Page 237.. 13. On 20th March, 1793. Burns wrote Mr. Thomson :-" This song is one of my juvenile works. I do not think it very remarkable, either for its merits or demerits.' Page 237, l. 13, 2 col. Var. And ay I min't the witching smile. Page 237, l. 19, 2 col. Var. Wha spied I but my ain dear lass. Page 237, 1. 23, a col. Var. Wi freinit voice, quoth I, Sweet lass. Page 237, l. 32, 2 col. Var. And lov'lier look'd than ever. Page 237, l. 40, 2 col. Var. Syne wallow't like a lily. Page 237, l. 41, 2 col. Var. And sank within my arms, and cried. Page 238, l. 3. Var. Though wealth be sma', we're rich in love. And come, my ain dear soger lad. Page 238, l. 17. Concerning this song Burns writes: "The following song is a wild rhapsody, miserably deficient in versification; but as the sentiments are the genuine feelings of my heart, for that reason I have a particular pleasure in conning it over." Page 239, l. 1. Composed on the death of James Fergusson, Esq., Younger, of Craigdarroch. Page 239. "Bonie Lesley " was Miss Lesley Bailie, daughter of Mr. Bailie, of Ayrshire. Mr. Bailie, on his way to England with his two daughters, called on Burns at Dumfries. Burns mounted, accompanied them fifteen miles, and composed the song as he rode homewards. Page 239, 1. 24, 2 col. Jean Armour is the "Mauchline lady" referred to. Page 240. "My Montgomerie's Peggy," writes Burns "was my deity for six or eight months. . . . A vanity of showing my parts in courtship, particularly my abilities at a billetdoux, which I always piqued myself upon, made me lay siege to her." Burns, after he had warmed into a passion for Peggy, found that she was pre-engaged, and confessed that it cost him some heartaches to get rid of the affair. Page 240. 1. 29. 2 col. Dr. Currie inserted this in his first edition, but withdrew it on finding it was the composition of Helen Maria Williams. Burns had copied it: his MS. is now in the British Museum. Page 241, l. 25. A song, in several stanzas, similar to this occurs in the Folly Beggars. Page 241, l. 16, 2 col. This song was written on one of the anniversaries of Highland Mary's death. Page 246, 1. 3. Thomas Erskine. A somewhat different version of this piece is in Scots Magazine for January, 1818. Page 246, l. 13. Burns writes: "The chorus of this song is old; the rest of it, such as it is, is mine." Page 248. The "Five Carlins " represent the five boroughs of Dumfries-shire and Kirkcudbright, which were at the time contested by Patrick Miller of Dalswinton in the Whig, and Sir James Johnstone of Westerball in the Tory, interest. Dumfries is "Maggie by the banks o Nith; " Annan is "blinkin Bess o' Annandale;" Kirkcudbright " whisky Jean" of Galloway: Sanquhar "black Joan frae Creighton peel; and Lochmaben "Marjorie o' the monie Lochs." Page 248, l. 25, a col. Sir James Johnstone. Page 248, l. 33, 2 col. Captain Miller of Dalswinton. Page 250, l. 48. Var. Sae kend in martial story. Page 250, l. 26, 2 col. Var. I'll breathe this exclamation. Page 251, l. 1. Concerning this song Burns writes: "The chorus I picked up from an old woman in Dunblane; the rest of the song is mine." Page 251, 1. 25. Another version of this song will be found p. 191, I. 1. Page 252, 1. 11. Allan Cunningham mentions a report that Burns wrote these verses in humorous allusion to the condition in which Jean Armour found herself before marriage. Page 252, song. 1. 47. This is founded on an old erections made on the banks of Ayr, tastefully Page 253, 25. This song was altered by Page 257, Page 257, l. 25, 2 col. Of this song Burns writes: "These were originally English verses; I gave them their Scots dress." Page 258, l. 13. Part only of this song is by Burns. Page 258.1.31. Part only of this song appears to have been written by Burns. Page 258, l. 13, 2 col. Of this song Burns writes: "The chorus is old; the rest of it is mine." Page 259, l. 1, 2 col. The foundation of this song is old. Page 261, l. 13. "The last stanza of this song," Burns writes, "is mine. It was composed out of compliment to one of the worthiest fellows in the world, William Dunbar, Esq., W.S. Edinburgh, and colonel of the Crochallan Corps, a club of wits who took that title at the time of raising the Fencible regiments." Page 262, l. 1, 2 col. The first four lines of this song are old. Page 262, l. 17. The second verse of this is by Burns. song Page 262, 1. 33. Concerning this ballad Gilbert Burns says:-"When Mr. Cunninghame of Enterkin came to his estate, two mansion houses on it, Enterkin and Anbank, were both in a ruinous state. Wishing to introduce himself with some eclat to the county, he got temporary Page 265, 1. 9. Burns says the second and fourth stanzas of this song were written by him. Page 266, 1. 1. This song is founded on an old ballad. Page 268, l. 25. The last two verses of this song are by Burns. Page 269, 1. 37, 2 col. The "Heron Ballads" For now what he wan in the Indies Page 275, 1. 7. Gilbert Burns was of opinion that his brother did not write this song. Page 277, 1.5, 2 col. Burns states concerning this song: "I added the four last lines by of giving a turn to the theme of the poem, such as it is.' Page 278, i. 1, 2 col. The text has been collated with a copy in the Poet's handwriting. |