with critical observations and biographical notices, by Robert Burns

192
that I ever heard her repeat it ; but since I can re-
member any thing, I have always heard it spoken of
as being her composition, by those that she de-
pended much upon.—My aunt, Mrs. Crawford, of
Cartsburn, often sung it as a song of Jean Adams's.'*
The priority of her claim is therefore evident, for
the song was published before Mr. Mickle was
known as an author, and she repeatedly declared it
to be her's at a time when he was living to disprove
her title to it. Besides, the song bears abundant
marks of being the production of a female, both in
its subject and its style. And we may also observe,
that the poems of Mr. Mickle being all of a classical
and refined stamp, it is highly improbable that he
should descend in this single instance into the fami-
liarity of the Scotish dialect, and the rustic expres-
sion of domestic feelings. The circumstance of a
copy being found in his own hand-writing, is not of
itself sufficient to prove him the author. His admi-
ration of this happy eifusion of untutored genius
might induce him to copy and to preserve it ;* but
if he had himself possessed a talent for this style of
poetry, he would unquestionably have exercised it
more frequently, and have left other specimens of it.
* Among the MS. of Burns, now in the Editor's possession,
are copies of many poems besides his own, which he transcribed
from a feeling of their excellence.