Air,—“Alexander Donn's Strathspey.”
January, 1810.
THE midges dance aboon the burn,
The dews begin to faw,
The pairtricks doun the rushy holm,
Set up their e'ening caw.
Now loud and clear the blackbird's sang
Rings thro the briery shaw,
While flitting gay, the swallows play
Aroun the castle wa.
Beneath the gouden gloamin sky,
The mavis mends her lay,
The redbreast pours her sweetest strains,
To charm the lingerin day ;
While weary yeldrins seem to wail
Their little nestlings torn,
The merry wren, frae den to den,
Gaes jinking thro the thorn.
The roses [1] faul their silken leaves,
The foxglove shuts its bell, [2]
The honeysuckle [3] and the birk [4]
Spread fragrance thro the dell.
Let ithers crowd the giddy court
Of mirth and revelry,
The simple joys that Nature yiel's
Are dearer far to me.
Note by Motherwell.—“This song, though not generally known, our readers will be gratified to learn is the production of the late R. Tannahill.”
Note by Ramsay.—“Although this has never acquired much popularity as a song, we think that for trueness to Nature and beauty of expression it must be ranked as one of the happiest of the Author's efforts.”
This song, with the above title, appeared in the January number of the Scots Magazine for 1816, and it was there plainly stated to have been written by “ROBERT TANNAHILL.” In Ramsay's edition, the title is changed to the first line of the song, and the Air to “The Shepherd's Son.” John King, an intelligent Paisley weaver (mentioned in the Note to No. 6) and a companion of Tannahill, wrote an essay on Entomology, and took for his motto the first line of this song—
“The midges dance aboon the burn.”
John King also wrote an essay on the Geology of the Paisley Mosslands, and other essays on similar kindred subjects, which were read at meetings of the club with which he was connected. Being well versed in the ologies, the sobriquet of “The Dungeon of Wit”—deep thought—was popularly conferred upon him. He was evidently a more cultured essayist than a poet—Ed.
[1] Roses. See Note on page 134.—Ed.[2] Purple Foxglove, Digitalis Purpurea, common in ravines and woods on Gleniffer Braes. Stem three or four feet high. Flowers bell-shaped, purple or white in July. —Ed.
[3] Common Honeysuckle, Lonicera Pyriclymenum. Woods and hedges. Stems several feet, trailing over bushes and twining round boughs of trees. Flowers red outside, yellowish inside; exceeding sweet in the evening.-Ed.
[4] Common Birch, Betula Alba. Woods and ravines. May A well-known fragrant tree. The wood used for bobbins, machinery, and turnery. It is the universal wood of the Scots Highlanders. —Ed.
[Semple 73]