Honour's war we strongly wagèd, But the heavens denied success. Ruin's wheel has driven o'er us, THE YOUNG HIGHLAND ROVER. TUNE-Morag. LOUD blaw the frosty breezes, The snaws the mountains cover; Like winter on me seizes, Since my young Highland Rover 1 The trees now naked groaning, Soon shall wi' leaves be hinging, 1 The Highland Rover is evidently meant for Prince Charles Stuart. sadly The birdies dowie moaning, Shall a' be blithely singing, And every flower be springing. When by his mighty warden My youth's returned to fair Strathspey, RAVING WINDS AROUND HER BLOWING. TUNE- Macgregor of Ruara's Lament. "I composed these verses on Miss Isabella M'Leod of Raasay, alluding to her feelings on the death of her sister, and the still more melancholy death (1786) of her sister's husband, the late Earl of Loudon, who shot himself out of sheer heart-break at some mortifications he suffered owing to the deranged state of his finances."- B. RAVING winds around her blowing, "Farewell hours that late did measure "O'er the past too fondly wandering, MUSING ON THE ROARING OCEAN. TUNE Druimion Dubh. "I composed these verses out of compliment to a Mrs. Maclachlan, whose husband is an officer in the East Indies." ― B. MUSING on the roaring ocean, Which divides my love and me, Hope and Fear's alternate billow Ye whom sorrow never wounded, Gentle Night, do thou befriend me, Talk of him that's far awa'! BONNY PEGGY ALISON. TUNE - Braes o' Balquhidder. CHORUS. I'LL kiss thee yet, yet, And I'll kiss thee o'er again, And I'll kiss thee yet, yet, My bonny Peggy Alison! Ilk care and fear, when thou art near, Young kings upon their hansel newly-gained throne Are no sae blest as I am, O! When in my arms, wi' a' thy charms, I seek nae mair o' heaven to share And by thy e'en, sae bonny blue, TO CLARINDA, WITH A PRESENT OF A PAIR OF DRINKING-GLASSES. FAIR Empress of the Poet's soul, And Queen of Poetesses, This humble pair of glasses. And fill them high with generous juice, And pledge me in the generous toast 1 Mr. William Douglas, whose expiscation of the mysterious story of Highland Mary entitles him to be heard with respect on any subject connected with Burns, is strongly of opinion that both Mary Morison and Bonny Peggy Alison refer to Ellison Begbie, the poet's early sweetheart, whose rejection of him just before his going to Irvine caused him so much discomfiture during that period of his life. |