Burns, in his notes on the Musical Museum, says of this song, "I added the last four lines by way of giving a turn to the theme of the poem-such as it is." Had the Poet been asked where he found the other twelve lines of the song, I know not what answer he would have made for they are in none of our lyrical collections. In truth, they speak plainly of his own personal history-the jacobitical conclusion was

thought.

an after

The air of the song is called "Carron Side," and may be found in the eighth volume of Oswald's Collection. The composer has, however, availed himself of some passages from the well-known old air of "Todlen' Hame." It is thus that tunes as well as songs are written. Burns, though ready enough to amend and eke out the eldern strains himself, seemed little disposed to applaud others when they took the same liberties. "A poet," he said, "should mend a song as the Highlander mended his pistol-he gave it a new stock, a new lock, and a new barrel."

SWEET CLOSES THE EVENING.

Tune-" Craigie-burn-wood."

CHORUS.

Beyond thee, dearie, beyond thee, dearie,
And O, to be lying beyond thee;
O sweetly, soundly, weel may he sleep
That's laid in the bed beyond thee!

I.

SWEET closes the evening on Craigie-burn-wood, And blithely awaukens the morrow;

But the pride of the spring in the Craigie-burnwood

Can yield to me nothing but sorrow.

II.

I see the spreading leaves and flowers,
I hear the wild birds singing;
But pleasure they hae nane for me,

While care my heart is wringing.

III.

I canna tell, I maunna tell,

I darena for your anger;

But secret love will break my heart,
If I conceal it langer.

IV.

I see thee gracefu', straight, and tall,
I see thee sweet and bonnie;
But oh, what will my torments be,
If thou refuse thy Johnnie!

V.

To see thee in anither's arms,

In love to lie and languish,

'Twad be my dead, that will be seen, My heart wad burst wi' anguish.

VI.

But, Jeanie, say thou wilt be mine,
Say thou lo'es nane before me;
And a' my days o' life to come
I'll gratefully adore thee.

Beyond thee, dearie, beyond thee, dearie,
And O, to be lying beyond thee;
O sweetly, soundly, weel may he sleep
That's laid in the bed beyond thee!

Some five years or so after this song was written, Burns altered it a little, and inserted it in the collection of George Thomson: his changes and omissions wrought no improvement: he, however, very properly left out the words of the chorus, adopted from an old ballad-not remarkable for its beauty. The song was in honour of the charms of Jean Lorimer, then residing at Craigie-burn-wood, near Moffat; and the Poet wrote it to aid the eloquence of a Mr. Gillespie, who was paying his addresses to her. Neither the Poet's verse nor the lover's language prevailed: Jean married an officer, of the name of Whelpdale-lived with him a few monthsquitted him, in consequence of great provocation, and then took up her residence in Dumfries, where she had many opportunities of seeing the Poet. The tune was picked up from a country-girl's singing, and is one of the finest of all the airs of Caledonia.

COCK UP YOUR BEAVER.

Tune-" Cock up your beaver.”

I.

WHEN first my brave Johnnie lad

Came to this town,

He had a blue bonnet

That wanted the crown;

But now he has gotten

A hat and a feather,

Hey, brave Johnnie lad,

Cock up your beaver,
And cock it fu' sprush,

We'll over the border

And gie them a brush;

There's somebody there

We'll teach better behaviour

Hey, brave Johnnie lad,

Cock up your beaver!