[An old copy of verses printed in Allan Ramsay's Miscellany, we are told by Gilbert Burns, gave his brother the hint of writing this curious song. See "The Auld Man's Address to the Widow,"

O wha is at my chamber door

Fair widow are ye waukin,

called by Ramsay, "The Auld Man's best Argument."]

ANNA, THY CHARMS.

ROBERT BURNS.

Anna, thy charms my bosom fire,
And waste my soul with care;
But, ah! how bootless to admire,
When fated to despair!

Yet in thy presence, lovely fair!

To hope may be forgiven;

For sure, 'twere impious to despair

So much in sight of heaven.

[Inserted by Burns in the second edition of his poems, the first Edinburgh copy. The idea as Mr. Cunningham observes is taken from the last verse of Hamilton's very exquisite song:

Ah! the poor shepherd's mournful fate.

See ante, p. 117. Mr. Motherwell justly remarks that "there is great point and elegance in this little lyric."]

THE POSIE.

ROBERT BURNS.

O luve will venture in, where it daurna weel be seen;
O luve will venture in, where wisdom aince has been;
But I will down yon river rove, among the wood sae
green-

And a' to pu' a posie to my ain dear May.

The primrose I will pu', the firstling o' the year,
And I will pu' the pink, the emblem o' my dear,

For she's the pink o' womankind, and blooms without

a peer

And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May.

I'll pu' the budding rose, when Phoebus peeps in view, For it's like a baumy kiss o' her sweet bonnie mou’; The hyacinth for constancy, wi' its unchanging blueAnd a' to be a posie to my ain dear May.

The lily it is pure, and the lily it is fair,

And in her lovely bosom, I'll place the lily there;
The daisy's for simplicity, and unaffected air-
And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May.

The hawthorn I will pu' wi' its locks o' siller gray,
Where, like an aged man, it stands at break of day.
But the songster's nest within the bush I winna tak
away-

And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May.

The woodbine I will pu' when the e'ening star is near, And the diamond-draps o' dew shall be her een sae clear;

The violet's for modesty which weel she fa's to wear,
And a' to be a posie to my ain dear May.

I'll tie the posie round wi' the silken band o' luve,
And I'll place it in her breast, and I'll swear by a’

above,

That to my latest draught of life the band shall ne'er

remove,

And this will be a posie to my ain dear May.

[Professor Wilson has remarked, that similar sentiments inspired Meleager in his Heliodora's Garland.' "The feeling of 'he Greek lines," says Wilson," is tender, and the expression perfect: but com. pare the courtier with the clown, Meleager with Burns. The Scot surpasses the Greek in poetry as well as in passion; his tenderness is more heartfelt, his expression more exquisite."]

JOHN ANDERSON.

ROBERT BURNS.

John Anderson my jo, John,
When we were first acquent,
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonny brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snaw;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson my jo.

VOL. II.

John Anderson my jo, John,
We clamb the hill thegither,
And mony a canty day, John,
We've had wi' ane anither;
Now we maun totter down, John,
But hand in hand we'll go,
And sleep thegither at the foot,
John Anderson my jo.

[" John Anderson my Jo," was formed like many of Burns' lyrics on some old verses, which the reader will find in Percy's Reliques vol. ii. p. 131; they are scarcely worthy of being reprinted.]

OF A' THE AIRTS THE WIND CAN BLAW.

ROBERT BURNS.

Of a' the airts the wind can blaw,

I dearly like the west,

For there the bonnie lassie lives,

The lassie I lo'e best:

There wild-woods grow, and rivers row,

And mony a hill between ;

But day and night my fancy's flight
Is ever wi' my Jean.

I see her in the dewy flowers,
I see her sweet and fair:
I hear her in the tunefu' birds,
I hear her charm the air:

There's not a bonnie flower that springs
By fountain, shaw, or green,
There's not a bonnie bird that sings,
But minds me o' my Jean.

O blaw ye westlin winds, blaw saft
Amang the leafy trees,

And frae ilk fragrant hill and vale,*
Bring hame the laden bees;
And bring the lassie back to me
That's aye sae neat and clean;
Ae blink o' her wad banish care,
Sae charming is my Jean.

What sighs and vows, amang the knowes

Hae passed atween us twa!

How fond to meet, how wae to part,

That night she gaed awa!

The powers aboon can only ken,
To whom the heart is seen,
That nane can be sae dear to me
As my sweet lovely Jean!

["Burns wrote this charming song in honour of Jean Armour : he adds archly in his notes-" It was during the honey-moon." The poet published but the first and second verses: the others are gene. rally sung by the peasantry."-ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.

A Mr. Reid in Glasgow wrote two additional verses of much beauty to this song, Mr. Motherwell has printed them, strangely enough, as Burns'; here they are;

Upon the banks o' flowing Clyde

The lasses busk them braw;
But when their best they hae put on,
My Jeanie dings them a':

This line is sometimes printed :

'Wi' gentle gale from hill and dale.'