Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Scots musical museum > Volume 5

362
ccccli.
A RED, RED ROSE.
Tunc, " Major Graham's Strathspey."
This song, beginning " O, my luve's like a red, red rose,"
was written by Burns, and sent to Johnson for the Museum.
The original manuscript is now before me. Burns, in a note
annexed to the verses, says, " The tune of this song is in
Neil Gow's first Collection, and is there called Major
Graham. It is to be found on page 6 of that Collection.
Mr Clarke, after arranging the words of the song to the
tune of Major Graham, observes, in a note written upon the
music paper, that " once through the tune takes in all the
words, except the last four lines, so that more must be added,
or these left out." But this eminent musician might easily
have made the words suit the melody, without adding or
taking away one line, by either repeating both strains of the
tune, or by singing each strain only once over. This was
evidently the poefs intention ; but Mr Clarke has made the
second strain twice the length of the first, and this has occa-
sioned the seeming deficiency.
CCCCIII.
OUSet—Rmi, RED ROSE.
This song contains the same words which Burns had in-
tended for the tune of " Major Graham," above mentioned,
including the four lines left out in Song No 402, from the
mistake which Mr Clarke had fallen into in arranging the
melody. The verses are here adapted to a very old and
plaintive air, entitled " Mary Queen of Scots." — See the fol-
lowing song.
cccciv.
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS' LAMENT.
This charming and pathetic ballad, beginning " Now na-
ture hangs her mantle green," was written by Burns on pur-
pose for the Museum. It is unquestionably one of the finest
compositions of our immortal bard. With matchless skill, he
has pourtrayed the situation and feelings of this beautiful