I'd promise and fulfil

That nane but bonnie she,

The lass o' Patie's Mill,

Should share the same wi' me.

Patie's or Patrick's Mill is supposed to have been on the south bank of the Irwine, near Newmills, in Ayrshire.

"The Lass o' Patie's Mill,'" says Burns, "is one of Ramsay's best songs. In Sir J. Sinclair's statistical volumes are two claims, one, I think, from Aberdeenshire, and the other from Ayrshire, for the honour of this song. The following anecdote, which I had from the present Sir William Cunningham of Robertland, who had it of the late John Earl of Loudon, I can, on such authorities, believe: Allan Ramsay was residing at Loudon Castle with the then earl, father to Earl John; and one afternoon, riding or walking out together, his lordship and Allan passed a sweet romantic spot on Irwine water, still called 'Patie's Mill,' where a bonnie lassie was 'tedding hay bare-headed on the green.' My lord observed to Allan that it would be a fine theme for a song. Ramsay took the hint, and lingering behind he composed the first sketch of it, which he produced at dinner."

THE WAUKIN' O' THE FAULD.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

My Peggy is a young thing

Just enter'd in her teens,

Fair as the day, and sweet as May,
Fair as the day, and always gay :
My Peggy is a young thing,
And I'm nae very auld,

And weel I like to meet her at
The waukin' o' the fauld.

My Peggy speaks sae sweetly
Whene'er we meet alane;
I wish nae mair to lay my care,
I wish na mair o' a' that's rare:
My Peggy speaks sae sweetly-
To a' the lave I'm cauld;
But she gars a' my spirits glow
At waukin' o' the fauld.

My Peggy smiles sae kindly
Whene'er I whisper love,
That I look doun on a' the toun,
That I look doun upon a croun:

My Peggy smiles sae kindly,
It maks me blyth and bauld;
And naething gies me sic delight
At waukin' o' the fauld.

My Peggy sings sae saftly
When on my pipe I play;
By a' the rest it is confest,
By a' the rest, that she sings best:
My Peggy sings sae saftly,

And in her sangs are tauld

With innocence the wale o' sense,

At waukin' o' the fauld.

This song, which is sung to a beautiful and characteristic melody, describes a custom of the olden time. The "watching of the fold" was a duty that devolved upon the shepherds, to prevent the lambs when weaned from getting back to their dams. Upon these occasions the shepherd was allowed, by the universal custom of the pastoral districts, to have the girl of his choice to bear him company.

THE COLLIER'S BONNIE LASSIE.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

THE collier has a daughter,

And, oh, she's wondrous bonnie;
A laird he was that sought her,
Rich baith in lands and money.
The tutors watch'd the motion
Of this young honest lover;
But love is like the ocean,
Wha can its depths discover?

He had the art to please yc,
And was by a' respected;
His airs sat round him easy,
Genteel but unaffected.
The collier's bonnie lassie,

Fair as the new-blown lilie,
Aye sweet and never saucy,

Secured the heart o' Willie.

He loved beyond expression
The charms that were about her,
And panted for possession--

His life was dull without her.
After mature resolving,

Close to his breast he held her;
In saftest flames dissolving,
He tenderly thus tell'd her:

"My bonnie collier's daughter,
Let naething discompose ye;
It's no your scanty tocher
Shall ever gar me lose ye;
For I have gear in plenty,
And love says it's my duty

To ware what heaven has lent me

Upon your wit and beauty.”

This song was founded by Ramsay upon an older one with the same title, of which the following is a specimen :

The collier has a daughter,

And, oh, she's wondrous bonnie;

A laird he was that sought her,

Rich baith in lands and money.

She wadna hae a laird,

Nor wad she be a lady;

But she would hae a collier,

The colour o' her daddie.

OWER BOGIE.

ALLAN RAMSAY.

I WILL awa' wi' my love,

I will awa' wi' her,

Though a' my kin had sworn and said,
I'll ower Bogie wi' her.

If I can get but her consent,

I dinna care a strae;

Though ilka ane be discontent,
Awa' wi' her I'll gae.

For now she's mistress o' my heart,
And worthy o' my hand;

And weel I wat we shanna part
For siller or for land.

Let rakes delight to swear and drink,
And beaux admire fine lace;
But my chief pleasure is to blink
On Betty's bonnie face.

There a' the beauties do combine
Of colour, treats, and air;
The saul that sparkles in her een
Makes her a jewel rare.

Her flowin' wit gives shining life

To a' her other charms;

How blest I'll be when she's my wife,
arms!

And lock'd up in my

There blythely will I rant and sing,
While o'er her sweets I'll range;
I'll cry, Your humble servant, king,
Shame fa' them that wad change!
A kiss of Betty and a smile,

A'beit ye wad lay down

The right ye hae to Britain's isle,
And offer me your crown.

To go "ower Bogie" is a phrase that expresses in Aberdeenshire the same idea as that of running to Gretna Green does in England. It is also used to express a marriage performed by a magistrate instead of a clergyman. The first four lines of this song were borrowed by Ramsay from an older song unworthy of preservation. Mr. Peter Buchan has collected, upon the same subject, the following fragments of song:

Bonnie lassie, come my road,

And gangna through the Boggie o';
Bonnie lassie, come my road,

Yours is wondrous scroggy o'.

The Boggie water's wide an' deep,
Gin ye gang in, ye'll wet your feet;
Sae, bonnie lassie, come my road,
And gangna through the Boggie o'.

Your road and my road

Lie na baith thegither o';

I'll gang up the water-side,

And ye'll gang down the river o'.

Bonnie lassie, come my road,

And gangna through the Boggie o';
Bonnie lassie, come my road,

To gangna through the Boggie o'.

The second fragment is as follows:

As I came by Strathboggie's yetts,

Strathboggie's trees were green,
There I heard the drums to beat,

I'll ower Boggie wi' him;
I'll ower Boggie wi' my love,
I'll ower Boggie wi' him;

He says he's crossing Gawdie side;
I'll awa' wi' him.

THIS IS NO MINE AIN HOUSE.

ALLAN RAMSAY. Air-"This is no my ain house."
THIS is no mine ain house,

I ken by the rigging o't;

Since with my love I've changed vows,
I dinna like the bigging o't.

For now that I'm young Robbie's bride,
And mistress of his fire-side,

Mine ain house I'll like to guide,

And please me with the rigging o't.

Then fareweel to my father's house,

I

gang whare love invites me;

The strictest duty this allows,

When love with honour meets me.
When Hymen moulds us into ane,
My Robbie's nearer than my kin ;
And to refuse him were a sin,

Sae lang's he kindly treats me.

When I'm in my ain house,

True love shall be at hand aye,
To make me still a prudent spouse,
And let my man command aye;
Avoiding ilka cause of strife,
The common pest of married life,

That makes ane wearied of his wife,

And breaks the kindly band aye.

"I consider the melody 'This is no my ain house,' perhaps better known as This is no my ain lassie,' to be one of the most beautiful that Scotland has produced. It has always had for me an inexpressible charm."-H. R. BISHOP.