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

THE SONGS OF SCOTLAND.
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WHEN MEKEY HEAKTS WERE GAY.
AIIl, "DONALD AND FLORA.''
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ght but play, Poor Flo - ra slipt a - way, Sadd' - ning to Mo - ra ;'
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Loose flow'd her yel - low hair, Quick heav'd her bo - som bare, As
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thus to the trou - bled air She ven - ted her
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" Loud howls the stormy west,
Cold, cold is winter's blast ;
Haste then, Donald ! haste,
Haste to thy Flora !
Twice twelve long months are o'er,
Since on a foreign shore
You promis'd to fight no more,
But meet me in Mora.
" ' Where now is Donald dear ? '
Maids cry with taunting sneer,
' Say, is he still sincere
To his lov'd Flora?'
Parents upbraid my moan ;
Each heart is turn'd to stone —
Ah ! Flora, thou'rt now alone,
Friendless in Mora !
" Come then, come away !
Donald, no longer stay ;
Where can my rover stray
From his lov'd Flora?
Ah ! sure he ne'er can be
False to his vows and me :
Oh, Heaven ! is not yonder he
Bounding o'er Mora ? "
" Never, ah wretched fair!"
(Sigh'd the sad messenger,)
" Never shall Donald mair
Meet his lov'd Flora !
Cold as yon mountain snow,
Donald, thy love, lies low,
He sent me to soothe thy wo,
Weeping in Mora.
1 Well fought our gallant men
On Saratoga's plain ;
Thrice fled the hostile train
From British glory.
But ah ! though our foes did flee,
Sad was each victory :
Youth, love, and loyalty,
Fell far from Mora.
' ' Here take this love- wrought plaid,'
Donald, expiring, said ;
' Give it to yon dear maid
Drooping in Mora.
Tell her, O Allan, tell,
Donald thus bravely fell,
And that in his last Farewell
He thought on his Flora.' "
Mute stood the trembling fair,
Speechless with wild despair ;
Then, striking her bosom bare,
Sigh'd out— "Poor Flora!
Ah, Donald! ah, well-a-day !"
Was all the fond heart could say :
At length the sound died away,
Feebly, in Morn.
' Mora is the name of a small valley in Atboll, so named by the lovers."
" When merry hearts were gay." " This fine ballad," says Mr. Stenhouse, " is the composition of Hector Mac-
neil, Esq., author of the celebrated poem of ' Will and Jean,' and other popular works. Mr. Macneil told me that he
wrote this song to commemorate the death of his friend Captain Stewart, a gallant officer (betrothed to a young lady
in Atholl) who fell at the battle of Saratoga in America, in the year 1777 The words are adapted to a fine old
Gaelic air. In the Museum the song is printed as it was originally written ; but the author has subsequently altered
and corrected some of the stanzas." Museum Illustrations, vol. iii. p. 238. The Editor of this work does not parti-
cipate in Mr. Stenhouse's admiration of this song. The words are ill-adapted to the music in respect of accent and
emphasis ; and the ballad is too long for the patience of singer and hearers. The first three stanzas will probably be
found quite enough for most listeners.