The record-union., 1893-10-07
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1891


lre-"John Anderson, my 10, John" and
Annie Laurie" Both were written
near the banks of the songful NTH in
Dumfriesshire. Both were written by
almost strangers to their temporary en-
vironment. Both were written as true
Deaus of joy out of almost inexpressible
human happiness. And both gained
their deathlessness from their directness,
breyity and simplicity, which ever most
powerfully appeal to the universal human
heart.
Robert Burns wrote "John Anderson,
my 10, john" from hint he received
out of the old doggerel rhyme upon one
John Anderson, the town piper Of an
cient Kelso. preserved in Bishop Percy's
old manuscript OF about 1860. The first
two lines OF the rhyme were:
John Anderson, my Jo John, cum in as ze
gae by,
And ze shall get sleeps held weel baken in
pye;
but its matchless picture and lesson Of
Changeless connubial affection and 10y
atty was The legitimate outgrowth of his
own noble and coutented life with bon
nie Jean" on the Ellisland farm, shortly
after Burns removal from Ayrshire, be-
side the River NTH, about eight miles
above the City OF Dumtries The few
years passed by the bard and his family
here were years Of unalloyed happiness
and content, and this poem, written in
l7S9, is the cleareSt, sweetest note to
reach u, out OF the brief Eden of that
idyllic time.
Annie Laurie" was written little
more than half a century earlier, in Max
welltown, in Nithsdale, by VIM. Douglas,
to a real flesh and blood Annie Laurie,
/, i
MaXWelltOWn, alter period Of stealthy
trysting and wooing, which left the An
ME Laurie OF the song his betrOthed.
This William Douglas, who never wrote
other Immortal lines, was a native of
Fingland, a wild little district of the
parish OF Carsphairn, in the northern
part of the adjoining shire, or stewartry,
OF kirkcudOrlght. There is little known
OF his peoples However, through his ma
tive talents he became cadet to the noble
QUeensbuTy family, and their patronage
aud support gained for him the position
and associations OF gentleman OF rank.
At an Edinburgh ball he met and became
enamored with Annie Laurie, daughter
OF Sir Robert Laurie. BarOnet, Of Max
welltown. She was born at the old ma
nor house Of the latter place in 1852. Sir
Robert, not tancying the prospe OF
young Douglas as dependent OF the
Queensbury family, and noticing that the
love affair between him and Annie was
becoming serious, suddenly lett Edln-
burgh and returned with his family to
MaXWeltoWn, in NithSdale, hoping thus
to separate the lovers and end an unfor-
tunate attachment
Had everything gone to the liking of
the BarOnetthe world would have missed
the sweet old song. Douglas shortly
learned of the Whereabouts of his ina
lnOriLa and promptly followed. He re-
H. Ill
months, and the loVe-making went on
tamously hetimes among the glens, braes,
woods and shadowy ruins with which
the locality abounds. Douglas possess ed
Jacobite atfiliation, and rumors suddenly
coming from the North Of an impending
Stuart uprising, he hastehed to Edin-
burgh to be near the scene of action. But
before quitting the side Of his Nithsdale
love he secured 'her promise true" In
the elatiOn of joy upon this achievement
he wrote, and left with his betrothed the
immortal lines, as imperishable as any
that Robert Burns ever left TO Scotland
and the world. beginning:
Maxwelltown's brues are bonnie,
Where early tas the dew,
And twas there that Annie Laurie
Ged me her promise true
Gied me her promise true
That neer forgot Wad be;
And Tor bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me down and dee
But, save in reminiscence, it was not to
happen that her promise true meier for
got wad be-" and William Douglas de-
cliued to 'lie down and dee" on account
OF Annie Laurie or any other Scottish
lady fair. Douglas adherence to the
Stuart cause brought him under the ban
of the authorities, and he was soon COM
PEELED TO escape TO France, where he re-
manned in exile for a few years, until he
could secure, through the powerful
Queensbury family, his pardon from the
Government. There is no proof that
either Tilted" the other. Perhaps Annie
Laurie was as canny as her father Sir
Robert, who was a staunch Jacobite
hater. Perhaps Douglas found interest
ing temporary attachments in Paris.
Perhaps each consciously drifted away
from the other through the deadly pOliti-
cal and religious raneor of the time. Ii is
doubtful if Annie Laurie ever received
another missive from her impasSoned
poet lover after the one containing the
ballad, which must ever preserve the
memory of both. And il is certain that
the pair never again met after the sadly
bissful parting which gave birth TO this
sweetest and tenderest OF songs. 1t is
said that it was first given to the public
by Lady John Scott, sister of the late
Duke OF Buccleugh, who slightly rear
ranged the words and the music, and who
secured their publication for the benefit
OF some charity in behalf of widows and
orphans OF the Crimean war, but there is
no substantial proof that the words and
the tune are not now precisely as they
came from the soul and the pen of the ar
dent Jacobite lover.
The portraits OF Annie Laurie, pre-
served at Craigdarroch and Mansfield,
seats of her descendants, show her to have
been woman OF slender physique, with
a peculiarly slight and willoWy figure.
Upon this was set a head whose pronle is
as markedly classic as ever was shown
upon ancient carving or modern coin.
The neck was long, with that graceful
swelling trom breast TO throat, so loved
OF the artists; the chin was almost sharp
though roundly pointed; the lips, though
closed, were beautifully rounded, full
and widely parted at their edges: the
nose, and the archings IRON its bridge,
strong, full and as eNquiSitely nodded as
the most refined GTeeIan type; the lore
head high, wide and straight from the
nosetip; and the eyes large, full and ten
der: while this remarkable face and head
were crowned by a mass OF WaYV GOLDEN
brown hair. With all her impressive
beauty she seems 10 have been a most
commonplace parsonage, and while capa-
HE of awakening sudden and mighty
flames in the breasts Of ordinary Scottish
folk as well as poets. 10 have been herself
devoid OF any of those mental or spiritual
f1nalities capable of elevating her charac-
ter to the realm of romance or heroisn.
She is known TO have placidly enjoyed.
as many young women now do before
entering matrimony, a great number OF
love affairs, all of which seem to have
been turgid and rampant on the part OF
her male admirers, and benignantly toll
Grated on her own, her promise true.'
evidently having been rather widely dis
tributed in Southwestern Scotland, until
warned, by advancing years, she became