Volume VI, song 519, pages 534 and 535 - ''Twas at the shining mid-day hour' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: ''Twas at the shining mid-day hour, When all began to gaunt That hunger rugg'd at Watty's breast, And the poor lad grew faint. His face was like a bacon ham, That lang in reek had hung and horn hard was his tawny hand That held the hazel rung.' To 'gaunt' is to yawn and 'reek', in this instance, refers to a smokehouse. 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. According to John Glen, in 'Early Scottish Melodies' (1900), the song entitled 'Watty and Madge' is thought to have been written by Allan Ramsay (1686-1758), in imitation of David Mallet's (?1705-65) eighteenth-century ballad, 'William and Margaret'. Ramsay included it in the fourth volume of his printed song collection entitled, 'Tea-Table Miscellany' (1724-7). It is unclear from Glen's note what connection there is between Ramsay's work and this particular song. It is possible they are one and the same. The accompanying tune is known by the title of 'The Maid in the Mill'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503713

Title

Volume VI, song 519, pages 534 and 535 - ''Twas at the shining mid-day hour' - 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

- 258 x 211 mm