Who now commands the towers and lands, The royal right of Albany. We'll daily pray, we'll nightly pray, ON SCARING SOME WATER-FOWL IN WHY, ye tenants of the lake, Bide the surging billow's shock. 1 Prince Charles, at his death in 1788, left the Duchess of Albany his sole heir, but she did not long survive him. The above song is printed from a portion of a manuscript book in Burns's handwriting, which is now in the possession of Mr. B. Nightingale, London. Conscious, blushing for our race, The eagle, from the cliffy brow, But man, to whom alone is given And creatures for his pleasure slain. And life's poor season peaceful spend. Dare invade your native right, On the lofty ether borne, Man with all his powers you scorn; Swiftly seek, on clanging wings, BLITHE WAS SHE TUNE-Andro and his Cutty Gun. The subject of these verses was Miss Euphemia Murray of Lintrose, a beautiful creature of eighteen, already distinguished by the sobriquet of the "Flower of Strathmore." CHORUS. BLITHE, blithe and merry was she, Blithe was she but and ben: i. e. everywhere Blithe by the banks of Earn, And blithe in Glenturit Glen. By Auchtertyre grows the aik, On Yarrow banks the birken shaw; But Phemie was a bonnier lass Than braes o' Yarrow ever saw. Her looks were like a flower in May, She tripped by the banks o' Earn, Her bonny face it was as meek oak birch-woode The evening sun was ne'er sae sweet The Highland hills I've wandered wide, Burns had taken up his residence with Mr. William Cruikshank, a master in the Edinburgh High School. Mr. Cruikshank had a daughter Janet, a young girl of budding loveliness, and much promise as a pianist. To her the poet was indebted for many pleasant hours, in listening to his favorite Scottish airs. He also employed her voice and instrument in enabling him to adapt new verses to old airs for the Scots Musical Museum. He gratefully celebrated his favorite, little Miss Jenny Cruikshank, in the two following pieces. A ROSE-BUD by my early walk, All on a dewy morning. An open space in a cornfield, generally a ridge left untilled. Ere twice the shades o' dawn are fled, In a' its crimson glory spread, And drooping rich the dewy head, Within the bush, her covert nest, Sae early in the morning. She soon shall see her tender brood, The pride, the pleasure o' the wood, Amang the fresh green leaves bedewed, Awake the early morning. So thou, dear bird, young Jenny fair! guards That tents thy early morning. So thou, sweet Rose-bud, young and gay, Shalt beauteous blaze upon the day, And bless the parent's evening ray That watched thy early morning. |