The Modern Scottish Minstrel Volume Iii Part 8

MAGGIE LAUDER.[21]

The cantie Spring scarce rear'd her head, And Winter yet did blaud her, When the Ranter came to Anster fair, And speir'd for Maggie Lauder; A snug wee house in the East Green,[22]

Its shelter kindly lent her; Wi' canty ingle, clean hearth-stane, Meg welcomed Rob the Ranter!

Then Rob made bonnie Meg his bride, And to the kirk they ranted; He play'd the auld "East Nook o' Fife;"

And merry Maggie vaunted, That Hab himsel' ne'er play'd a spring, Nor blew sae weel his chanter, For he made Anster town to ring-- And wha 's like Rob the Ranter?

For a' the talk and loud reports, That ever gaed against her, Meg proves a true and carefu' wife, As ever was in Anster; And since the marriage-knot was tied, Rob swears he coudna want her; For he loves Maggie as his life, And Meg loves Rob the Ranter.

[21] These stanzas are an appropriate addition to the well-known song of "Maggie Lauder," composed by Francis Semple, about 1660.

[22] The _East Green_ of Anstruther is now a low street connecting the town with the adjoining village of Cellard.y.k.e. The site of Maggie Lauder's house,--which is said to have been a cot of one storey,--is pointed out in a small garden opposite a tannery, and on the north side of the street. Maggie Lauder is the heroine of Dr Tennant's poem of "Anster Fair."

CHARLIE IS MY DARLING.

O Charlie is my darling, My darling, my darling; O Charlie is my darling, The young Chevalier!

When first his standard caught the eye, His pibroch met the ear, Our hearts were light, our hopes were high For the young Chevalier.

O Charlie is my darling, &c.

The plaided chiefs cam frae afar, Nae doubts their bosoms steir; They n.o.bly drew the sword for war And the young Chevalier!

O Charlie is my darling, &c.

But he wha trusts to fortune's smile Has meikle cause to fear; She blinket blithe but to beguile The young Chevalier!

O Charlie is my darling, &c.

O dark Culloden--fatal field!

Fell source o' mony a tear; There Albyn tint her sword and shield, And the young Chevalier!

O Charlie is my darling, &c.

Now Scotland's "flowers are wede away;"

Her forest trees are sere; Her Royal Oak is gane for aye, The young Chevalier!

O Charlie is my darling, My darling, my darling; O Charlie is my darling, The young Chevalier.

THE BLACK-E'ED La.s.sIE.[23]

AIR--_"My only Jo and Dearie O!"_

Wi' heart sincere I love thee, Bell, But dinna ye be saucy, O!

Or a' my love I winna tell To thee, my black-e'ed la.s.sie, O!

It 's no thy cheek o' rosy hue, It 's no thy little cherrie mou'; Its a' because thy heart 's sae true, My bonnie black-e'ed la.s.sie, O!

It 's no the witch-glance o' thy e'e, Though few for that surpa.s.s ye, O!

That maks ye aye sae dear to me, My bonnie black-e'ed la.s.sie, O!

It 's no the whiteness o' thy skin, It 's no love's dimple on thy chin; Its a' thy modest worth within, My bonnie black-e'ed la.s.sie, O!

Ye smile sae sweet, ye look sae kind, That a' wish to caress ye, O!

But O! how I admire thy mind, My bonnie black-e'ed la.s.sie, O!

I 've seen thine e'en like crystal clear, Shine dimly through soft pity's tear; These are the charms that mak thee dear, To me, my black-e'ed la.s.sie, O!

[23] The heroine of this song subsequently became the author's wife.

GRIM WINTER WAS HOWLIN'.

AIR--_"Bonnie Dundee."_

Grim winter was howlin' owre muir and owre mountain, And bleak blew the wind on the wild stormy sea; The cauld frost had lock'd up each riv'let and fountain, As I took the dreich road that leads north to Dundee.

Though a' round was dreary, my heart was fu' cheerie, And cantie I sung as the bird on the tree; For when the heart 's light, the feet winna soon weary, Though ane should gang further than bonnie Dundee!

Arrived at the banks o' sweet Tay's flowin' river, I look'd, as it rapidly row'd to the sea; And fancy, whose fond dream still pleases me ever, Beguiled the lone pa.s.sage to bonnie Dundee.

There, glowrin' about, I saw in his station Ilk bodie as eydent as midsummer bee; When fair stood a mark, on the face o' creation, The lovely young Peggy, the pride o' Dundee!

O! aye since the time I first saw this sweet la.s.sie, I 'm listless, I 'm restless, wherever I be; I 'm dowie, and donnart, and aften ca'd saucy; They kenna its a' for the la.s.s o' Dundee!

O! lang may her guardians be virtue and honour; Though anither may wed her, yet well may she be; And blessin's in plenty be shower'd down upon her-- The lovely young Peggie, the pride o' Dundee!

JOHN FINLAY.

John Finlay, a short-lived poet of much promise, was born at Glasgow in 1782. His parents were in humble circ.u.mstances, but they contrived to afford him the advantages of a good education. From the academy of Mr Hall, an efficient teacher in the city, he was sent, in his fourteenth year, to the University. There he distinguished himself both in the literary and philosophical cla.s.ses; he became intimately acquainted with the Latin and Greek cla.s.sics, and wrote elegant essays on the subjects prescribed. His poetical talents first appeared in the composition of odes on cla.s.sical subjects, which were distinguished alike by power of thought and smoothness of versification. In 1802, while still pursuing his studies at college, he published a volume ent.i.tled "Wallace, or the Vale of Ellerslie, with other Poems," of which a second edition[24]

appeared, with considerable additions. Soon after, he published an edition of Blair's "Grave," with many excellent notes; produced a learned life of Cervantes; and superintended the publication of a new edition of Smith's "Wealth of Nations." In the hope of procuring a situation in one of the public offices, he proceeded to London in 1807, where he contributed many learned articles, particularly on antiquarian subjects, to different periodicals. Disappointed in obtaining a suitable post in the metropolis, he returned to Glasgow in 1808; and the same year published, in two duodecimo volumes, a collection of "Scottish Historical and Romantic Ballads." This work is chiefly valuable from some interesting notes, and an ingenious preliminary dissertation on early romantic composition in Scotland. About this period, Professor Richardson, of Glasgow, himself an elegant poet, offered him the advance of sufficient capital to enable him to obtain a share in a printing establishment, and undertook to secure for the firm the appointment of printers to the University; he declined, however, to undergo the risk implied in this adventure. Again entertaining the hope of procuring a situation in London, he left Glasgow towards the close of 1810, with the intention of visiting his college friend, Mr Wilson, at Elleray, in c.u.mberland, to consult with him on the subject of his views.

He only reached the distance of Moffat; he was there struck with an apoplectic seizure, which, after a brief illness, terminated his hopeful career, in the 28th year of his age. His remains were interred in the churchyard of Moffat. Possessed of a fine genius, extensive scholarship, and an amiable heart, John Finlay, had he been spared, would have adorned the literature of his country. He entertained worthy aspirations, and was amply qualified for success; for his energies were co-extensive with his intellectual gifts. At the period of his death, he was meditating a continuation of Warton's History of Poetry. His best production is the poem of "Wallace," written in his nineteenth year; though not free from defects, it contains many admirable descriptions of external nature, and displays much vigour of versification. His lyrics are few, but these merit a place in the minstrelsy of his country.

[24] A third edition was published at Glasgow, by R. Chapman, in 1817.

O! COME WITH ME.