplicity and power of the Bard of Coila, John Crawford was, in the year 1816, born at Greenock, in the same apartment which, thirty years before, had witnessed the death of Burns' "Highland Mary," his mother's cousin. With only a few months' attendance at school, he was, in boyhood, thrown on his own resources for support. Selecting the profession of a house-painter, he left Greenock in his eighteenth year, and has since prosecuted his vocation in the town of Alloa. Of strong native genius, he early made himself acquainted with general literature, while he has sought recreation in the composition of verses. In 1850 he published a small duodecimo volume of lyrics, ent.i.tled, "Doric Lays; being s.n.a.t.c.hes of Song and Ballad." This little work was much commended by Lord Jeffrey, and received the strong approbation of the late amiable Miss Mitford. "There is," wrote the latter to a correspondent, "an originality in his writings very rare in a follower of Burns.... This is the true thing--a flower springing from the soil, not merely cut and stuck into the earth. Will you tell Mr Crawford how much pleasure he has given to a poor invalid?"