NOTE. THE Editor has to acknowledge his indebtedness to ROBERT CHAMBERS, Esq., LL.D., for his kindness in allowing several extracts to be taken from his valuable History of the Rebellion of 1745-6;" to Dr. BUCHAN for permission to print his continuation of Tannahill's song, "In the Spring time o' the year;" and to Mr. DAVID ROBERTSON, publisher, Glasgow, and Messrs. WOOD & Co., of Edinburgh, for allowing the insertion of several pieces of which they hold the copyright. To nearly every preceding work on the subject this Collection has been more or less indebted, but the Editor has tried always to acknowledge this in the body of the work. It may be as well to state that, the plan of the work here submitted to the public is to print only genuine Scotish productions; to omit every piece which could not be read or sung in the family circle, and to arrange the pieces, as far as possible, in chronological order. The Jacobite Songs referring to a distinct subject are arranged together in a separate section, according to the event known or presumed to be celebrated in the song. Long notes and critical remarks are, as a rule, avoided as useless; and an introductory essay is prefixed, gathering together the fragments of early pieces, and giving an account of the principal printed Collections. |