Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-03-10


may not close this article without specimen Of
the good songs which the book contains. we shall
select the one which, for sly characteristic Scotch
humour, seems to US the best, though we doubt
il any of our English readers will relish it The
opportunity of retaliating upon the reviewers
want of sagacity was too tempting to be lost: and
the authorshpof the song was Immediately ayow-
ed in letter to the Editor of Blackwood's Mag
azine. After all, said this avowal. between
ourselves, Donald M'Gillayry. which he has Sc
iected as the best specimen of the true old Jaco-
bite song, and as remarkably above its followers
for sly, characteristic Scotch humour, IS no other
than trif1e of my own, which put IN to NIL up
PAGE! l cannot help remarking here. that the
Edinburgh Review seems to be at fault IN mel
ancholy manner, whenever 1t comes TO speak OF
Scottish songs NV friend MIR. William Laid
laws song. of Lucy's Fitting, appeared first In
Forest Ministerial. and became Popu-
lar throughout Scotland 1t vas inserted in eve
rvfuture selection Of Scottish songs, and OF
found place in Allan Cunningham's collection
Here it is to be supposed the Edinburgh reviewer
saw aud heard of 1t for the first time; and: win
some words of praise. lie most condescending'y
introduced it to public notice, after 1t had been
sung and appreciated from the cottage to the pa
lace, for space of nearly twenty years. This
reminds me Of an old gentleman, who, as he SAID,
ALWAYS liked to have people known to each other,
so one day he made party, for the purpose OF
introducing two cousins, who had been brought
up under the same roof The company took the
matter with gravity, and the joke passed OH very
well at the old genteman's expense"
The nett notes are very amusing.
".O'er the Ocean bounding is another of the
prescription lists but here, let them turn the blue
bonnet wha can Our fnrefathers had cried dotcn
songs, which all men and woman were strictly
prohibited from singing, such as 'O'er Bogsle,
and The wee Cock Chicken, &c. because Aud
Nick, was a proficient at playing them on the
pipes. The London people have done the same
with number of mine; but hereby cry them
up again, and request every good singer IN br-
tain and Ireland and the East Indies, to sing the
following song with full brr to the sweet air,
Maid of the Valley"
"sMary. canst thou leave me?' IS timely set
up by Bishop to a melody OF my own. cannot
aver that il is thoroughly my own, but II 1t is not,
know not where | heard it. But it IS OF no
avail; since think it is mine, it is equally the
same as if 1t were so.'
$40. weel befa' the Maiden gay This song
was written at Ellery, Mr.. Wilson's seat at
Westmoreland where number of my very best
things were written. There was system OF
competition went there. the most delightful
that ever engaged in. Mr.. Wilson anu had
Queens Wake every wet day-a fair set to
who should write the best poem between breakfast
and dinner: and if am any judge, these friend
y competitions produced several OF our best po-
ems, if not the best ever written on the same
subjects before Mr. Wilson as we'll as Southey
and Wordsworth. had all of them way Of sing
was1vcry fmpressfve,- v41rsassavs,,k<s
son at that period composed all his poetry. by
going over it in that sounding strain; and in our
daily competitions, although our rooms were not
Immediately adjoining, always overheard what
progress he was making When he came upon
any grand idea. he opened upon it full swell,
with all the energy of fine fox hound on hot
trail. If | heard MANY of these vehement aspi-
rations, they weakened my hands ami discoura-
ged my heart, and often said to myself, 'Gude-
faith, it's a. over WI me for this days When
we went over the poems together in the evening.
| was always anxious to learn what parts of the
poem had excited the sublime breathings which |
had heard at distance. but he never could tell
me. There was another symptom. When We
met at dinner time, If Mr.. Wilson had not been
successful in pleasing himself, he was desperate
sulky for while, though he never once missed
Frightening UP, and making the most Of the sub
ject. never saw better sport than we had in
comparing these poems. How manfully each
stood out for the merits of his own! But Mrs
Wilson generally leaned to nv side, nominally
at least. wrote the Ode to Superstition there.
which, to give Mr.. Wilson justice, he approved
of most uncquivocally. He wrote The Ship of
the Desert against it-a thing Of far greater splen-
dor, but exceedingly extravagant."
".I'll no wake wiz ANNIE composed this
pastoral ballad. as well as the air to which it was
sung, whilst sailing lovely dav on ST. Mary's
Loeb; pastime IN which, above all others, de-
lighted, and Of which am now most shameful
~ deprived. Lord Napier never did so cruel /
thing not even on the high seas, as the Interdict-
ing Of me from sailing on that beloved lake. which
if have not rendered classical, has not been my
blame. But the credit will be his own,-that is
some comfort"
'''The Moon was a-waning' is one of the |
songs Of nv youth. written long ere threw aside |
the shepherds plaid, and took farewell of nv
trusty colley, for the bard's perilous and thank
less occupation, was poor shepherd half GEN.
fury ago. and have never cot farther to this day;
but my friends would be far from regretting this
i they knew the joy of spirit that has been mine.