[This trifle, a copy of which is inscribed on the back of the poet's first draft of "Scots wha hae," &c., was bought by Mr. Fred. Locker, London, at the sale of Burns's manuscripts which belonged to the late Mr. Pickering. An indorsation explains that some one, in presence of Mrs. Riddell, informed the poet that Lord Buchan, in an argument, vociferated that "Women must be always flattered grossly, or not praised at all." Whereupon Burns pencilled these lines on a slip of paper which he handed to the lady. We suspect that our poet was here only establishing, instead of seeking to rebut, his lordship's argument.] REMORSEFUL APOLOGY. (CURRIE, 1800.) THE friend whom, wild from Wisdom's way, The fumes of wine infuriate send, (Not moony madness more astray) Who but deplores that hapless friend? Mine was th' insensate frenzied part, Ah! why should I such scenes outlive? 'Tis thine to pity and forgive. [It is not very certain to whom these lines were addressed. The manuscript from which Dr. Currie printed the lines, is now in the British Museum, and there is a docquet on it, apparently in Currie's hand, stating that it was addressed to a Mr. M'Kenzie whom the bard had offended. There can be little question but that the lines were addressed to Mrs. Riddell.] WILT THOU BE MY DEARIE? Tune-"The Sutor's Dochter." (JOHNSON'S MUSEUM, 1796.) WILT thou be my Dearie When Sorrow wrings thy gentle heart, That's the love I bear thee: Lassie, say thou lo'es me; Thou for thine may choose me, Still trusting that thou lo'es me! Lassie, let me quickly die, Still trusting that thou lo'es me! [This is one of the most remarkable of all Burns's lyrics, and one in which he specially prided himself. We cannot resist coming to the conclusion that Maria Riddell was its intended heroine. The first mention we have of it is in the poet's letter to Alexander Cunningham, dated 3rd March 1794, thus:-" Apropos, do you know the much admired Highland air, called 'The Sutor's Dochter?' It is a first-rate favorite of mine, and I have written what I reckon one of my best songs to it. I will send it to you as it was sung, with great applause in some fashionable circles, by Major Robertson of Lude, who was here with his corps." The correspondence of the poet, prior to the close of 1793, contains repeated reference to the "lobster-coated puppies" who associated with Mrs. Riddell at that period; and the lady's grand son, Mr. Arthur de Noe Walker, of 10 Ovington Gardens, London, has now in his possession the poet's holograph copy of this song which he presented to Mrs. Riddell, along with the one given at page 162, supra, "The last time I came o'er the muir."] A FIDDLER IN THE NORTH. Tune-"The King o' France he rade a race." (CROMEK, 1808.) bagpipe AMANG the trees, where humming bees, dismal swarm gesture Their capon craws an' queer "ha, ha's," He fir'd a Fiddler in the North, That dang them tapsalteerie, O. [It appears probable from the terms of one of the poet's letters to Johnson (forming part of the Hastie Collection of Burns MSS. in the British Museum), that Neil Gow paid a visit to Dumfries about this period, and had several meetings with Burns; and it seems reasonable to infer that the present production was one of the results of those interviews. The poet thus wrote to his correspondent :-"I was much obliged to you for making me acquainted with Gow. He is a modest, intelligent, worthy fellow, besides his being a man of genius in his way. I have spent many happy hours with him in the short while he has been here." The "royal ghaist" referred to is King James I. of Scotland, who was kept a prisoner in England for eighteen years. It is at the same time not unlikely that the "Gow" thus referred to was not the famous "Neil," but a brother of his, who played the violoncello to the tenor of the distinguished "Fiddler in the North." Burns was introduced to Neil Gow during his Highland Tour in 1787, so that the words above quoted could scarcely be applicable to him. The original MS. of this song is now in possession of Henry Probasco, Esq., of Cincinnati, Ohio.] A RED, RED ROSE. (JOHNSON'S MUSEUM, 1796.) My Luve is like a red, red rose, As fair art thou, my bonie lass, And I will luve thee still, my Dear, Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear, And fare-thee-well, my only Luve! Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile! [This little Love-chant has been a universal favorite since it was first given to the world. It is one of those lyrics, in imitation of the old minstrels, which called forth the commendations of Hazlitt in his critical remarks on Burns's poetry. The lines and sentiments are so exceeding simple that any reader, on seeing them for the first time, naturally imagines that he has seen or heard them before; but no one editor or annotator of Burns has been able to shew that they ever were in print before their appearance in the Museum with Burns's name attached.] RESISTLESS KING OF LOVE. (JOHNSON'S MUSEUM, 1796.) YOUNG JAMIE, pride of a' the plain, But now, wi' sighs and starting tears, "I wha sae late did range and rove, "The slighted maids my torments see, dolefully endure [The original MS. of this song, supplied to Johnson, is in the Hastie Collection at the British Museum. Stenhouse regards it as an unclaimed production of Burns, an opinion to which we have nothing to say in dissent. An examination of the words at once suggests that it may have been one of those pastorals which the poet composed at this period with a view to conciliate the temper, and melt the coldness of Maria Riddell, whose lyrical tastes were very Arcadian. After the quarrel between that pair of Platonic lovers, which we have referred to at p. 192, supra, the prose corre |
