Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Wilson's edition of the songs of Scotland

74
OF A’ THE AIRTS THE WIND CAN FLAW
Burns wrote this charming song in compliment to Mrs Burns, his bonnie Jean,
and, as he says in a note, “ during the honeymoon.” The melody to which he has
wedded his beautiful verses, is the composition of Marshall, who was house-steward
to the Duke of Gordon, and who wrote many melodies, as well as reel and strathspey
tunes, which have long been, and must continue to be, favourites, Marshall was a
self-taught musician, and besides being a successful composer, he was an eminent per¬
former of his country’s airs on the violin. His style of playing reels and strathspeys
was unsurpassable, and the feeling manner in which he played the slow and plaintive
airs, is said to have been touching in the extreme. For nearly thirty years he had
the whole management of the household affairs of the Duke of Gordon, in whose
family he was an especial favourite. He was born in 1748, and died in 1833, aged
eighty-five. The original title of the melody to which Bton§ wrote his song, was
Miss Admiral Gordon’s strathspey.
Of a’ the airts1 the wind can blaw,
I dearly like the west;
For there the bonnie lassie lives,
The lass that I lo’e best;
Let wilds woods grow, and rivers row,
Wi1 mony a hill between,
Baith day and night my fancy’s flight
Is ever wi’ my Jean.
I see her in ilk2 dewy flowV,
Sae lovely, sweet, and fair;
I hear her voice in ilka bird
Wi’ music charm the air:
There’s not a bonnie flow’r that springs
By fountain, shaw3, or green,
Nor yet a bonnie bird that sings,
But minds me o’ my Jean.
0 blaw, ye westlin winds, blaw saft,
Amang the leafy trees !
Wi’ gentle breath, frae muir and dale,
Bring hame the laden bees!
m
And bring the lassie back to me,
That’s aye sae neat and clean :
Ae blink4 o’ her wad banish care;
Sae lovely is my Jean.
What sighs and vows, among the knowes5
Hae past atween us twa!
How fain to meet, how wae to part,
That day she gaed awa!
The powers aboon can only ken,
To whom the heart is seen,
That nane can be sae dear to me
As my sweet lovely Jean.
Directions, or points of tlie compass.
2 Each.
3 A small wood in a hollow place.
4 One sight.
5 Knolls.