The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-24
ORIGIN OF THE AIR
BURNS NEVER ONCE CLAIMED THE
WORDS AS HIS.
He Merely Revised a Ballad Caught
From u Vagrant MinstrcI-AIlan
Ramsay's Version Different
Forms Of Burns VersiOn-Some
Interesting History.
BY S. ]. ADAIR FITZGERALD.
Copyrighted, 1895, by S. j. Adair Fitz-
gerald)


ITS birth to a Scotchnan and to Scot.
land, has been so popular fer quite a
hundred years with English speaking
people all the world over that it may
fairly rank as a lyric of universe,
sentiment and universal nationality
But, contrary TO the general belief
which, it must be acknowledged, edi-
tors of Burns works have done theil
best to foster, Aud Lang Syne" was
not written by the author of Tam
O'Shanter" And, as a matter of his
tory Burns never once claimed the
song as his, only his misguided and
over-anxious friends and worshipers
have done this, and consequently much
confusion has arisen over the subject
1t so happens that. like many another
ballad THAT lives in the hearts of the
people, this essentially human song
was written 10y a writer unknown wins
may perhaps have never written amy
timing else worthy remembering. In
Scotland, as i'm Ireland, and to a lesser
extent in England and Wales, many
of the humber folk possess the gift OF
making homely verses, and many q
piece has found it's way into the world
anonymously, to find a reciprocating
welcome in many heart and home.
But, though Burns did not write this
song, which is included in nearly
every collection of his poems published,
he was the first to give it to the world
in the form which we now know and
sing it. Indeed, many pieces have been
attributed Ito Burns which he never
wrote, the text of Burns has been as
much taunpered With, perhaps. as that
of any ancient or classic author, and
requires to be as carefully revised.
This, unfortunately. is true not only
with respect ITO words and phrases, but
with respect Ito whole stanzas and
poems enormously ascribed to him and
regularly included in posthumous edi-
tions of his works. 1t would not be
difficult to enumerate at least a dozen
pieces in some of the best editions
which are certainly not by him.
Early Versions.
'Auld Lang Syne" was a phrase in
use in very early times, and can be
traced TO the days of Elizabeth, i'm con-
nection with the social feelings and the
social gatherings of the Scot, and as a
convivial and friendly song 1T existed
in broadsides prior to the close of the
seventeenth century. An early version
of the song is to be found in James
Watson's collection of Scottish songs
published in I'LL, and it will be seen
from the verse quoted below that
Burns very spfritedly changed the
the tender and beautiful phrase Sc
peculiarly pathetic and Scotch:
Should cd acquaintance be forgot,
And never thought upon,
The fame of glory extinguished
And fairly past and gone?
Is thy heart now grown so cold,
In that loving breast of thine.
That thou canSt never once reflect
On old lang syne.
Here we have a very fine idea badly
eXpressed-tlle touch of sincerity seems
place. The stanza is from a poem
written by Sir Robert AyIton G57O-16SS)
of Kencalie. He was the friend of Ben
Johnson and other Elizabethan writ
ers and very likely of Shakespeare HIM
self. Sir Robert undoubtedly obtained
the phrase from current automatic ex-
pressions. He wrote several pieces of
minor power.
Allan Rnmsay's Version.
Allan Ramsay who, before the ad-
vent of Burns. was making an encour-
aging reputation as a writer of verses
and a compiler of old songs and bal
lads, soon seized upon the rough lyric
believed to have been ''polished'' by
Francis Sempill of Beltrees-and des-
troyed The intention of the original, as
may be observed from this verse in
which Ramsay casts good-fellowship
overheard and makes love the key
note:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Tho they return with scars,
These are the noble heroes lots,
Obtained in glorious wars;
Welcome my Vara, to my breast,
Thy arms about me twlne,
And make me once again as blest,
AS 1 was lang syne.
This song of honest Allan's was first
printed I'M his "Tea-Talble Miscellany
in 1874. from which it was transferred
to Johnson's Musical Museum" pub
lished during Burns sojourn in the
Scottish capital. Allan Ralnsay's lyric
is not so bad as many have tried TO
make out, and as a love song was very
popular for a long time.
Burns, who was partly responsible
for the editing of the Musical Muse
UNI for johnson, in which so many
ancient pieces first saw the light as
printed matter, made many annota-
lions and alterations, and of "Auld
Lang Syne" he wrote: Ramsay here.
as usual with him, has taken the idea
of the song, and the first line from the
old fragment which will appear i'm the
Museum Vol. W. OF this sold frag-
ment" l shall have something to say
later There were several verbal YER
sions of this song long known to the
and others of California,
stern and wild. 1t was decidedly a
Rurns's Account of His Own Version
On the 18th of December, 1888, Mrs.
Dunlop received from Burns letter in
which the following passages occurred:
Your meeting which you so well de-
scribe, with your old school fellow and
friend, was truly interesting. Out
upon the ways of the world! they spc IL
those social offsprings of the heart.
Two veterans of the world have met
with little more heart workings than
two old hacks worn out on the road.
Apropos, is not the Scots phrase Aud
Lang Syne' exceedingly expressive?
There is an old song and tune which
has often thrilled through my soul.
You know I am an enthusiast in old
Scots songs. l shall give you the
verses" And he enclosed the words CT
"Auld Lang Syne" as we know them,
and unless Burns was wilfully conceal
ing the fact, he only trimmed the lines
and did not originate or write the
lyric. He continues somewhat extrav-
agantly: Light lie the turf on the
breast of the heaven inspired poet WHO
this glorious fragment!
There is more of the fire of native ge-
MUS in it than half, dozen modern
English bacchanalians." Burns would
hardly write like this about himself
and his work; so we may take it that
he only preserved it from forgetful-
ness.