THE LASS O' ARRANTEENIE.

TUNE-"I had a horse."

FAR lone amang the Highland hills,
'Midst Nature's wildest grandeur,
By rocky dens, and woody glens,
With weary steps I wander.
The langsome way, the darksome day,
The mountain-mist sae rainy,
Are nought to me when gaun to thee,
Sweet lass o' Arranteenie!

Yon mossy rose-bud down the howe,
Just op'ning fresh and bonnie,
It blinks beneath the hazle bough,
An's scarcely seen by onie:
Sae sweet, amidst her native hills,
Obscurely blooms my Jeanie;
Mair fair an' gay than rosy May,
The flow'r o' Arranteenie.

Now, from the mountain's lofty brow
I view the distant ocean;
There av'rice guides the bounding prow―
Ambition courts promotion.

Let fortune pour her golden store,
Her laurel'd favours many-

Give me but this, my soul's first wish,
The lass o' Arranteenie. *

* TO ROBERT TANNAHILL, author of the above song, the difficulty of procuring a subject for his verses was sometimes greater than the task of composing them; and for this he was often indebted to the conversation and adventures of his friends. In the autumn of the year in which he wrote The Harper of Mull, a friend of his "set out with a party of pleasure on an excursion to the interior parts of the Highlands of Scotland. Returning home, chance directed him to lodge for the night at Arranteenie, a respectable

U

BESSIE'S LAMENTATION.

TUNE-"Jessie the Flower o' Dumblane."

By the side o' yon river, as Bessie sat sighin',
Lamentin' her Jamie frae her far awa,

The last sound o' the bell on the night-breeze was dyin',
An' careless aroun' her the dew-drops did fa':

inn on the side of Loch-Long. He was here introduced to a young lady, who resided with the family, whose manners and appearance formed a striking contrast to those of her sex he was accustomed to see in other parts of his journey. Entering into conversation, he found her so amiable and accomplished, that curiosity, which was at first excited, was succeeded by admiration, and admiration by a warmer passion. The night, in her presence, stole hastily by. Morning again introduced him to her, and, O delicious pleasure! he had the happiness to touch her pretty hand. What mighty favours does not fortune sometimes bestow!! The lover's soul was on fire-the day advanced too fast for his wishes, and he saw, with chagrin and concern, his careless companions prepare for their journey. The vessel that must bear him across the water was prepared, and he must part -part from heaven and an angel, and again mix with dull and insipid mortality.

Was ever mortal man so cursed before!'

With slow and reluctant steps he entered on board, and, seated at the stern, cursed every blast of wind that impelled the vessel from the shore. On his return home, he was visited by the Bard, who, with friendly curiosity, inquired whether he had seen any thing entertaining on his journey. O yes, he exclaimed, I have seen the most divine object in all created nature. In fact, the lady had so ingrossed his soul, that all the grandeur and novelty of Highland scenery were forgot. At the end of eight days he returned to the inn; but the flame that had burned so fast was exhausted, and he found the angel of his hopes sunk into a frail and erring woman. The mania of his soul was removed, but the Bard had caught the infection of his disease, and, in his absence, wrote The Lass of Arranteenie.”

O! welcome, she cried, thou sweet hour o❜ devotion!
O rise, bonnie moon, a young lassie does ca';
Shine clearly, an' witness my full heart's emotion;
I'll think on my Jamie, tho' he be awa.

O! gin he was here, or gin I had gaen wi' him :-
But whisht my fond heart, he will quickly return;
My arms shall enfauld him; soon, soon shall I see him,
An' ne'er on this bank again lanely I'll mourn.
An' thou, bonnie moon, whast beheld my sad wailin',
O tell it to Jamie, O tell it him a';

While gazin' on thee, owre the deep as he's sailin',
O! fair be the breezes aroun' him that blaw.

How sweet is't to see thee shine clearly an' bonnie,
On the gay fiel's o' harst, or the silvery snaw-
How sweet are these scenes! but far sweeter than onie
The lad to me dearest, tho' he be awa:

For what to me's Nature, tho' varied in feature ;
Without him-nae joy can it gie me ava:-
O! come then, my laddie, O come, binna later,
For drearie's the time whan frae me ye're awa.

FAIR HELEN.

TUNE-" Humours of Glen."

THE bright rose o' simmer the brier was adornin',
An' sweet fell the perfume encirclin' the flower,
An' rich on its leaves hung the tears o' the mornin',
An' saft sigh'd the gale thro' the brier-shaded bower:
But Helen, fair Helen, the early dawn courtin',

Appear'd, an' now pale grew the rose's deep dye; When rival'd Aurora beheld the nymph sportin', She mantled her face in a fold o' the sky.

Enraptur'd I saw her sae bloomin' an' bonnie,
That love bade the full tide o' fervour to flow;
But blame na my ardour, for tell me could onie
Resist the fond impulse-ah! tell me? oh no.-
Though calm was the hour, and delicious the pleasure,
When viewin' the beauties o' Nature sae fair,
Beside lovely Helen, 'twas joy without measure,
The fairest, the dearest, the sweetest was there!

A boon may I venture to beg frae thee Heaven?
Amid a' my care, an' my toil, an' my fear,
Be the heart-warmin' impulse o' frien'ship me given,
To live in her smile, or be worthy her tear:
An' never, thou dread power, Adversity, bend her;
Frae sadness an' sorrow, oh! ay be she free:
That ilka true bliss may for ever attend her,-
Is the prayer o' the poet, dear Helen, for thee.*

AND SAE WILL WE YET.

SIT ye down here my cronies, and gie me your crack, Let the win' tak' the care o' this life on its back;

This and the preceding song were composed by a young gentleman in Glasgow, whose name the Editor is not at liberty to publish. "The one to the air of The Flower of Dumblane," says the Author, in a letter to the Editor," was written in compliment to a particular favourite of the Author's. That to the air of the Humours of Glen, in compliment to a young lady of this city, at once beautiful in person, and accomplished in mind. To be eloquent in her praise would be an easy task, to enumerate her virtues a pleasant one, but they are alike known and acknowledged. And it is to be hoped that I will not incur the impu tation of flattery, when even she is unconscious of being thus recorded."

Our hearts to despondency we ne'er will submit,
For we've ay been provided for, and sae will we yet.
And sae will we yet, &c.

Let the miser delight in the hoarding of pelf,
Since he has not the saul to enjoy it himself:
Since the bounty of Providence is new ev'ry day,
As we journey thro' life, let us live by the way.
Let us live by the way, &c.

Then bring us a tankard of nappy good ale,
For to comfort our hearts and enliven the tale;
We'll ay be provided for the longer we sit,

For we've drank thegither monie a time, and sae will we yet.

And sae will we yet, &c.

Success to the farmer, and prosper his plough,
Rewarding his eident toils a' the year through:
Our seed time and harvest we ever will get,
For we've lippen'd ay to Providence, and sae will we yet.
And sae will we yet, &c.

Long live the king, and happy may he be,
And success to his forces by land and by sea:
His enemies to triumph we ne'er will permit,
Britons ay have been victorious, and sae will they yet.
And sae will they yet, &c.

Let the glass keep its course, and go merrilie roun', For the sun has to rise, tho' the moon it goes down: Till the house be rinnin round about, 'tis time eneugh to flit,

When we fell we ay got up again, and sae will we yet. And sae will we yet, &c.