Volume I, song 039, page 39 - 'Water Parted from the Sea' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Water parted from the Sea May increase the river's tide; to the bubbling fount may flee or thro' fertile valleys glide. Tho' in search of soft repose, thro' the land 'tis free to roam, Still it murmurs as it flows, Panting for its native home. Tho' in search of soft repose, thro' the land 'tis free to roam, still it murmurs as it flows, panting for its native home.' 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. Robert Riddell of Glenriddell, a friend of Burns, commented that despite being an excellent song of its type, 'Water Parted from the Sea' should never have been included in the 'Museum'. He goes as far to say that 'it was inserted by a blunder of Johnson'. These comments were written in note form, along with notes and remarks by Burns, in an interleaved copy of the 'Museum' belonging to Riddell. Riddell's main objection was to the English origin of the song. Both Burns and Riddell strongly believed that selection for the 'Museum' should be restricted to Scottish material. Whilst Burns managed to persuade Johnson to do just that, it was too late for the first volume which had already gone to press by the time Burns became involved.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503234

Title

Volume I, song 039, page 39 - 'Water Parted from the Sea' - 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

- 130 x 211 mm