My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
It maks me blyth and bauld;
And naething gies me sic delight
At waukin' o' the fauld.

My Peggy sings sae saftly
When on my pipe I play ;

By a' the rest it is confest,

By a' the rest, that she sings best:
My Peggy sings sae saftly,

And in her sangs are tauld

With innocence the wale o' sense,

At waukin' o' the fauld.

This song, which is sung to a beautiful and characteristic melody, describes a custom of the olden time. The "watching of the fold" was a duty that devolved upon the shepherds, to prevent the lambs when weaned from getting back to their dams. Upon these occasions the shepherd was allowed, by the universal custom of the pastoral districts, to have the girl of his choice to bear him company.

THE COLLIER'S BONNIE LASSIE.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

THE collier has a daughter,

And, oh, she's wondrous bonnie;

A laird he was that sought her,
Rich baith in lands and money.
The tutors watch'd the motion
Of this young honest lover;
But love is like the ocean,
Wha can its depths discover?

He had the art to please ye,
And was by a' respected;
His airs sat round him easy,
Genteel but unaffected.
The collier's bonnie lassie,

Fair as the new-blown lilie,
Aye sweet and never saucy,

Secured the heart o' Willie.

He loved beyond expression

The charms that were about her,
And panted for possession-

His life was dull without her.
After mature resolving,

Close to his breast he held her;
In saftest flames dissolving,
He tenderly thus tell'd her:

"My bonnie collier's daughter,
Let naething discompose ye;
It's no your scanty tocher
Shall ever gar me lose ye;
For I have gear in plenty,
And love says it's my duty
To ware what heaven has lent me

Upon your wit and beauty."

This song was founded by Ramsay upon an older one with the same title, of which the following is a specimen :

The collier has a daughter,

And, oh, she's wondrous bonnie;

A laird he was that sought her,
Rich baith in lands and money.

She wadna hae a laird,

Nor wad she be a lady;

But she wad hae a collier,

The colour o' her daddie.

OWER BOGIE.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

I WILL awa' wi' my love,

I will awa' wi' her,

Though a' my kin had sworn and said,

I'll ower Bogie wi' her.

If I can get but her consent,

I dinna care a strae;

Though ilka ane be discontent,

Awa' wi' her I'll gae.

For now she's mistress o' my heart,
And worthy o' my hand;

And weel I wat we shanna part
For siller or for land.

Let rakes delight to swear and drink,
And beaux admire fine lace;
But my chief pleasure is to blink
On Betty's bonnie face.

There a' the beauties do combine
Of colour, treats, and air;
The saul that sparkles in her een
Makes her a jewel rare.

Her flowin' wit gives shining life

To a' her other charms;

How blest I'll be when she's my wife,
And lock'd up in my arms!

There blythely will I rant and sing,
While o'er her sweets I'll range;
I'll cry, Your humble servant, king,
Shame fa' them that wad change!
A kiss of Betty and a smile,

A'beit ye wad lay down

The right ye ha'e to Britain's isle,

And offer me your crown.

To go 66 ower Bogie" is a phrase that expresses in Scotland the same idea as that of running to Gretna Green does in England. It is also used to express a marriage performed by a magistrate instead of a clergyman. The first four lines of this song were borrowed by Ramsay from an older song unworthy of preservation. Mr. Peter Buchan has collected, upon the same subject, the following fragments of song:

Bonny lassie, come my road,

And gangna through the Boggie o';
Bonnie lassie, come my road,

Yours is wondrous scroggy o'.

The Boggie water's wide an' deep,
Gin ye gang in, ye'll wet your feet;
Sae, bonnie lassie, come my road,
And gangna through the Boggie o'.

Your road and my road

Lie na baith thegither o';

I'll gang up the water-side,

And ye'll gang down the river o'.

Bonnie lassie, come my road,

And gangna through the Boggie o';
Bonnie lassie, come my road,

To gangna through the Boggie o'.

The second fragment is as follows:

As I came by Strathboggie's yetts,

Strathboggie's trees were green,
There I heard the drums to beat,

I'll ower Boggie wi' him;
I'll ower Boggie wi' my love,
I'll ower Boggie wi' him;

He says he's crossing Gawdie side;
I'll awa' wi' him.

THIS IS NO MINE AIN HOUSE.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

Air-"This is no my ain house."

THIS is no mine ain house,

I ken by the rigging o't;

Since with my love I've changed vows,
I dinna like the bigging o't.

For now that I'm young Robbie's bride,
And mistress of his fire-side,

Mine ain house I'll like to guide,

And please me with the rigging o't.

Then fareweel to my father's house,

I
gang whare love invites me;
The strictest duty this allows,

When love with honour meets me.
When Hymen moulds us into ane,
My Robbie's nearer than my kin;
And to refuse him were a sin,

Sae lang's he kindly treats me.

When I'm in my ain house,

True love shall be at hand aye,
To make me still a prudent spouse,
And let my man command aye;
Avoiding ilka cause of strife,
The common pest of married life,
That maks ane wearied of his wife,
And breaks the kindly band aye.

THE HIGHLAND LADDIE.

ALLAN RAMSAY. From the "Tea-Table Miscellany."

THE Lawland lads think they are fine,
But, oh, they're vain and idly gaudy;
How much unlike the gracefu' mien

And manly looks of my Highland laddie!
O my bonnie Highland laddie,

My handsome, charming Highland laddie;
May Heaven still guard, and love reward,
The Lawland lass and her Highland laddie!

If I were free at will to choose

To be the wealthiest Lawland lady,
I'd tak' young Donald without trews,
Wi' bonnet blue and belted plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.

The brawest beau in burrows town,
In a' his airs wi' art made ready,
Compared to him he's but a clown,
He's finer far in's tartan plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.

O'er benty hill wi' him I'll run,

And leave my Lawland kin and daddie;

Frae winter's cauld and summer's sun

He'll screen me wi' his Highland plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.

A painted room and silken bed

May please a Lawland laird and lady;
But I can kiss and be as glad

Behind a bush in's Highland plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.

Few compliments between us pass;
I ca' him my dear Highland laddie,
And he ca's me his Lawland lass,
Syne rows me in beneath his plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.