Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-01-11
The Scottish Ballad, "AuId Robin
GraV3

The Scottish Ballad, "Auld Robin
Gray"
Leigh Hunt once remarked that Robin
GRAY had "suffused more eyes with
tears of the first water than any other
ballad that was ever written" The
song was once very popular in England,
and it is still favorite among those
people who have the gift of ballad
singing. It was written by Lady Anne
Barnard, who died in 1925. The his
tory of the composition is curious.
Lady Barnard thus relates the circum-
stances under which it was produced, in
letter to Sir Walter Scott:
"Robin Gray" SO called from this
being the name of the old herder at Bal
carras, was born soon after the close of
the year 1771. My sister Margaret had
married, and accompanied her husband
to London. l was melancholy, and en-
deavored to amuse myself by attempt
ing few poetical trifes. There was an
ancient Scotch melody, of which was
passionately fond -, who lived
Balcarras. She did not object to its
having improper words, though 1 did.
longed to sing old Sophy's melody to
differert words, and give to its plaintive
tones some little history of virtuous
distress in humble life, such as might
suit it.
While attempting to effect this in my
closet, called to my little sister, now
Lady Hardwicke, who was the only per-
son near me:
az have been writing ballad, my
dear; am expressing my heroine with
many misfortunes. I have already sent
her Jamie to sea-and broken her
fathers ARMAND made her mother fall
ok All
for her lover; but l wish to load her
with fifth sorrow within the four lines,
poor thing! Help me to one"
Steal the COW, sister Anne" said the
little Elizabeth. The COW was imme-
diately lifted by me, and the song COM
pleted.
At our fireside, and among our neigh
bors, "Auld Robin Gray" was always
called for. was pleased in secret with
the appreciation it met with but such
was my dread of being suspected of
writing anything, perceiving the shy
ness it created in those who could write
nothing, that carefully kept my own
| secret.
Meanwhile, little as this matter seems
to have been worthy of a dispute, it
afterward became a party question be-
| tween the sixteenth and eighteenth
very ancient ballad, composed perhaps
by David Rizzio, and great curiosity,
or very modern matter, and no curl
osity at all. l was prosecuted to avow
whether had written it or not,-where
had got it. Old Sophy kept my coun-
sci, and kept my own, in spite of the
qualification of seeing reward of TWEEN
| ty guineas offered in the newspapers to
the person who should ascertain the
point past a'doubt, and the still more
1attering circumstance of visit from
Mr.. birmingham, Secretary to the Anti
quarian Society, who endeavored to en-
trap the truth from me in a manner l
took amiss. Had he asked me the
question obligingly, should have told
him the fact distinctly and conGden-
TALLY. The annoyance, however, of this
important ambassador from the antigua
ries was amply repaid to me by the no
BILE exhibition of the "Ballad of Auld
Robin Gray's Courtship," as performed
by dancing dogs under my window. It
proved its popularity from the highest
to the lowest, and gave ne pleasure
while hugged myself in my obscurity.
"AULD ROBIN GRAY"
When the sheep in the fauld. when the come
t1f Ea6d to 2SIss
| inkend by my gudeman. VINO soundly sleeps Dy me-
Young Jamie loo'd me weel. and sought me for his
But saving ae crown-piece he'd nathing else beside
l To make the crown q pound my Jamie gaed to sea;
And the and the pound, o, they were bath for
| mel
Before he had been game twelvemonth and day,
| My father brak his arm, our cow was stown away;
| My mother she fell sick-my Jamie was at
| And Auld Robin Gray, o, he came a-courting me-
My father cOu'dna work. my mother eop'dne spin;
Auld Rob maintained them baith and wiz tears in his
Said. Jenny. O. for their sakes. will me p?
My heart it said Na and looked for Jamie back;
But hard blew the Winds and his ship q wrack;
| His ship it was q wrack Why didna Jamie deer
Or wherefore am spar'd to cry out, Woe is meP
| NV father argued sair-ny mother didna speak,
But she looked in face till my heart was like to
break; -..... -t......
They ged him my hand but my heart was in the
l And 80 Auld Robin Gray, he was gudeman to me.
| I hadna been his wife a week but only four,
l When mournfu' 1 sat on the 5tane at my door,
| 1 saw my Jamie's ghaist-I cou'dna think it he
Till he said, I'm come hame. my love, to marry
theel"
| o, sar, sair did we greet and mickle say Of a.:
| Ae kiss took. nae mair-I bad him gang
I wish that were dead, but I'm no like to dee;
| For, o. am but young to cry out, " Woe is me P'
1 gang like ghaist. and carena much to spinI
l 1 darena think o. Jamie, for that wad be sin.
| But will do my best a guide wife aye to be.
For Auld Rebin Gray, o. he is sac kind to mel