msay's beautiful verses which are annexed
to them. As music is the language of nature; and poetry, particularly
songs, are always less or more localized (if I may be allowed the
verb) by some of the modifications of time and place, this is the
reason why so many of our Scots airs have outlived their original, and
perhaps many subsequent sets of verses; except a single name or
phrase, or sometimes one or two lines, simply to distinguish the tunes
by.

To this day among people who know nothing of Ramsay's verses, the
following is the song, and all the song that ever I heard:

"Gin ye meet a bonnie lassie,
Gie her a kiss and let her gae;
But gin ye meet a dirty hizzie,
Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae.

Fye, gae rub her, rub her, rub her,
Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae:
An' gin ye meet dirty hizzie,
Fye, gae rub her o'er wi' strae."

* * * * *

THE LASS O' LIVISTON.

The old song, in three eight-line stanzas, is well known, and has
merit as to wit and humour; but it is rather unfit for insertion.--It
begins,

"The Bonnie lass o' Liviston,
Her name ye ken, her name ye ken,
And she has written in her contract
To lie her lane, to lie her lane."
&c. &c.

* * * * *

THE LAST TIME I CAME O'ER THE MOOR.

Ramsay found the first line of this song, which had been preserved as
the title of the charming air, and then composed the rest of the
verses to suit that line. This has always a finer effect than
composing English words, or words with an idea foreign to the spirit
of the old title. Where old titles of songs convey any idea at all, it
will generally be found to be quite in the spirit of the air.

* * * * *

JOCKIE'S GRAY BREEKS.

Though this has certainly every evidence of being a Scottish air, yet
there is a well-known tune and song in the north of Ireland, called
"The Weaver and his Shuttle O," which, though sung much quicker, is
every note the very tune.

* * * * *

THE HAPPY MARRIAGE.

Another, but very pretty Anglo-Scottish piece.

* * * * *

THE LASS OF PATIE'S MILL.

In Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland, this song is localized
(a verb I must use for want of another to express my idea) somewhere
in the north of Scotland, and likewise is claimed b