Stray leaves from the portfolios of Alisander the seer, Andrew Whaup, and Humphrey Henkeckle

NOTES.
199
4 COME TO THE BANKS OF CLYDE;’ 4 BOLL, FAIR CLUTHA;’
AND, 4 COME, FILL A BUMPER.’
These three songs were written for, and sung by, Mr Rodger,
at the various concerts got up to aid the funds of the Committee
for securing the 4 liberty of the Banks of the Clyde,’ when the
public were likely to be deprived of that privilege, by the rapacity
of 4 Tam Harvie.’ In the sketch of Mr Rodger’s life, our friend
has alluded to his exertions in that case; but so valuable were they
to the public, that it is but justice to him to repeat, that but for
these exertions, matters might not have turned out so favourably
as they did. Night and day, fair weather or foul, in the face of
all difficulties and reproaches, Rodger stuck to his point; and we
verily believe that, had the sacrifice been demanded, he would
have yielded himself a martyr to secure 4 the liberty of the Banks
of the Clyde.’ The last song was sung at the meeting for presen¬
tation of the gold medals to the Committee, when our Author’s
services were most unfairly forgot.
One of Mr Rodger’s songs, ‘Behave yoursel’ before folk,’
published in his other volume, and which is known and admired
in the four quarters of the globe—for the Cape of Good Hope
even has heard of it; and it has been printed in almost every
paper in America—had as accidental an origin as many of his
other productions. The Author and a friend were 4 once upon a
time’ in Edinburgh, where, calling at the house of an uncle of the
latter, Mr Rodger’s companion, at parting, took a 4 smack’ from
the lips of his fair cousin, upon which she exclaimed, ‘Behave
yoursel’ before folk.’ The hint was sufficient—Rodger immorta¬
lised it. As peculiar was the origin of this song, 4 Whether or
No.’ He had a friend in Leith, a Mr Tevendale, who was de¬
voted to music, and an excellent composer. He had long urged
Mr Rodger to give him words to set to music. ^ Meeting,
on one occasion with a mutual friend, Mr Gardner, he insisted on
that gentleman urging Rodger to write the long-expected song.
Mr Gardner gave Tevendale his choice of a subject; but Mr T.
could not hit upon one to please himself. Mr Gardner at last,
observing that Mr T. made frequent use of the words 4 whether
or no,’ suggested that as the groundwork. It was at once as¬
sented to ; the song was written by Mr Rodger; and at the same
time John Tait, a poet of no mean order, and George Donald, the
poet-laureate, we are happy to say, of the Teetotallers, took up
the same subject, and the three effusions appeared at once in the
‘ Liberator.’