TO MARY.* COULD aught of song declare my pains, They who but feign a wounded heart Then let the sudden bursting sigh For well I know thy gentle mind *This song is inserted in Johnson's Museum, with the name of Burns attached to it. O LEAVE NOVELS. O LEAVE novels, ye Mauchline belles, † Such witching books are baited hooks For rakish rooks, like Rob Mossgiel. Your fine Tom Jones and Grandisons, Beware a tongue that's smoothly hung; The frank address, the soft caress, Are all finesse in Rob Mossgiel. + The Mauchline Belles, Burns elsewhere says, (post p. 81,) were Miss Miller, Miss Markland, Miss Smith, Miss Betty --, Miss Morton, and Jane Armour. These verses were written before his marriage. ADDRESS TO GENERAL DUMOURIER.† A PARODY ON ROBIN ADAIR. YOU'RE Welcome to Despots, Dumourier ; Aye, and Bournonville too? Why did they not come along with you, Dumourier? I will fight France with you, Dumourier, Dumourier: I will fight France with you, you, Then let us fight about, Dumourier; Till freedom's spark is out, Dumourier. Then we'll be damn'd no doubt-Dumourier. +Allan Cunningham says that Burns was one day in the King's Arms Inn, at Dumfries, when he overheard a stranger vindicating the defection of General Dumourier from the French army, on which he composed these lines, a copy of which exists in the Poet's hand. It is printed in Cromek's Reliques. SWEETEST MAY.* SWEETEST May, let love inspire thee; Proof o' shot to birth or money, ONE NIGHT AS I DID WANDER.† TUNE-JOHN ANDERSON MY JO.' ONE night as I did wander, Auld Ayre ran by before me, A cushat crowded o'er me That echoed thro' the braes. This occurs with Burns' name in Johnson's Musical Museum, iii. 578. + This song occurs among Burns' Memoranda in August, 1785, and is printed in Cromek's Reliques. THE WINTER IT IS PAST.§ A FRAGMENT. THE winter it is past, and the simmer comes' at last, The rose upon the brier by the waters running clear, May have charms for the linnet or the bee; Their little loves are blest, and their little hearts at rest, But my true love is parted from me.* VAR. 1 the summer's come. 2 The hearts of these are glad, but mine is My love is like the sun in the firmament does run, But his is like the moon that wanders up and down, All you that are in love and cannot it remove, I pity the pains you endure; For experience makes me know that your hearts are full of woe, And woe that no mortal can cure. This song was first published in the Musical Museum, p. 208, with the variations and additions here pointed out, but Burns' name was not attached to it. It also occurs as it stands in the text in Thomson's Collection, vol. vi. p. 50, where it is expressly said to have been written by him. The |