The Book of Scottish Song/The kind breath o' Summer

The kind breath o’ Summer.

[Written by James T. Whitelaw, Glasgow. Set to music by the author, with symphonies and accompaniments by John M'Dougall.]

The kind breath o' summer blew saftly alang,
The crawflower an' gowan on ilka knowe sprang,
An' sweet was the air as I wander'd at e'en,
An' woo'd the dear lass wi' the bonnie blue een.

O clear was the burnie that wimpl'd alang,
An' sweet was the strain o' its murmuring sang,
But sweeter that voice, an' far clearer I ween,
Was the blythe bonnie blink o' her twa laughin' een.

Ae nicht in the gloamin we wander'd alane,
I speer'd gin she lo'ed me, gin she'd be my ain;
Nae word did she speak, but her answer was gi'en,
Wi' the blush on her cheek, wi' the glint o' hereen.

As the autumn leaves fell, my heart it grew sick,
I saw the rose fading that bloom'd on her cheek;
That voice now was sad that sae cheerie had been,
There shone a strange licht in her bonnie blue een.

The cauld winter cam', nought that fair flower could save,
She wither'd awa', she was laid in the grave;
The stane that lies ower her is moss-cover'd green,
But I've ne'er ance forgot the blythe blink o' her een.

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