Inglis Collection of printed music > Printed music > Songs of Scotland prior to Burns

I'LL NEVER LOVE THEE MORE. 35
That extraordinary genius, the Marquis of Montrose, whom
Cardinal du Eetz deemed the most like a Plutarchian hero of
all his contemporaries, had, in addition to his other brilliant
gifts, a power of verse-making, which he exercised on various
remarkable occasions — for one, it will be remembered, in
addressing the portrait of the martyred Charles the night before
his own execution. He appears to have become acquainted with
the popular song of My Dear and only Love, take heed, and to
have been impelled to compose something of the same strain,
but addressed to the state for which he made such exertions
and such sacrifices, instead of a flesh-and-blood mistress. The
result was a piece which has been often reprinted under the
name of Montrose's Lynes; of which a copy follows, adapted
to the English melody :
pjf^^y§^^i
My dear and on-ly love, I pray That lit-tle world of
ft?
PaEggg ^Pp^P
thee, Be govern 'd by no oth - er sway But pu - rest mon-ar -
#J^Bfe aa fc lUq_te i
i
chy;
For if con - f u - sion have a part, Which
m
w^^^^
virtuous souls ab - hor, I'll call a syn - od
m^m$m£^
in my heart, And nev-er love thee more.