The Book of Scottish Song/The Collier's bonnie lassie

The Collier's bonnie lassie.

[This is Ramsay's version of an old song called "The Collier's bonnie lassie," and appears in the first volume of his Tea-Table Miscellany. The first stanza of the original song ran thus:

The collier has a daughter,
And, O! she's wondrous bonnie;
A laird he was that sought her,
Rich baith in lands and money.
She wadna ha'e a laird,
Nor wad she be a lady;
But she wad ha'e a collier,
The colour o' her daddie.

The tune is given in the Orpheus Caledonius (1725.) It was selected by Gay for one of his songs in his Opera called "Polly," beginning "When right and wrong's decided."]

The collier has a daughter,
And, O! she's wondrous bonnie.
A laird he was that sought her,
Rich baith in lands and money.
The tutors watched the motion
Of this young honest lover:
But love is like the ocean;
Wha can its depths discover!

He had the art to please ye,
And was by a' respected;
His airs sat round him easy,
Genteel but unaffected.
The collier's bonnie lassie,
Fair as the new-blown lilie,
Aye sweet, and never saucy,
Secured the heart o' Willie.

He loved, beyond expression,
The charms that were about her,
And panted for possession;
His life was dull without her.
After mature resolving,
Close to his breast he held her;
In saftest flames dissolving,
He tenderly thus telled her:

My bonnie collier's daughter,
Let naething discompose ye;
It's no your scanty tocher,
Shall ever gar me lose ye:
For I have gear in plenty;
And love says, it's my duty
To ware what heaven has lent me
Upon your wit and beauty.

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