Page:The Book of Scottish Song.djvu/121

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SCOTTISH SONGS.
103

For, while life's dearest blood runs warm,
My thoughts frae her shall ne'er depart.
For, as most lovely is her form,
She has the truest, kindest heart.




O, thou hast seen.

[Written by the late John Sim of Paisley, to the tune of "Banks of Spey."]

O! thou hast seen the lily fair,
All bathed in morning dew;
And thou hast seen the lovely rose,
Just op'ning to the view.
The lily bathed in morning dew,
The rose so fair to see,
Are not more pure than her I love,
Are not more fair than thee.

But soon before time's withering blast,
The rose and lily fade;
Nor even will beauty such as thine
Outlive its darkening shade.
Yet there is that within thy breast
Will ruthless time defy,
A mind will bloom when beauty fades,
Will flourish in the sky.




O sair I rue.

[Robert Tannahill.]

O sair I rue the witless wish,
That gar'd me gang wi' you at e'en,
And sair I rue the birken bush,
That screen'd us with its leaves sae green.
And though ye vow'd ye wad be mine,
The tear o' grief aye dims my e'e,
For, O! I'm fear'd that I may tyne
The love that ye ha'e promis'd me!

While ithers seek their e'ening sports,
I wander, dowie, a' my lane,
For when I join their glad resorts,
Their daffing gi'es me meikle pain.
Alas! it was na sae shortsyne,
When a' my nights were spent wi' glee;
But, O! I'm fear'd that I may tyne
The love that ye ha'e promis'd me.

Dear lassie, keep thy heart aboon,
For I ha'e wair'd my winter's fee,
I've coft a bonnie silken gown,
To be a bridal gift for thee.
And sooner shall the hills fa' down,
And mountain-high shall stand the sea,
Ere I'd accept a gowden crown,
To change that love I bear for thee.




Ye Jacobites by Name.


[This song appears in the fourth volume of Johnson's Museum, and there is every reason to believe, that it is a production of Burns's, founded on some older Jacobitical effusion. The tune of "Ye Jacobites by name" is very beautiful, and has been adapted to several songs, but to none with more success than the one entitled "My love's in Germanie," given elsewhere.]

Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear, give an ear;
Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear;
Ye Jacobites by name,
Your fautes I will proclaim,
Your doctrines I maun blame—
You shall hear.

What is right, and what is wrang, by the law, by the law?
What is right, and what is wrang, by the law?
What is right, and what is wrang?
A short sword, and a lang,
A weak arm, and a strang
For to draw.

What makes heroic strife, fam'd afar, fam'd afar?
What makes heroic strife, fam'd afar?
What makes heroic strife?
To whet th' assassin's knife,
Or hunt a parent's life
Wi' bluidie war.

Then let your schemes alone, in the state, in the state;
Then let your schemes alone in the state;
Then let your schemes alone,
Adore the rising sun,
And leave a man undone
To his fate.