Inglis Collection of printed music > Printed music > Composite music volumes containing different issues of Thomson's octavo collection of the songs of Burns and Sir Walter Scott > Volumes 1-2 > Select melodies of Scotland, interspersed with those of Ireland and Wales

19
POVERTY PARTS GOOD COMPANY.
WRITTEN FOR THIS WORK, IN 1821,
By JOANNA BAILLIE.
AIR— TODLIN HAME.
It affords peculiar satisfaction to the Editor, to have obtained these uncommonly beautiful Verses for one of the most pleasing
of the Scottish Melodies ; — a Melody to which he must ever be partial, from a recollection of the matchless way in which
it was sung by the most exhilarating of all Scottish songsters, the late Mb James Bai four.
When white was my o'erlay as foam on the lin,"
And siller was chinking my pouches within;
When my lambkins were bleating on meadow and brae,
As I gaed to my love in new deeding so gay :
Kind was she, and my friends were free,
But poverty parts good company.
How swift pass'd the minutes and hours of delight,
When piper play'd cheerly, and cruisy burnt bright !
And link'il in my hand was the maiden so dear,
As she footed the floor in her holyday gear.
Woe is me ! and can it then be,
That poverty parts sic company !
We met at the fair, and we met at the kirk ;
We met i' the sunshine, we met i' the mirk ;
And the sound o' her voice, and the blinks o' her een,
The cheering and life o' my bosom hae been.
Leaves frae the tree at Martinmas flee,
And poverty parts sweet company.
At bridle and infare I've braced me wi' pride,-f-
The bruse I hae won, and a kiss of the bride ;f
And loud was the laughter gay fellows among,
When I utter'd my banter or chorus'd my song.
Dowie and dree are jesting and glee,
When poverty spoils good company.
Wherever I gaed the blythe lasses smiled sweet,
And mithers and aunties were unco discreet,
While kebbuck and beaker were set on the board,
But now they pass by me, and never a word
So let it be, — for the warldly and slie
Wi' poverty keep nac company.
But the hope of my love is a cure for its smart ;
The spaewife has tell'd me to keep up my heart ;
For wi' my last saxpence her loof I ha'e cross'd,
And the bliss that is fated can never be lost.
Cruelly tho' we ilka day see
How poverty parts dear company.
* O'erlay, a neckcloth.
-f- Infare, tho entertainment made for the reception of a bride in the house of the bridegroom.
X Bruse, a race at country weddings, tho winner of which has the privilege of saluting the bride.
THE OLD SONG, TODLIN HAME. ,
When I hae a saxpence under my thumb,
O then I'll get credit in ilka town ;
But aye when I'm poor they bid me gang by ;
O ! poverty parts good company !
Todlin hame, todlin hame,
Coudna my love come todlin hame?
Fair fa' the gudewife, and send her good sale j
She gies us white bannocks to drink her ale ;
Syne if her twopenny chance to be sma,'
We'll tak' a gude scour o't, and ca't awa.
Todlin hame, todlin hame,
As round as a neep we gang todlin hame.
My kimmer and I lay down to sleep
And twa pint stoups at our bed-feet ;
And aye when we waken'd, we drank them dry ;
What think ye of my wee kimmer and I ?
Todlin hame, todlin hame,
Sae round as my love comes todlin hame.
Leeze me on liquor, my todlin dow,
You're aye sae good-humour'd when weeting your mou';
When sober sae sour, ye'll feght wi' a flee,
That it's a blythe sight to the bairns and me,
When todlin hame, todlin hame,
When round as a neep ye come todlin hame.