The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume Ii Part 29

Adown the burnie's flowery bank, Or through the shady grove, Or 'mang the bonnie scroggie braes, Come, Peggy, let us rove.

See where the stream out ower the linn Deep headlong foamin' pours, There let us gang and stray amang The bloomin' hawthorn bowers.

We 'll pu' the rose frae aff the brier, The lily frae the brae; We 'll hear the birdies blithely sing, As up the glen we gae.

His yellow haughs o' wavin' grain The farmer likes to see, But my ain Peggy's artless smile Is far mair dear to me.

[106] Written when the author was quite a youth.

THE HILLS O' GALLOWA'.[107]

TUNE--_"The Lea Rig."_

Amang the birks sae blithe an' gay, I met my Julia hameward gaun; The linties chant.i.t on the spray, The lammies loupit on the lawn; On ilka swaird the hay was mawn, The braes wi' gowans buskit bra', An' ev'ning's plaid o' gray was thrawn Out ower the hills o' Gallowa'.

Wi' music wild the woodlands rang, An' fragrance wing'd alang the lea, As down we sat the flowers amang, Upon the banks o' stately Dee.

My Julia's arms encircled me, An' saftly slade the hours awa', Till dawning coost a glimm'rin' e'e Upon the hills o' Gallowa'.

It isna owsen, sheep, an' kye, It isna gowd, it isna gear, This lifted e'e wad hae, quo' I, The warld's drumlie gloom to cheer; But gie to me my Julia dear, Ye powers wha rowe this yirthen ba', An' oh, sae blithe through life I 'll steer, Amang the hills o' Gallowa'.

When gloamin' daunders up the hill, An' our gudeman ca's hame the yowes, Wi' her I 'll trace the mossy rill That through the muir meand'ring rowes; Or tint amang the scroggie knowes, My birken pipe I 'll sweetly blaw, An' sing the streams, the straths, and howes, The hills an' dales o' Gallowa'.

An' when auld Scotland's heathy hills, Her rural nymphs an' jovial swains, Her flowery wilds an' wimpling rills, Awake nae mair my canty strains; Where friends.h.i.+p dwells an' freedom reigns, Where heather blooms an' muirc.o.c.ks craw, Oh, dig my grave, and lay my banes Amang the hills o' Gallowa'.

[107] Like many other Scottish songs composed early in the century, and which at the time of publication were unacknowledged by their authors, the "Hills o' Gallowa'" came to be attributed to Burns. It is included among his songs in Orphoot's edition of his poetical works, which was published at Edinburgh in 1820. In the "Harp of Caledonia," the editor, Mr Struthers, a.s.signs it to the Ettrick Shepherd. Along with those which follow, the song appeared in the "Forest Minstrel." The heroine was Julia Curtis, a maiden in Galloway, to whom Cunningham was early attached. She is also celebrated by the poet in the "Braes of Ballahun,"

and her early demise is lamented in the tender stanzas of "Julia's Grave." The latter composition first appeared in the _Scots Magazine_ for 1807, p. 448.

THE BRAES OF BALLAHUN.[108]

TUNE--_"Roslin Castle."_

Now smiling summer's balmy breeze, Soft whispering, fans the leafy trees; The linnet greets the rosy morn, Sweet in yon fragrant flowery thorn; The bee hums round the woodbine bower, Collecting sweets from every flower; And pure the crystal streamlets run Among the braes of Ballahun.

Oh, blissful days, for ever fled, When wand'ring wild, as fancy led, I ranged the bushy bosom'd glen, The scroggie shaw, the rugged linn, And mark'd each blooming hawthorn bush, Where nestling sat the speckled thrush; Or, careless roaming, wander'd on Among the braes of Ballahun.

Why starts the tear, why bursts the sigh, When hills and dales rebound with joy?

The flowery glen and lilied lea, In vain display their charms to me.

I joyless roam the heathy waste, To soothe this sad, this troubled breast; And seek the haunts of men to shun, Among the braes of Ballahun.

The virgin blush of lovely youth, The angel smile of artless truth, This breast illumed with heavenly joy, Which lyart time can ne'er destroy.

Oh, Julia dear! the parting look, The sad farewell we sorrowing took, Still haunt me as I stray alone, Among the braes of Ballahun.

[108] Ballahun is a romantic glen, near Blackwood House, on the river Nith.

THE UNCO GRAVE.[109]

TUNE--_"Crazy Jane."_

Bonnie Clouden, as ye wander Hills, an' haughs, an' muirs amang, Ilka knowe an' green meander, Learn my sad, my dulefu' sang!

Braes o' breckan, hills o' heather, Howms whare rows the gowden wave; Blissful scenes, fareweel for ever!

I maun seek an unco grave.

Sair I pled, though fate, unfriendly, Stang'd my heart wi' waes and dules, That some faithfu' hand might kindly Lay 't among my native mools.

Cronies dear, wha late an' early Aye to soothe my sorrows strave, Think on ane wha lo'es ye dearly, Doom'd to seek an unco grave.

Torn awa' frae Scotia's mountains, Far frae a' that 's dear to dwall, Mak's my e'en twa gus.h.i.+n' fountains, Dings a dirk in my puir saul.

Braes o' breckan, hills o' heather, Howms whare rows the gowden wave, Blissful scenes, fareweel for ever!

I maun seek an unco grave.

[109] The Clouden is a stream which flows into the Nith, at Lincluden College, near Dumfries.

JULIA'S GRAVE.

TUNE--_"Logan Water."_

Ye briery bields, where roses blaw!

Ye flowery fells, and sunny braes, Whase scroggie bosoms foster'd a'

The pleasures o' my youthfu' days!

Amang your leafy simmer claes, And blus.h.i.+ng blooms, the zephyr flies, Syne wings awa', and wanton plays Around the grave whare Julia lies.

Nae mair your bonnie birken bowers, Your streamlets fair, and woodlands gay, Can cheer the weary winged hours, As up the glen I joyless stray; For a' my hopes hae flown away, And when they reach'd their native skies, Left me amid the world o' wae, To weet the grave where Julia lies.

It is na beauty's fairest bloom, It is na maiden charms consign'd, And hurried to an early tomb, That wrings my heart and clouds my mind; But sparkling wit, and sense refined, And spotless truth, without disguise, Make me with sighs enrich the wind That fans the grave whare Julia lies.

FAREWEEL, YE STREAMS.

AIR--_"La.s.sie wi' the Yellow Coatie."_