The Complete Works of Robert Burns Part 153

CCXII.

DELUDED SWAIN, THE PLEASURE.

[To the air of the "Collier's dochter," Burns bids Thomson add the following old Baccha.n.a.l: it is slightly altered from a rather stiff original.]

I.

Deluded swain, the pleasure The fickle fair can give thee, Is but a fairy treasure-- Thy hopes will soon deceive thee.

II.

The billows on the ocean, The breezes idly roaming, The clouds uncertain motion-- They are but types of woman.

III.

O! art thou not ashamed To doat upon a feature?

If man thou wouldst be named, Despise the silly creature.

IV.

Go find an honest fellow; Good claret set before thee: Hold on till thou art mellow, And then to bed in glory.

CCXIII.

NANCY.

[This song was inspired by the charms of Clarinda. In one of the poet's ma.n.u.scripts the song commences thus:

Thine am I, my lovely Kate, Well thou mayest discover Every pulse along my veins Tell the ardent lover.

This change was tried out of compliment, it is believed, to Mrs.

Thomson; but Nancy ran more smoothly on the even road of lyrical verse than Kate.]

I.

Thine am I, my faithful fair, Thine, my lovely Nancy; Ev'ry pulse along my veins, Ev'ry roving fancy.

II.

To thy bosom lay my heart, There to throb and languish: Tho' despair had wrung its core, That would heal its anguish.

III.

Take away those rosy lips, Rich with balmy treasure: Turn away thine eyes of love, Lest I die with pleasure.

IV.

What is life when wanting love?

Night without a morning: Love's the cloudless summer sun, Nature gay adorning.

CCXIV.

HUSBAND, HUSBAND.

Tune--"_Jo Janet._"

["My Jo Janet," in the collection of Allan Ramsay, was in the poet's eye when he composed this song, as surely as the matrimonial bickerings recorded by the old minstrels were in his mind. He desires Thomson briefly to tell him how he likes these verses: the response of the musician was, "Inimitable."]

I.

Husband, husband, cease your strife, Nor longer idly rave, sir; Tho' I am your wedded wife, Yet I am not your slave, sir.

"One of two must still obey, Nancy, Nancy; Is it man or woman, say, My spouse, Nancy?"

II.

If 'tis still the lordly word, Service and obedience; I'll desert my sov'reign lord, And so, good bye, allegiance!

"Sad will I be, so bereft, Nancy, Nancy; Yet I'll try to make a shift, My spouse, Nancy."

III.

My poor heart then break it must, My last hour I'm near it: When you lay me in the dust, Think, think, how you will bear it.

"I will hope and trust in heaven, Nancy, Nancy; Strength to bear it will be given, My spouse, Nancy."

IV.

Well, sir, from the silent dead, Still I'll try to daunt you; Ever round your midnight bed Horrid sprites shall haunt you.

"I'll wed another, like my dear Nancy, Nancy; Then all h.e.l.l will fly for fear, My spouse, Nancy."

CCXV.