Volume I, song 040, page 40 - 'The Maid that tends the Goats' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse I: 'Up amang yon cliffy rocks, Sweetly rings the rising echo, To the maid that tends the goats, Lilting o'er her native notes. Hark, she sings, 'young Sandy's kind, 'An' he's promis'd ay to lo'e me; 'Here's a brotch, I ne'er shall tiree, 'Till he's fairly marri'd to me; 'Drive away, ye drone time, 'An' bring about our bridal day.' 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. A note next to the title informs the reader that this song was written by William Dudgeon (c. 1753-1813) who, according to Burns, was 'a respectable farmer's son in Berwickshire'. The tune is known to have been published in 1784 by the Reverend Patrick McDonald in his collection of Scots songs, under the title of 'Nighean doun nan gabhar' or 'The Maid that tends the Goats'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503235

Title

Volume I, song 040, page 40 - 'The Maid that tends the Goats' - 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