Let us wander by the mill, bonnie lassie O; Of the roaring waters' fall, Through the mountain's rocky hall, bonnie lassie O. Oh, Kelvin banks are fair, bonnie lassie O, Round the yellow banks of broom, bonnie lassie O. Though I dare not call thee mine, bonnie lassie O, I could stay thy father's pride, And win thee for my bride, bonnie lassie O. But the frowns of fortune lower, bonnie lassie O, Wake the warblers on the spray, From this land I must away, bonnie lassie O. Then farewell to Kelvin grove, bonnie lassie O. To the river winding clear, To the fragrant-scented brier, Even to thee, of all most dear, bonnie lassie O. When upon a foreign shore, bonnie lassie O, Of thy lover on his bier, 'o his memory shed a tear, bonnie lassie O. The author of this celebrated song is Thomas Lyle, surgeon in Glasgow. The music was arranged by R. A. Smith, composer of "Jessie, the flower o' Dumblane," from the old Scottish melody, "Bonnie lassie O." Kelvin Grove is situated about two miles west from Glasgow, but bids fair to be included within the bounds of that rapidly increasing city. BEHAVE YOURSEL' BEFORE FOLK. ALEXANDER RODGER, born 1784, died 1846. Air-"Good morrow to your nightcap." BEHAVE yoursel' before folk; It wadna gi'e me meikle pain, Consider, lad, how folks will crack, It's no through hatred o' a kiss But fient a ane before folk. Behave yoursel' before folk, Ye tell me that my face is fair; Behave yoursel' before folk, Behave yoursel' before folk; Nor heat my cheeks wi' your mad freaks, Ye tell me that my lips are sweet; To pree their sweets before folk. Gin that's the case there's time and place, But gin you really do insist That I should suffer to be kiss'd, And when we're ane baith flesh and bane, Ye may tak' ten before folk. From "Whistle Binkie, or the Piper of the Party; a Collection of Songs for the Social Circle"-a very interesting series of modern songs, edited by Alexander Rodger, and published by David Robertson of Glasgow, between the years 1832 and 1846. This work, from which we have copied, with the kind permission of the late Mr. Robertson, the admirable songs of Rodger and others, contains some hundreds of songs, mostly original, which present, in the words of the preface to the collected edition published in 1846, "a remarkable instance of the universality of that peculiar talent for song-writing for which the natives of Scotland have always been distinguished. ANSWER TO "BEHAVE YOURSEL' BEFORE FOLK." ALEXANDER RODGER. From "Whistle Binkie." CAN I behave, can I behave, Can I behave before folk, When wily elf, your sleeky self, In a' ye do, in a' ye say, Can I behold that dimpling cheek, Yet howlet-like my eelids steek, And shun sic light before folk? Can I behave, can I behave, That lip, like Eve's forbidden fruit, That gowden hair sae sunny bright, Can I behave, can I behave, When ilka charm, young, fresh, and warm, An', oh, that pawkie, rowin ee, Ye own that were we baith our lane, Sly hypocrite, an anchorite Could scarce desist before folk! But after a' that has been said, We'll hae a "blythesome bridal" made, For whereas then ye'll aft get ten, JEANIE MORRISON. WILLIAM MOTHERWELL, born 1797, died 1835. I'VE wander'd east, I've wander'd west, But never, never can forget The luve o' life's young day. |