10
AULD ROBIN GRAY.
Is the composition of Lady Anne Lindsay, now Barnard, daughter to the Earl of Balcarras; (illegible text) born 1772, is beautifulis-prathetic Song wis a juvenile production of her Ladyship's she adopted for its hero, during the hallucination of the poetic mu ment, Robert Gray, the old herd or Balcarral. It made its first appearance in " Love and Madness, and ever since then it has been set down in the first class of our standard Scottish Songs Her Ladyship remarks, lint the old nir iad verain the air, of which she was passionately fund, cau d'her write her song, and give to the alpintive tones the following little history of virtuous distress in humble life. We have carefully examined ewen different copies of this Ballad, peluted within the last thirty-eight years, and from the different readings collated n whicle: which we hope will be und as correct as any one version of the land every frabished without the sanction of her ladyslip. The concluding stana ia by Sir Walter Scott.
When the sheep are in the fauld, and the kye at hame, And a' the warld to sleep are gane ; The waes of my heart fa' in showers frae my e'e, While my gudeman lies sound by me. Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and he sought me for his bride; But saving a crown he had naething beside. To mak the erown a pound, my Jamie gaed to sea; And the crown and the pound were baith for me.
He hadna been gane a week but only twa, When my father brake his arm, and our cow was stown awa, My mother she fell sick, and my Jamie at the sea, And auld Robin Gray canne a-courting me. My father couldna work, and my mither doughtua spin; I toil'd day and night, but their bread I couldna win; Auld Rob maintaind them baith, and wi' tears in his e'e, Said, " Jenny, for their sakes, O marry me!"
My heart it said Nay--I look'd for Jamie back; But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a wruck, The ship it was a wrack; why didna Jenny die? Oh ! why was I spared to cry, Wac's me!
