Inglis Collection of printed music > Printed text > Early Scottish melodies

THE SCOTS MUSICAL MUSEUM.
215
Clarke if these words will suit the tune. If they don't suit, I must think
on some other air ; as I have a very strong private reason for wishing
them in the 2d volume. Don't forget to transcribe me the list of the
Antiquarian Music. — Farewell, B. Burns." We have not the least doubt
that the words were the bard's, but we have no evidence that the music
published in the " Museum " accompanied the verses. Stenhouse states,
" the song having been mislaid, it did not make its appearance tiU the
publication of the last volume of that work." We are afraid Stenhouse
has gone too far, and the melody being new no name was given it but
that of " My Feggy's face," and that title probably bestowed on it after
the Foet's death. At any rate this excellent melody is not contained in
any collection published prior to the " Museum." The following extract
we give from Scott Douglas's edition of Burns's Works : — " This other
poetic tribute to the immortal charms of Peggy Chalmers, was intended
to appear along with the one immediately preceding, in Johnson's second
volume ; but the Gaelic tune selected for it (" Ha a chaillich air mo
Dheith ") seems to have been pronounced unsuitable. The song accordingly
was not included in Johnson's collection till many years after the poet's
death, when William Clarke (son of the deceased friend of Burns) set it for
the sixth volume, to the Highland air referred to. Instead of reproducing
the Gaelic tune, which does not echo the sentiment of the song, we present
the reader with the following simple Scots melody, which is faultless in
that respect." The assertion made by Scott Douglas regarding the tune,
we consider to be a mere invention. Granting the Gaelic air was sent to
Johnson by Burns, it is not the one given in the Museum. We reproduce
the Gaelic air and Johnson's air. There is no proof that the note Burns
sent to Johnson contained any tune. The Poet was probably in Edin-
burgh, and had previously mentioned some particular tune to Johnson,
desiring him to ask Clarke if the words would suit it. We think the
note was hurriedly written (being undated), when Burns was about to set
out on a tour, and he desired the information against his return. It seems
to have been no more than a reminder. If Burns wrote the song, and was
urgent for it to appear in the second volume, 1788, there is no good reason
given for its omission till 1804.
MY PEGGY'S FACB, MY PEGGY'S FORM.