Irish Molly O

The boatswain gave the dreadful word,
The sails their swelling bosom spread,
No longer must she stay aboard;

They kissed, she sighed, he hung his head.
Her lessening boat unwilling rows to land;
"Adieu!" she cries; and waved her lily hand.

919

John Gay [1685-1732]

IRISH MOLLY O

OH! who is that poor foreigner that lately came to town,
And like a ghost that cannot rest still wanders up and down?
A poor, unhappy Scottish youth;-if more you wish to know,
His heart is breaking all for love of Irish Molly O!

She's modest, mild, and beautiful, the fairest I have known

The primrose of Ireland-all blooming here alone—
The primrose of Ireland, for wheresoe'er I go,

The only one entices me is Irish Molly O!

When Molly's father heard of it, a solemn oath he swore,
That if she'd wed a foreigner he'd never see her more.
He sent for young MacDonald and he plainly told him so—
"I'll never give to such as you my Irish Molly O!"

MacDonald heard the heavy news, and grievously did say― "Farewell, my lovely Molly, since I'm banished far away, A poor forlorn pilgrim I must wander to and fro,

And all for the sake of my Irish Molly O!

"There is a rose in Ireland, I thought it would be mine: But now that she is lost to me, I must for ever pine,

Till death shall come to comfort me, for to the grave I'll go, And all for the sake of my Irish Molly O!

"And now that I am dying, this one request I crave,
To place a marble tombstone above my humble grave!
And on the stone these simple words I'd have engraven so-
MacDonald lost his life for love of Irish Molly O!""

666

Unknown

SONG

Ar setting day and rising morn,
Wi' soul that still shall love thee,
I'll ask o' Heaven thy safe return,
Wi' a' that can improve thee.
I'll visit aft the birken bush

Where first thou kindly tauld me
Sweet tales o' love, and hid my blush,
Whilst round thou didst infauld me.

To a' our haunts I will repair,

By greenwood, shaw, or fountain,
Or where the summer day I'd share
Wi' thee upon yon mountain:
There will I tell the trees an' flooers,
From thoughts unfeigned an' tender;
By vows you're mine, by love is yours
A heart that cannot wander.

Allan Ramsay [1686-1758]

LOCHABER NO MORE

FAREWELL to Lochaber, an' farewell my Jean,
Where heartsome wi' thee I hae mony day been;
For Lochaber no more, Lochaber no more!
We'll maybe return to Lochaber no more!
These tears that I shed, they are a' for my dear,

An' no for the dangers attending on weir,
Though borne on rough seas to a far bloody shore,
Maybe to return to Lochaber no more,

Though hurricanes rise, an' rise every wind,

They'll ne'er mak' a tempest like that in my mind; Though loudest o' thunders on louder waves roar, That's naething like leaving my love on the shore. To leave thee behind me my heart is sair pained; By ease that's inglorious no fame can be gained;

Willie and Helen

An' beauty an' love's the reward o' the brave,
An' I must deserve it before I can crave.

921

Then glory, my Jeanie, maun plead my excuse;
Since honor commands me, how can I refuse?
Without it I ne'er can have merit for thee,
An' without thy favor I'd better not be,
I gae, then, my lass, to win honor an' fame,
An' if I should luck to come gloriously hame,
I'll bring a heart to thee wi' love running o'er,
An' then I'll leave thee an' Lochaber no more.
Allan Ramsay [1686-1758]

WILLIE AND HELEN

"WHAREFORE sou'd ye talk o' love,
Unless it be to pain us?

Wharefore sou'd ye talk o' love

Whan ye say the sea maun twain us?"

"It's no because my love is light,
Nor for your angry deddy;
It's a' to buy ye pearlins bright,
An' to busk ye like a leddy."

"O Willy, I can caird an' spin,
Sae ne'er can want for cleedin';
An' gin I hae my Willy's heart,

I hae a' the pearls I'm heedin',

"Will it be time to praise this cheek
Whan years an' tears hae blenched it?

Will it be time to talk o' love

Whan cauld an' care hae quenched it?”

He's laid ae han' about her waist---

The ither's held to heaven;

An' his luik was like the luik o' man

Wha's heart in twa is riven.

Hew Ainslie (1792-1878]

ABSENCE

WITH leaden foot Time creeps along

While Delia is away:

With her, nor plaintive was the song,
Nor tedious was the day.

Ah, envious Power! reverse my doom;
Now double thy career,

Strain every nerve, stretch every plume,

And rest them when she's here!

Richard Jago [1715-1781]

"MY MOTHER BIDS ME BIND MY HAIR"

My mother bids me bind my hair

With bands of rosy hue;

Tie up my sleeves with ribbons rare,

And lace my bodice blue!

"For why," she cries, "sit still and weep,

While others dance and play?"

Alas! I scarce can go, or creep,
While Lubin is away!

'Tis sad to think the days are gone

When those we love were near!

I sit upon this mossy stone,

And sigh when none can hear:

And while I spin my flaxen thread,
And sing my simple lay,

The village seems asleep, or dead,

Now Lubin is away!

Anne Hunter [1742-1821)

"BLOW HIGH! BLOW LOW!"

BLOW high, blow low! let tempest tear

The mainmast by the board!

My heart (with thoughts of thee, my dear!
And love well stored)

The Siller Croun

Shall brave all danger, scorn all fear,
The roaring wind, the raging sea,
In hopes, on shore,

To be once more
Safe moored with thee.

Aloft, while mountain-high we go,
The whistling winds that scud along,
And the surge roaring from below,
Shall my signal be

To think on thee.

And this shall be my Song,

Blow high, blow low! let tempest tear.

And on that night (when all the crew
The memory of their former lives,
O'er flowing cans of flip renew,

And drink their sweethearts and their wives),
I'll heave a sigh,

And think of thee.

And, as the ship toils through the sea,

The burden of my Song shall be,

Blow high, blow low! let tempest tear.

923

Charles Dibdin [1745-1814]

THE SILLER CROUN

"AND

ye sall walk in silk attire,

And siller ha'e to spare,

Gin ye'll consent to be his bride,

Nor think o' Donald mair."

Oh, wha wad buy a silken goun
Wi' a puir broken heart?
Or what's to me a siller croun,
Gin' frae my luve I part?

The mind wha's every wish is pure

Far dearer is to me;

And ere I'm forced to break my faith,
I'll lay me doun and dee.