The Deil cam' Fiddlin'.
[The old name of the tune now called "The Deil's awa' with the Exciseman," was "The Hemp-dresser," and it can be traced as far back as the middle of the 17th century. The verses of Burns are generally said to have been an extempore effusion, at a meeting of his brother excisemen in Dumfries. It is a curious fact that the original in the poet's hand is written on a piece of excise paper, ruled on the back with red lines. Lockhart's account of the composition of the song differs from others. According to him, it was composed on the shores of the Solway, while the poet and a party of his brother excisemen were engaged in watching the motions of a suspicious-looking brig, which had put in there, and which, it was supposed, was engaged in smuggling. The day following that on which she was first seen, the vessel got into shallow water, and it was then discovered that the crew were numerous, and not likely to yield without a struggle. Lewars accordingly was despatched to Dumfries for a party of dragoons, and another officer proceeded on a similar errand to Ecclefechan, leaving Burns with some men under his orders, to watch the brig and prevent landing or escape. "Burns," says Lockhart, "manifested considerable impatience while thus occupied, being left for many hours in a wet salt-marsh with a force which he knew to be inadequate for the purpose it was meant to fulfil. One of his comrades hearing him abuse his friend Lewars in particular, for being slow about his journey, the man answered that he also wished the devil had him for his pains, and that Burns in the meantime would do well to indite a song upon the sluggard; Burns said nothing; but after taking a few strides by himself among the reeds and shingle, rejoined his party, and chanted to them this well-known ditty."]
The deil cam' fiddlin' through the toun,
And danced awa' wi' the exciseman;
And ilka auld wife cried, Auld Mahoun,
I wish you luck o' the prize, man.
The deil's awa', the deil's awa',
The deil's awa' wi' the exciseman;
He's danced awa', he's danced awa',
He's danced awa' wi' the exciseman!
We'll mak' our maut, we'll brew our drink,
We'll laugh, sing, and rejoice, man;
And mony braw thanks to the meikle black deil,
That danced awa' wi' the exciseman.
There's threesome reels, there's foursome reels,
There's hornpipes and strathspeys, man;
But the ae best dance e'er cam' to the land,
Was, The deil's awa' wi' the exciseman.
For lack of Gold.
["These words," says Burns, "were composed by the late Dr. Austin, physician at Edinburgh. He had courted a lady, to whom he was shortly to have been married; but the Duke of Athole having seen her, became so much in love with her, that he made proposals of marriage; which were accepted of, and she jilted the doctor."—The lady in question was a daughter of John Drummond, Esq. of Megginch, Perthshire. She married James, second Duke of Athole, in May, 1749. She had no issue by his Grace; and after his death she married Lord Adam Gordon, fourth son of Alexander, second Duke of Gordon, and commander of the forces in Scotland. She died at the palace of Holyrood-house, on the 22d of Feb. 1795. Although Dr. Austin says,
"No cruel fair shall ever move
lily injured heart again to love,"
he afterwards married Miss Anne Sempill, sister of Lord Sempill, by whom he had a large family. He died in 1774. The song appears in "The Charmer," Edinburgh, 1751, and also in Johnson's Museum. The name of the tune, "For lack of gold she left me," is old.]
For lack of gold she has left me, O,
And of all that's dear she's berelt me, O;
She me forsook for Athole's duke.
And to endless woe she has left me, O.
A star and garter have more art
Than youth, a true and faithful heart;
For empty titles we must part—
For glittering show she has left me, O.
No cruel fair shall ever move
My injured heart again to love;
Through distant climates I must rove,
Since Jeany she has left me, O.
Ye powers above, I to your care
Resign my faithless, lovely fair;
Your choicest blessing be her share,
Though she has ever left me, O.
