THE NOCTES SANG Was made one day in Edinburgh, for singing in Ambrose's at night, on a particular occasion, when a number of foreign literary gentlemen were to be of the party. I did not sing it till late at night, when we were all beginning to get merry; and the effect on the party was like electricity. It was encored I know not how oft, and Mr Gillies ruffed and screamed out so loud in approbation, that he fell from his chair, and brought an American gentleman down with him. I have lost a verse of it, but it is likely to have been preserved in the Noctes Ambrosianæ. It has been always the first song at our jovial meetings ever since. The air is my own, and a very capital one. I believe it is preserved in the Noctes, and nowhere else. If e'er you wad be a brave fellow, young man, For if ye wad be strang, An' wad wish to live lang, Come join wi' the lads that get mellow, young man ! Like the crack of a squib that is thrawn on, young man, To the pith that's below The brand of auld Geordie Buchanan, young man. I heard a bit burd in the braken, young man, Was, Alack for the day! For the Blue an' the Yellow's forsaken, young man! Are sae loud in the air, That the windows of heaven play jingle, young man ! I'll gie you a toast of the auldest, young man, The loyal heart ne'er was the cauldest, young man ; Our King an' his Throne, Be his glory our own, An' the last o' his days aye the bauldest, young man! But as for the rogue that wad hector, young man, And set us at odds wi' a lecture,* young man, Wi' his neb to the sun, An' his doup to the General Director,‡ young man! * A celebrated London professor was lecturing here then. + Cutty-mun; an old Scottish tune of exceedingly quick and cramp time. This is a mysterious allusion to the common place of execution in Edinburgh. C. N. Blackwood's Magazine. THE SOUTERS O' SELKIRK WAS written at the request, and for the singing, of Dr Clarkson of Selkirk, who liked the old air, and sung it well. Of course, the song is meant to express his own sentiments. He said he did not wish for a long song-a short song, by all manner of means. But when he got it he was in a mighty passion, because there was no more of it. "It was no song at all," he said; "it was not well begun till it was done." Up wi' the Souters o' Selkirk, The sons of an auld pedigree! I may be mista'en, but I carena, Of all manly virtues I value The heart that is loyal and true. Sing umptidy-tumptidy tearhim, &c Let them brag o' their factious republics, The land that has got a good sovereign, An' up wi' the Souters o' Selkirk ! Sing umptidy-tumptidy tearhim, The sons o' auld heroes for me! |