Page:The Book of Scottish Song.djvu/98

80 But, O! my hame, my humble hame,

Whene'er I thought of thee,

The wreathed smile, the minstrel's fame,

Were a' forgot by me.

Ev'n yet, though on my head the snaws

O' Time begins to steal,

Youth's joys still smile within the wa's

O' my wee cozy biel.

And though to me nae gardens fair

Their sunny smiles display,

A fairer flower is blooming there

Than e'er graced minstrel's lay.

And, Peggy dear, thou art that flower,

And I will tent thee weel,

And bless, while I ha'e life, the hour

That gave thee to my biel.

My hame, my hame, my ain dear hame,

Wha wad the biggin lea',

Where smile the bairns that wear his name

Frae aff a mother's knee?

[ author of this sweetly-tender Jacobite strain was, a native of Glasgow, who died about 1824. He was for some period of his life a manufacturer in his native city, but his latter days were marked by the poet's too frequent lot—poverty and misfortune. He wrote a variety of songs and other poetical pieces, but the present one is perhaps his happiest. It is sung to the old air of "Johnnie Faa, or the Gypsy Laddie."—During the late visit of Her Majesty the Queen to the North, this song received a mark of royal favour which would have sweetened, had he been alive, poor Glen's bitter cup of life. While at Taymouth Castle, the Marquis of Breadalbane had engaged Mr. Wilson, the celebrated vocalist, to sing before her Majesty. A list of the songs Mr. Wilson was in the habit of singing was submitted to the Queen, that she might signify her pleasure as to those which she would wish to hear, when her Majesty immediately fixed upon the following:—"Lochaber no more,"—"The Flowers of the Forest,"—"The Lass o' Gowrie,"—"John Anderson, my jo,"—"Cam' ye by Athol,"—and "The Laird o' Cockpen." The present song was not in Mr. Wilson's list, but her Majesty herself asked if he could sing "Wae's me for Prince Charlie," which fortunately he was able to do. The selection of songs which the Queen made displays eminently her sound taste and good feeling. A better, or one more varied both as regards music and words, taking the number of pieces into account, could not easily be formed.]

bird cam' to our ha' door,

He warbled sweet and clearly,

An' aye the o'ercome o' his sang

Was "Wae's me for Prince Charlie!"

Oh! when I heard the bonnie soun'

The tears cam' happin' rarely,

I took my bannet aff my head,

For weel I lo'ed Prince Charlie.