The Book of Scottish Song/O'er the muir 1

O’er the muir.

[The tune of "O'er the muir amang the heather" can be traced back at least as far as Bremner's collection, about the year 1761, where it appears as a reel tune. There are also old words to it, but they are scarcely fit for quoting. The following highly spirited song is, according to Burns, the composition of Jean Glover, a girl who travelled the country with strolling players, showmen, and the like, in the capacity of a public singer. "I took the song down from her singing," says Burns, "as she was strolling through the country with a slight-of-hand blackguard." Although he does not say so, Burns must have asked if it was her own, for the mere singing of the song does not of course imply authorship. In a volume published at Edinburgh in 1840, called "The Ayrshire Contemporaries of Burns," a memoir of Jean Glover is given, from which we take the liberty of extracting the following passages.—"She was born at the Townhead of Kilmarnock, on the 31st October, 1758, of parents respectable in their sphere. She was remarkable for beauty—both of face and figure—properties which, joined to a romantic and poetic fancy, had no doubt their influence in shaping her future unfortunate career. She was also an excellent singer. Having been witness to some theatrical exhibitions at Kilmarnock, she became enamoured of the stage; and in an evil hour eloped with one of the heroes of the sock and buskin. Her subsequent life, as may be guessed, was one of adventure, checkered, if Burns is to be credited, with the extremes of folly, vice, and misfortune. About the time the iron works commenced, a brother of Jeanie's (James Glover) removed from Kilmarnock to Muirkirk; and there in the employ of the Company, continued until his death, which occurred about fourteen years ago, leaving a daughter, whose husband is one of the carpenters employed at the works. This individual, as well as several others, recollects having seen Jeanie and the 'slight-of-hand blackguard'—whose name was Richard—at Muirkirk, forty-three years ago (1795), where they performed for a few nights in the large room of a public-house called the 'Black Bottle,' from a sign above the door of that description, kept by one David Lennox. During her stay on this occasion, she complimented her brother with a cheese and a boll of meal—a circumstance strongly indicative of her sisterly affection, and the success that had attended the entertainments given by her and her husband. Those persons that recollect her appearance at this time, notwithstanding the many vicissitudes she must have previously encountered, describe her as exceedingly handsome. One old woman with whom we conversed, also remembered having seen Jeanie at a fair in Irvine, gaily attired, and playing on a tambourine at the mouth of a close, in which was the exhibition room of her husband the conjurer. 'Weel do I remember her,' said our informant, 'an' thocht her the bravest woman I had ever seen step in leather shoon!'"—Poor Jean died suddenly at Letterkenny in Ireland, in 1801.]

Comin' through the craigs o' Kyle,
Amang the bonnie bloomin' heather,
There I met a bonnie lassie,
Keepin' a' her flocks thegither.
Ower the muir amang the heather,
Ower the muir amang the heather,
There I met a bonnie lassie,
Keepin' a' her flocks thegither.

Says I, My dear, where is thy hame?
In muir or dale, pray tell me whether?
Says she, I tent the fleecy flocks
That feed amang the bloomin' heather.

We laid us down upon a bank,
Sae warm and sunnie was the weather;
She left her flocks at large to rove
Amang the bonnie bloomin' heather.

She charm'd my heart, and aye sinsyne
I could nae think on ony ither:
By sea and sky! she shall be mine,
The bonnie lass amang the heather.

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