CIV.

WHEN I THINK ON THE HAPPY DAYS.

[These verses were in latter years expanded by Burns into a song, for the collection of Thomson: the song will be found in its place: the variations are worthy of preservation.]

When I think on the happy days I spent wi' you, my dearie; And now what lands between us lie, How can I be but eerie!

How slow ye move, ye heavy hours, As ye were wae and weary! It was na sae ye glinted by, When I was wi' my dearie.

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WHAN I SLEEP I DREAM.

[This presents another version of song LXV. Variations are to a poet what changes are in the thoughts of a painter, and speak of fertility of sentiment in both.]

Whan I sleep I dream, Whan I wauk I'm eerie, Sleep I canna get, For thinkin' o' my dearie.

Lanely night comes on, A' the house are sleeping, I think on the bonnie lad That has my heart a keeping. Ay waukin O, waukin ay and wearie, Sleep I canna get, for thinkin' o' my dearie.

Lanely nights come on, A' the house are sleeping, I think on my bonnie lad, An' I blear my een wi' greetin'! Ay waukin, &c.

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I MURDER HATE.

[These verses are to be found in a volume which may be alluded to without being named, in which many of Burns's strains, some looser than these, are to be found.]

I murder hate by field or flood, Tho' glory's name may screen us: In wars at hame I'll spend my blood, Life-giving wars of Venus.

The deities that I adore Are social Peace and Plenty, I'm better pleas'd to make one more, Than be the death of twenty.

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O GUDE ALE COMES.

[These verses are in the museum; the first two are old, the concluding one is by Burns.]

O gude ale comes, and gude ale goes, Gude ale gars me sell my hose, Sell my hose, and pawn my shoon, Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.

I had sax owsen in a pleugh, They drew a' weel eneugh, I sell'd them a' just ane by ane; Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.

Gude ale hands me bare and busy, Gars me moop wi' the servant hizzie, Stand i' the stool when I hae done, Gude ale keeps my heart aboon. O gude ale comes, &c.

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ROBIN SHURE IN HAIRST.

[This is an old chaunt, out of which Burns brushed some loose expressions, added the third and fourth verses, and sent it to the Museum.]

Robin shure in hairst, I shure wi' him, Fient a heuk had I, Yet I stack by him.

I gaed up to Dunse, To warp a wab o' plaiden, At his daddie's yett, Wha met me but Robin.

Was na Robin bauld, Tho' I was a cotter, Play'd me sic a trick, And me the eller's dochter? Robin share in hairst, &c.

Robin promis'd me A' my winter vittle; Fient haet he had but three Goose feathers and a whittle. Robin share in hairst, &c.

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BONNIE PEG.

[A fourth verse makes the moon a witness to the endearments of these lovers; but that planet sees more indiscreet matters than it is right to describe.]

As I came in by our gate end, As day was waxin' weary, O wha came tripping down the street, But Bonnie Peg my dearie!

Her air sae sweet, and shape complete, Wi' nae proportion wanting; The Queen of Love did never move Wi' motion mair enchanting.

Wi' linked hands, we took the sands A-down yon winding river; And, oh! that hour and broomy bower, Can I forget it ever?

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