I hae a wish I canna tine, 'Mang a' the cares that grieve me-o; I wish thou wert for ever mine, And never mair to leave me-o: I remember when this song was exceedingly popular : its sweetness and ease rather than its originality and vigour might be the cause of its success. The third verse contains a very beautiful picture of early attachment—a sunny bank and some sweet soft school-girl, will appear to many a fancy when these lines are sung. It was written by Richard Gall. AE FOND KISS. Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy, Fare thee well, thou first and fairest! Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Burns wrote this moving song about the year 1790Like Thomson he laments the cruelty of fortune: but there is more passion in his complaint; and he seems to have drunk deeply of joy before he parted with the cup. Of the heroine I cannot speak with certainty; but the poet I believe has named her right-the song is more creditable to her charms than to her good name. AGAIN REJOICING NATURE SEES. Again rejoicing Nature sees Her robe assume its vernal hues, In vain to me the cowslips blaw, In vain to me, in glen or shaw, The mavis and the lintwhite sing. The merry ploughboy cheers his team, A dream of ane that never wauks. The wanton coot the water skims, The sheep-herd steeks his faulding slap, I meet him on the dewy hill. And when the lark, 'tween light and dark, Come, Winter, with thine angry howl, When nature all is sad like me! I have removed from this fine song the idle encumbrance of an adopted chorus; it interrupted the flow of the narrative, and was at open war with the sentiment of each verse. The chorus was joyous and the song mournful. It is one of the earliest printed lyrics of Burns. O WERE I ON PARNASSUS' HILL. O were I on Parnassus' hill! To sing how dear I love thee. Then come, sweet Muse, inspire my lay, I cou'dna sing, I cou❜dna say How much, how dear I love thee. I see thee dancing o'er the green, Thy waist sae jimp, thy limbs sae clean, By heaven and earth I love thee! By night, by day, a-field, at hame, I only live to love thee. Tho' I were doom'd to wander on Beyond the sea, beyond the sun, Till my last weary sand was run, Till then-and then I'll love thee. Burns wrote this song when he first became a dweller on the banks of the Nith; and he wrote it in honour of Mrs. Burns. I have heard the introduction of the heathen hill and fount of poetic inspiration censured as pedantic; but they are mentioned only in a half-serious and half-comic way, that the poet may give preference to the stream of Nith and the hill of Corsincon. The second verse contains one of those happy strokes for which the poet is unrivalled-he gazes on the image of life and loveliness which his fancy presents till he can contain himself no longer, and exclaims, after making an inventory of various perfections, " By heaven and earth I love thee!" VOL. IV. |