Deil tak' the war!

I late and air,

Hae wish'd since Jock departed;
But now as glad

Fu' aft at e'en

Wi' dancing keen,

When a' were blythe and merry,
I car'd na by,

Sae sad was I

In absence o' my dearie.

But, praise be blest,

My mind's at rest,

I'm happy wi' my Johnny :

At kirk and fair,

I'se ay be there,

And be as canty's ony.

"This tune," says Burns, "is originally from the Highlands: I have heard a Gaelic song to it, which I was told was very clever, but not by any means a lady's song." The Poet forgot to add that these verses were his own composition, and that he imitated the northern song in all but its indelicacy. The air, as well as the song, appeared for the first time in the Musical Museum: the former bears a close resemblance in the second part of the tune of 66 Saw ye Johnnie coming."

AE FOND KISS.

Tune-" Rory Dall's Port."

I.

AE fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me.

II.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her, was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.-
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met-or never parted,

We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

III.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas! for ever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

"These exquisitely affecting stanzas," says Scott, "contain the essence of a thousand love tales." Byron admired them much, and frequently quoted them. They were inspired, it is believed, by the fair Clarinda, and are worthy of her wit, her talents, and her beauty. They have something of Thomson's feeling in them :—

"For ever, fortune, wilt thou prove,

An unrelenting foe to love;

And when we meet a mutual heart,

Step rudely in and bid us part;

Bid us sigh on from day to day,

And wish and wish the soul away;

Till youth and genial years are flown,
And all the life of love is gone?"

LOVELY DAVIES.

Tune-" Miss Muir."

I.

O HOW shall I, unskilfu', try

The poet's occupation,

The tunefu' powers, in happy hours,

That whispers inspiration?
Even they maun dare an effort mair,
Than aught they ever gave us,
Or they rehearse, in equal verse,
The charms o' lovely Davies.

Each

eye it cheers, when she appears, Like Phoebus in the morning,

When past the shower, and ev'ry flower

The garden is adorning.

As the wretch looks o'er Siberia's shore, When winter-bound the wave is;

Sae droops our heart when we maun part Frae charming lovely Davies.

II.

Her smile's a gift, frae 'boon the lift,
That maks us mair than princes;
A scepter'd hand, a king's command,
Is in her darting glances:

The man in arms, 'gainst female charms,
Even he her willing slave is;

He hugs his chain, and owns the reign
Of conquering, lovely Davies.
My muse to dream of such a theme,
Her feeble pow'rs surrender;
The eagle's gaze alone surveys
The sun's meridian splendour:
I wad in vain essay the strain,
The deed too daring brave is;
I'll drap the lyre, and mute admire
The charms o' lovely Davies.

That beauty has been called fortunate which lived in the days of Reynolds; but the pencil of the painter never exhibited loveliness more gracefully than did the pen of Burns. He saw further than the mere May-morn flush of health and bloom; most of his heroines were handsome and witty. This song on "the charming lovely Davies" was written for the Museum.