Volume III, song 295, page 305 - 'The Banks of Nith' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'The Thames flows proudly to the sea, Where royal cities stately stand; But sweeter flows the Nith, to me, Where Cummins ance had high command: When shall I see that honor'd Land, That winding Stream I love so dear! Must wayward Fortune's adverse hand Forever, ever keep me here.' The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. The tune of this piece has been wrongly named in the 'Museum' as 'Robie donna gorach'. It also, strangely, does not appear in the index at the start of the volume. This tune was actually written by Burns's friend, Robert Riddell of Glenriddell (1755-94). Riddell also wrote lyrics for it but, according to Glen (1900), they were 'very inferior' and so Burns wrote these for inclusion in the 'Museum'. Burns and Riddell were close friends, and Riddell contributed a number of songs to the 'Museum'. To commemmorate Riddel's death Burns wrote a moving sonnet, which is even more poignant when one considers that the two had had an argument shortly before, which was never resolved.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503491

Title

Volume III, song 295, page 305 - 'The Banks of Nith' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 132 x 211 mm