Perthshire in bygone days

PETER AGNEW 435
The redbreast sings wanton around this sweet blossom
Sae fond to make love doth the wee birdie be.
But wha : d be sae cruel as steal frae my bosom,
This bormie wee rosebud, O spare it for me.
Now, fain would I change for the wee birdie's station,
Now blythe would I chirp 'neath the green thorn tree,
Enraptured to muse and transported to gaze on
This bonnie wee rosebud, spare it for me.
O hasten the moment, blest moment o' pleasure,
When locked to my breast the sweet rosebud shall be,
United for ever my soul's dearest treasure,
O spare the wee rosebud, spare it for me.
The above was set to music seven years afterwards, and
published in a Glasgow periodical.
I come now to the grand incident of my acquaintance
with Peter Agnew — an incident which has only to be called
up, to excite the same enthusiasm as it did in days of yore.
My readers would accuse me of exaggeration if I were
to give expression to my unmeasured admiration of Peter
Agnew's violin -playing ; but they will be able to sympathise
with me to some extent when I have told them how he was
received by a community, which by this time (1827) had
become familiar with Paganini, and Blagrove, and Cervetti,
and Lindley, and who had amongst themselves amateur
violinists, such as are now rarely to be met with in any
town in the British dominions.
Near the end of July, 1827, Peter Agnew recovered from
a protracted illness, to find his exchequer down to zero.
This came to the ears of a few of his friends, who at once
formed themselves into a committee of ways and means,
and sent for him. I knew that, if we were to offer him
ten guineas to .paint a picture, he would soon close with
us ; but we could not see our way to it. At my instigation
one of the party made the following proposal — I would not
have dared to do it myself ; the upper lip would certainly
have burst : — " We have resolved to advance you three
pounds to-morrow night if you will dress yourself in such a
way as nobody will know you, and play ' Black Joke '
between the head of Stockwell Street and King Street.
We will send a boy to collect the bawbees ; and whatever
more than three pounds is collected (bold;, you will get it;
and if it turns out less, Ve will bear the loss." There was
no occasion to tell Peter to dress like a decayed gentleman,
for that was perfectly natural to him. He stormed a little
ff 2