She dresses aye sae clean and neat, And then there's something in her gait A gaudy dress and gentle air "Tis this in Nelly pleases me, Makes I DREAMED I LAY. It is difficult to ascertain from Burns's own statements, even with the aid of his brother's and sister's, the order of such early attempts at rhyme as have been preserved. In arranging them here, I cannot profess to have attained more than an approximation to accuracy. There is one little song, which he says he composed at seventeen; from its style, and from its resemblance both in ideas and expressions to Mrs. Cockburn's Flowers of the Forest,' which was pub lished in a collection (The Lark) possessed by Burns, it certainly may be ranked as one of his earliest efforts. 1 I DREAMED I lay where flowers were springing Gaily in the sunny beam; Listening to the wild birds singing, By a falling, crystal stream: Straight the sky grew black and daring; O'er the swelling drumlie wave. Such was my life's deceitful morning, But lang or noon, loud tempests storming, troubled She promised fair, and performed but ill; 1 Compare Lang or noon loud tempests storming.— Burns. Grow drumlie and dark.- Mrs. C. Though fickle Fortune has deceived me.- Burns. O fickle Fortune, why this cruel sporting? - Mrs. C. I bear a heart shall support me still.- Burns. ere Thy frowns cannot fear me, thy smiles cannot cheer me. — Mrs. C. MY NANNIE, O. TUNE- My Nannie, O. The love affairs of the Scottish peasantry were, in those days, and in some measure are still, conducted in what appears a singular manner. The young farmer or ploughman, after his day of exhausting toil, would proceed to the home of his mistress, one, two, three, or more miles distant, there signal her to the door, and then the pair would seat themselves in the barn for an hour or two's conversation. It was a primitive fashion, owing its origin probably to the limited domestic accommodations of early times, and fathers and mothers appear to have found no occasion for visiting it with condemnation. In the parish of Torbolton, Robert Burns both launched into this mode of courtship himself, and helped in the similar courtships of others. . . . . A surviving companion of the poet in these early days, says that he composed a song on almost every tolerable-looking lass in the parish, and finally one in which they were all included. The Nannie of this song was, according to Gilbert Burns, one Agnes Fleming, a farmer's daughter in Torbolton parish; according to Mrs. Begg, Peggy Thomson of Kirkoswald. BEHIND yon hills where Stinsiar flows,1 1 In subsequent copies, Burns was induced to substitute for the Stinsiar, which has local verity in its favor, the Lugar, The wintry sun the day has closed, The westlin wind blaws loud and shill ; My Nannie's charming, sweet, and young, May ill befa' the flattering tongue Her face is fair, her heart is true, As spotless as she's bonny, O: The opening gowan, wet wi' dew, Nae purer is than Nannie, O. A country lad is my degree, And few there be that ken me, 0: But what care I how few they be? I'm welcome aye to Nannie, O. My riches a's my penny-fee, And I maun guide it canny, O; But warl's gear ne'er troubles me, shrill daisy wages carefully world's wealth My thoughts are a' my Nannie, O. a name thought to be more euphonious, but which is otherwise unsuitable. Our auld guidman delights to view His sheep and kye thrive bonny, O; But I'm as blithe that hauds his pleugh, And has nae care but Nannie, O. Come weel, come wo, I care nae by, But live and love my Nannie, O. TIBBIE, I HAE SEEN THE DAY. TUNE- Invercauld's Reel. Other songs of the period are of a humorous cast, showing that the course of the poet's loves did not always run quite smooth. It was in the following doughty strain that he addressed a neighboring maiden, who chose to consider herself as somewhat too good for him. O TIBBIE, I hae seen the day For lack o' gear ye lightly me, Yestreen I met you on the moor, But fient a hair care I. slight about it Last eve dust mock deuce |