The Scottish songs - National Library of Scotland

367
Bwt I wish ne'er to drie sic fear,
For a' the sura and mair, man.
MY NANIE, O.
ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.
Tune—iV% Nanie, O.
Red rowes the Nith 'tween bank and brae,
Mirk is the nicht and rainie, O ;
Though heaven and earth should mix in storm,
I'll gang and see my Nanie, O
My Nanie, O, my Nanie, O I
My kind and winsome Nanie, O !
She halds my heart in love's dear bands,
And nane can do't but Nanie, O.
In preachin'-time, sae meek she stands,
Sae saint-like and sae bonnie, O,
I canna get ae glimpse o' grace,
For thieving looks at Nanie, O :
My Nanie, O, my Nanie, O !
The warld's in love wi' Nanie, O I
That heart is hardly worth the wear,
That wadna love my Nanie, O.
* From Herd's Collection, 1776. This was for a long time the only song
regarding the Insurrection of 17'15, which could be sung by either party
without olTenee to the other. The author was a farmer near Haddington,
and father to the late Mr Skirving, portrait-painter, of eccentric memory.
There is a story told in connexion with the song, that proves the author to
have been a man of great humour. The «' Lieutenant Smith" of the
ninth stanza thought proper, some time after, to send a friend to the honest
farmer, requesting to have satisfaction for the injury which it had done to
his honour. Skirving, who happened to be forking his dunghill at the
moment the man arrived, first put that safe barrier between himself and
the messenger, and then addressed him in these words : " Gang awa back
to Mr Smith, and tell him that I hae na time to gang to Haddington to see
him ; but, if he likes to come here, I'll tak a look o' him ; and if I think
I'm fit to fecht him, I'll fecht him; and if no, I'll just do as he did—I'U
rin awa !"