The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-11-17
Ne,cburyport Her aid.

-Ne,cburyport Herald.
our friend enclosed the slip, with bis in
ouiries, to the postmaster at Ayr, I'D ScoE
land. who submitted them to Rev. I. Il.
Waddeli, of Glasgow, high authority on
the works Of the poet Burns. Dr. Waaaeil
very kindly took the trouble OF gong ialiy
into the subjee. of controversy, and put ms
opinion 10 writing, which was duly for.
warded to Boston. We have the pleasure Of
printing a copy of bis letter:
ELMGRovE PLACE. GLASGOW, October ~,
1S75.-Dear Sir,-Your communication OF
Yesterday was duly received, and In reply,
for the satisfaction of your correspondent at
Boston, I make the following memoranda,
which you had better, perhaps, transmit to
him by post as they stand:
1. do not know, and never heard OF any
brook or burn in Ayrshire called the Rye )
but, even ii there were, the title OF Inc song
is an old title, to which the words were only
adapted by Burns, aGd first printed, De-
ieTe, on broad sheet. .----.-.
9. II the words had referred to river
they would most probably have been " Ger
the Rs e." and not "thro' the Rye"
8. No woman in her senses, crossing
brook or stream, or water of any kind, would
or could " draigle her petticoaties," as de-
scribed in the song; but in passing through
a field of rye, even on foot-patb, could not
help doing it after rain or dew, for the heads
of grass or corn would hang down over the
footpath. ...o .......,-
4. It was very common long ago, and still
is to have small beaten. foot.patbs through
corn.felds and grass.delds leading to other
fields. or to wells, or to adjacent houses, &C.,
and on these foot-paths. when: passengers
met. it would be very difficult indeed to pass
without jostling or else going aside into the
growing crop. II the particular case sup.
posed, situation was exchanged, without
offence, and it may be presumed without i'm
propriety. 1t could hardly be possible in
deed to avoid it. .~.. ra Is. g 60.
5. All doubt as to the true meaning Of the
word Ia question Is set at rest by the typogra-
ply. The word throughout the song, in
Burns's own edition, is printed invariably
with small T.. If the word had been the
name of river it would have capital un-
doubtediy, for Burns was addicted to the
use of capitals, even when they were not
REQUIRED, and would never have omitted q
given capital through an entire song, in the
same word, if the capital had been essential
to the meaning of the word.
6. I am quite aware of the controversy al.
luded to BY your correspondent; but the
difficulty has originated in total misappre-
hension of circumstances by the writers.
The song does not refer to any rustic gal
!anlries in the harvest.feld ut all, but to a
very rare sautaton where it could not be
avoided. Jenny was probably some simple
minded, harmless creature, employed to 20
messages from one house or village to
another through the fields, and the whole
burden of her complaint is that a very un'
expected compliment on the way had been
made subject Of ridicule ia the neghbor'
hood.
Hoping these explanations may be salts
factory to your correspondent, remain,
dear sir, yours faithfully,
p. HATELY WADDELL,
Editor and Biographer OF Robert Burns.
P.S. should remark that Burns's song