, 1859-08-12
Jessie, the Flower Of Dunblane.

Tho fair object Of this song was bonnie lassie
in Dunblane. Her family were Of poor extTac-
ton, and Jessie herself was contented with
peasantslot When Tannahill became acquainted
with her. she was in her teens slight, dimplo-
checked, happy lassie; her hair yellow-colored
and luxuriant; her eyes large and full, overflow
ing with the vOluptuOus languOr which is 50 be-
coming in young blue eyes with golden lashes
Tannahill was struck with her beauty, and, as in
all things he was enthusiastic, became forthwith
her ardent worshipper. But her heart was not
to be won. Young, thoughtiess, and painting to
know and see the world, she left her poor amour
ante "to con songs 70 his mistresss eyebrows
while she recklessly rambled along the ilowery
meads Of Dunblane or Of an evening sang his
inspired verses TO him Hith the most mortilyng
Donchalancc This was two-iold misery TO the
sensitive poet Acreature so sweetly elegant, 50
dear to him, 50 very lovely and innocent, and yet
withal, 50 encased in insensibility as apparently
TO be neither conscious Of the beauty Of the verses
trembling on her dulcet tongue, nor caring for the
caresses Of her lover. Twas too much: % mark
all this, and feel It with the feeling Of poet was
the acmo Of misery. But the .flower Of Dun
blanc" was not that unfeeling, uniinagnatiye be-
ing which Tannahill pictured her. She was .
creature all feeling, all imagination, although the
bard had not that in his person or manners 70
Attlntloh VI NANNns AeA AAtiIys AtAl
young affections are not to be controlled. Love
must bc free, else It ceases 70 be love.
Tannahill was plain in bis person and unconth
in his manners, and felt and expressed discomfort
at tho cruel disappointment whichit had been his
unhappy fate almost invariably TO encounter.
Jessie, on the contrary, looked upon the world
as brilliant spectacle yet to be seen and enjoyed
las vast paradise full Of tho beauty Of heaven
and Of Garth, where men walked forth in the image
Of their Creator, invested with Ills attributed
and woman trod proudly amidst The lovely crea-
ton, an angel vcnerated and adored. 10 express
dissatisfaction under al these circumstances was
to her mind, the extrayagance Of misanthrope,
the madness Of a real lover Of misery, and sufi-
cient cause for her not to respect him. Both
viewed tho world through falso Medium, and
their deductions, although at variance, gave color
70 their minds and accelerated their fate. Jessie
could not comprehend what appeared . her the
folly Of her suitor She rclished not his sickly
sentiment and, as all womanlsind ever did and
do, she scorned q cooling lover. The bard was
driven to despair, and, summoning up an I'M
Wonted energy Of mind, departed, and len his
adored to her youthful alterations Soon aflcr
this period, the song Of t'Jessie, the Flower Of
Dunblane,h together with the music, was pub
lished and became public ihyorite; q was sung
everywhere, in theatres and at parties; . world
Of praise was showcred upon Il from woinan's
fattefing lips, and men became mad to know the
adorcd subject Of tho lay. Ina short time Il was
discovered. Jessie MOnteith, tho pretty peasant
Of Dunblane, was the favored one
From all quarters young mon and bachelors
Aocked 10 see her, and her own sex were curious
and critical Many promising youths paid their
addresses TO her, and experienced the same re-
ception as her first lover. Nevertheless, poor
A rnEtrIn nuart
from Midlothians, adorned with education, being
Of polished manners, and confident FROM wealth
and superiority Of rank, gained her young alice
tons She too crcdulously trusted In his unhal-
lowed professions. The ardor VI first love over
came her better Judgment and, abandoning her
solf 10 her love-paSsion, she made an imprudent
escape from the protection Of her parents, and
soon found herself In elegantapartmenls near the
city Of Edinburgh. The song Of neglected Tan
nalill was to his Jessie both glory and curse; !;
while Il brought her into notice and enhanced her
beauty, Il laid the foundation Of her final destruc-
ton. Popularity is dangerous elevation, whether
the object Of it be . peasant or princej tempta-
tons crowd around it, and snares arc laid on every
hand. "Who would be eminent" said distin-
guished child Of popularity, "if they knew the
peril, the madness and distinction Of mind TO
which the creature Of the popular breath is ex-
pOoCNE WHNu NuN HVSe AStAAA Wv $50 " 10
beloved Jessie, his heart almost burst with mental
agony, and, working himself into tho enthusiastic
frenzy Of inspiration, poured forth Q torrent Of
song, moro glowing and energetic than ever be-
fore dropped in burning accents from his tongue.
II Is to 10 lamcnted that, in tit Of disgust he
afterwards destroyed those poetic records Of bis
passion and his resentment
Ere three years had revolved In their triple
circuit after Jessie LEFT her hthor's home, she was
a changed woman. She was destitute in her
splcndid hAbitalion. Her blue eyes looked pitiful
Oh all things around her; the oval checks were
indcnteJ by the hand Of misery, and tho face and
pcrsOn presented the picture of an unhappy but
amiable being. How changed was the figure
clothed ia silk, which moved on the banks Of the
Forth, from the happy, lively girl in Dunbl.ne,
dressed in the rustic gaFb Of . pcasantl But
this is a subject too painful t6'dwell on: let Us
hasten " the catastrophe. Itwas on an afternoon
in July, beautiful sunny afternoon, the air