June, 1805.
DEAR WILL, my much respected frien,
I send you this to let you ken,
That, tho at distance fate bath set you,
Your frien's in Paisley don't forget you ;
But aften think on you, far lone,
Amang the braes of Overton.
Our social club continues yet,
Perpetual source of mirth an wit ;
Our rigid rules admit but few,
Yet still we'll keep a chair for you.
A kintra life I've aft envied,
Whar love, an truth, an peace preside ;
Without temptations tae allure,
Your days glide on, unstain'd an pure ;
Nae midnicht revels waste your health,
Nor greedy landlord drains your wealth,
Ye're never fasht wi whisky fever,
Nor dizzy pow, nor dulness ever,
But breathe the halesome caller air,
Remote from aucht that genders care.
I needna tell how much I lang
Tae hear your rural Scottish sang ;
Tae hear you sing your heath-clad braes,
Your jocund nichts, an happy days;
An lilt with glee the blythesome morn,
When dew draps pearl every thorn ;
Whan larks pour forth the early sang,
An linties chant the whins amang,
An pyats hap frae tree tae tree,
Teachin their young anes how tae flee,
While frae the mavis tae the wren,
A' warble sweet in bush or glen.
In town we scarce can fin occasion
Tae note the beauties o creation,
But study mankind's diff'rent dealings,
Their virtues, vices, merits, failings,
Unpleasing task, compar'd wi yours;
Ye range the hills 'mang mountain flow'rs,
An view, afar, the smoking town,
More blest than all its riches were your own.
A lang epistle I might scribble,
But aiblins ye will grudge the trouble
Of readin sic low, hamert rhyme,
An sae its best to quat in time ;
Sae I, with soul sincere an fervent,
Am still your trusty frien an servant.
William Thomson was a weaver in Ferguslie of Paisley, and a member of the same club Tannahill attended, and which met in the Sun Tavern, 12 High Street, Paisley, kept by Mr. Allan Stewart, a very respectable individual. Thomson was a much-respected member of the club when he left Paisley for Overton. The Epistle states that his friends had not forgotten him, but had kept his chair vacant in case he should come back again. Places with the name of Overton will be found almost in every landward parish in Scotland; and it was difficult to find out the one referred to. Persons supposed to have correct knowledge were applied to on the subject, and each of them gave a different Overton, in different counties. With these several conflicting statements as to places called Overton, the inquiry was about to be given up in despair, when Mr. John Harkness, town officer, handed us an envelope containing a letter. On taking it out, the well-known handwriting of Tannahill was at once observed in the address, “Mr. Thomson, Overton, near Beith.” That letter, dated 1st May, 1807, at once settled the right Overton, and it was neither of those supposed by the others. The letter is copied into the Corres¬pondence. Mr. Thomson had procured subscribers for twenty-nine volumes of the first edition, and Tannahill was sending them to him for distribution.—Ed.
[Semple 22]