THE BARDS OF ANGUS AND THE MEARNS. APPENDIX. POEMS, ANONYMOUS AND OTHERWISE ; CONNECTED WITH, OR BEARING ON THE COUNTIES. THE BARDS OF ANGUS AND THE MEARNS. APPENDIX. POEMS, ANONYMOUS AND OTHERWISE; CONNECTED WITH, OR BEARING ON THE COUNTIES. BONNIE BUCHAIRN. There are two versions of this old song extant, the Angus or Mearns version, which we reproduce here from "The Ballad Book" of George Ritchie Kinloch, and a Fifeshire one, which terms the song Bonnie Glowre-owre-m,' and which appears with its striking melody in The National Choir, Vol. II., p. 16. This song was often sung by the older race of Forfarians, and, as the "Lass o' Bu'wharn," still lingers in several districts of the neighbouring counties. Chorus-Whilk o' ye lassies will go to Buchairn? Whilk o' ye lassies will go to Buchairn? I'll no' ha'e the lass wi' the gowden locks, Nor will I the lass wi' the bonnie breast-knots, To plenish the toun o' bonnie Buchairn. I'll get a thiggin' frae auld John Watt, Lassie, I'm gaun to Lawren's Fair; "Laddie, what are ye gaun to do there?" To buy some ousen, some graith, an' some bows, BONNIE DUNDEE. A variety of interesting considerations gather round the fine old melody associated with this song. Burns, Tannahill, and Macneill all admired it, and each in his own way did it honour. Tannahill wrote "The Braes o' Gleniffer " to suit its cadences; and though several musical settings for his exquisite. song have appeared, none of them have superseded the plaintive strains of "Bonnie Dundee." Macneill's "Mary of Castlecary" is excellently adapted to it; and Burns's revision of the coarse verses associated with it in olden days |