Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-10-08
MISCELLANY.
HIGHLAND MARY.

One Of the most beautiful songs in any Ian
guagc. says the Lexington lKy.l Statesman. is
Burns Highland Mary" 1t was inspired by
the great Scotch Poets love for Mary Camp
bell. a Highland lGss.e, whose beauty Of form
was only equalled by the sweetness of her ma
trre and the purity Of her heart. Burns said
of her chat sic was "Cair and adectionate, and
as guileless as she was beautiful The first
time he saw her was during one Of bis musing
walks in the woods of the "Castlc Of Montgom-
cry" Of which he wrote.
"Green be YOUR woods, and fair your flowers,
Your waters never drumlie!
Thcrs simmer first unfaulds her robes,
And there the Largest tarryj
For thefe took my last iarewee.
O'my sweet Highland Mary"
Mary Campbell, 50 pretty, so pure, so gentle,
aud so intelligent lassie, could not bbt have
many admirers among the gay ladies of the up
lands of Scotland, and Burns found that he had
rivals in abundance for her love- But the SUI
periot address Of the Ayrshire poet was success
full. aud Mary Campbell gave him her whole
heart. She knew of Burns irregularities Of
life. that he had sinncd grievously against her
own sex. but she knew in her own heart that
her love for him was as pure as that which the
holy angels feel, and she was equally confident
that she had inspired in his heart an affection
that was superior to any selfish or sensual pas
sion. Believing this she plighted her faith to
him. determined to wed aud lead him in the
path Of virtue as well as animate him with an
ambition to do great things worthy of his ge-
MUS. which she was undoubtedly capable o
appreciating. Burns remained long enough IL
the Highlands to consummate his engagement
with the dear creature lie left her, expect
inc in few short months to return and caiu
her as his bride. OF the hours he spent witt
her he sung
"The golden hours. on angel wings,
Flew DER me and my dearie;
For dear to me as light and life
Was ny sweet Highland Mary"
Before parting they exchanged VOWS Of cter
nal devotion of the most tender kind The!
stood with running stream between them
and holding in their hands tho Bibles whicl
they had exchanged they lifted up water il
their hands and vowed to remain faithful anC
true to each other as long as woods grew an'
waters ran. fhey parted, how, is told in tit
following words of this sweet sad song;
"wi' monte vow, and locked embrace,
Our parting vas iu tender;
And plcdging aft to meet again,
We tore ourselves asunder
But meet again they did not. She went he
way to Caval to make preparation for her we'd
ding, and was soon seized with a burning ie
yer which FASTENED her to an early grave.
But oh! fell deaths untimely frost,
That nipt my flower sac early
1t is said that Burns never heard of her deatl
until lie was on his way to meet her at th'
marriage altar. lie never forgot her, neve'
ceased to love and mourn for her No one hac
ever before so filled the heart Of this wayward
passionate poet, and no one ever afterwards
was able to make him forget his Highland
Mary" lie once before took leave Of her in
poem when he expected to go to the Indies IL
this manner:
Ibaye sworn bv the Heavens to my Mary,
Ibave sworn bv the Heavens 90 be true;
Aud sac may the Heavens forget me,
"If forget my vow"
He was faithful to this vow, and this poem
Of Highland Mary is one evidence Of it. Per-
haps the sweetest poem Burns ever wrote was
composed in the memory of lovely Mary Camp
bell. Years after her death-alter Burns had
married aud commenced housekeeping, and
had children about him, upon an anniversarJ
Of Mary Campbells death-he fell into fit Of
melancholy, which remained upon him all day
Late in the evening he wandered out among
his cattle and threw bimssf down beside one
Of his corr risks. and with his eyes fixed upon
bright, particular star" composed the
p6em-"To Mary in Heaven"
"Tbou Iinp'ring star, with less Mig ray,
Thot low It n greet the early morn,
Again thou usherest in the day
NV Mary from my soul was torn.
Mary dear departed shade
Where is thy place Of blilstul rest?
Seest thou thy lover lOwly laid2
Hearst thou the grosns that trend bis breast
How every line of this verse speaks the de-
serted and sad heart. Wife, the one who
should have filed the place IN his heart once
occupied by his Mary children, 50 many
pledges of love which should have called away
his heart from the one now in the heavens,
were all forgotten, and his whole soul goes out in
an agony of desire after his long lost but still
dearly loved Mary.
His heart was not with the one who had
placed her hand in his, and whom he had
borne away to his humble home as his welded
wife, but away off in the heavens with one he
met and parted with in the woods of Mont
gomery.
GsThat sacred hour can 1forget.
Can forget the hallowed grove,
Where by the winding Ayr we met.
r. a. ora dsv of nartiuC lore ~