LOUDON'S BONNIE WOODS AND BRAES. LOUDON'S bonnie woods and braes, ly known by the name of Fair HELEN of Ardoch.-At that time the opportunities of meeting betwixt the sexes were more rare, consequently more sought after than now; and the Scottish ladies, far from priding themselves on extensive literature, were thought sufficiently book-learned if they could make out the Scriptures in their mother tongue. Writing was entirely out of the line of female education. At that period the most of our young men of family sought a fortune, or found a grave, in France. CROMLUS, when he went abroad to the war, was obliged to leave the management of his correspondence with his mistress to a laybrother of the monastery of Dumblane, in the immediate neighbourhood of Cromleck, and near Ardoch. This man unfortunately was deeply sensible of HELEN's charms. He artfully prepossessed her with stories to the disadvantage of CROMLUS; and by misinterpreting or keeping up the letters and messages intrusted to his care, he entirely irritated both. All connexion was broken off betwixt them: HELEN was inconsolable, and CROMLUS has left behind him, in the ballad called Cromlet's Lilt, a proof of the elegance of his genius, as well as the steadiness of his love. When the artful monk thought time had sufficiently softened HELEN'S Sorrow, he proposed himself as a lover. HELEN was obdurate: but at last overcome by the persuasions of her brother, with whom she lived, and who, having a family of thirty-one children, was probably very well pleased to get her off his hands, -she submitted, rather than consented to the ceremony: but there her compliance ended; and, when forcibly put into bed, she started quite frantic from it, screaming out, that after three gen. tle taps on the wainscot at the bed head, she heard CROMLUS's voice, crying, Helen, Helen, mind me. CROMLUS Soon after coming home, the treachery of the confidant was discovered,-her marriage disannulled, and HELEN became lady Cromlecks." Wha would shun the field of danger? Wha would shun her ca', lassie? Hark! the swelling bugle sings, Waefu' thoughts to me, laddie. When vengeance drives his crimson car And nane to close thy ee, laddie. O resume thy wonted smile, 'Midst our bonnie woods and braes THE SLIGHTED LOVER. SHE'S jilted me, an' now I'm free Her skin is white-her een are blue- What tho' she's fair, and unco fair, My mither lo'ed the lassie weel, An' tho' I'm puir, an' unco puir, Let simple chiels tak' tent, an' fear O, WERE I ON PARNASSUS' HILL. TUNE-" My love is lost to me." O WERE I on Parnassus' hill! But Nith maun be my muse's well, Then come, sweet muse, inspire my lay, How much, how dear I love thee. Tho' I were doom'd to wander on, HUSH YE RUDE BREEZES. TUNE-"Bonnie Dundee." Husн, hush ye rude breezes, my Harry is comin', * Mrs. BURNS is the heroine of this beautiful song. Corsincon, is a high hill near the source of the river Nith. My Harry is blythsome, my Harry is cheerie, Wi' him ilk thing round me looks bonnie and braw; But ilk thing aroun' me look's darksome and drearie, If e'er he gaes frae me, or turns to gae 'wa. Lang hae I lo'ed him, an' never, O never, Can I think my dear laddie for ever to lea'; But if 'tis our fate that death should us sever, One grave shall receive both my Harry and me.* THE HIGHLAND WIDOW'S LAMENT. It was nae sae in the Highland hills, Nae woman in the country wide For then I had a score o' kye, And giving milk to me. And there I had three-score o' yowes, And casting woo to me. I was the happiest of a' the clan, For Donald was the bravest man, By the author of the Farewell to Avondale. See |