HEY, THE DUSTY MILLER.

Tune-"The Dusty Miller.”

I.

HEY, the dusty miller,
And his dusty coat;
He will win a shilling,
Or he spend a groat.

Dusty was the coat,

Dusty was the colour,
Dusty was the kiss

That I got frae the miller.

II.

Hey, the dusty miller,

And his dusty sack;
Leeze me on the calling
Fills the dusty peck.
Fills the dusty peck,
Brings the dusty siller;

I wad gie my coatie
For the dusty miller.

The millers of Scotland seem to have been favourites with the rustic muse; various songs in their honour are popular in the land. Our old bards had often recourse to the miller, to augment a squabble or increase the humour of their scenes. King James brings one upon the stage, in his truly dramatic poem of "Christ's Kirk on the Green." Ramsay, also, in his “Monk and the Miller's Wife," makes our dusty friend kind and opennanded. The miller of Dee, too, was a joyous and happy personage. The present strain was modified for the Museum by Burns, and is a very happy specimen of his skill and taste in emendation. Other verses may be found in our collections :

"Hey, the merry miller!

As the wheel rins roun',
An' the clapper claps,

My heart gies a stoun;
Water grinds the corn,
Water wins the siller;
When the dam is dry,

I daute wi' the miller."

The air is cheerful like the words, and was in other days played as a single hornpipe in the Scottish dancing schools.

THERE WAS A LASS.

Tune-" Duncan Davison."

I.

THERE was a lass, they ca'd her Meg,
And she held o'er the moors to spin;
There was a lad that follow'd her,

They ca'd him Duncan Davison.

The moor was driegh, and Meg was skiegh,
Her favour Duncan could na win;

For wi' the roke she wad him knock,
And ay she shook the temper-pin.

II.

As o'er the moor they lightly foor,
A burn was clear, a glen was green,
Upon the banks they eas'd their shanks,
And ay she set the wheel between:

But Duncan swore a haly aith, .

That Meg should be a bride the morn Then Meg took up her spinnin' graith, And flang them a' out o'er the burn

III.

We'll big a house-a wee, wee house,
And we will live like king and queen,
Sae blythe and merry we will be

When ye set by the wheel at e'en.
A man may drink and no be drunk;
A man may fight and no be slain;
A man may kiss a bonnie lass,

And ay be welcome back again.

The old song of this name, sung to the tune of "You'll ay be welcome back again," is much inferior to the Duncan Davison of Burns in wit and delicacy. The Poet took pity on the lively old air, and, brooding over the old words, conceived the present strain, which is full of the graphic spirit of other days. The song has sundry variations, some of which are better where they are-in oblivion.

THENIEL MENZIE'S BONNIE

MARY.

Tune-" The Ruffian's Rant."

I.

IN coming by the brig o' Dye,
At Darlet we a blink did tarry ;
As day was dawin in the sky,
We drank a health to bonnie Mary.
Theniel Menzie's bonnie Mary,
Theniel Menzie's bonnie Mary;
Charlie Gregor tint his plaidie,
Kissin' Theniel's bonnie Mary.

II.

Her een sae bright, her brow sae white, Her haffet locks as brown's a berry;

And ay, they dimpl't wi' a smile,

The rosy cheeks o' bonnie Mary.