Volume I, song 041, page 41 - 'I Wish my Love were in a Mire' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Blest as th' immortal gods is he, The Youth who fondly sits by thee, And hears and sees thee, all the while, So softly speak, and sweetly smile. 'Twas this bereav'd my soul of rest, And rais'd such tumults in my breast; For, while I gaz'd, in transport toss'd, My breath was gone, my voice was lost.' See page 42 for a different song to the same tune, which begins 'O Lovely maid, how dear's thy pow'r'. The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. According to Glen (1900) this 'excellent old' tune appeared in most of the early collections of Scottish song, including those published by Allan Ramsay and William Thomson. Whilst the composer is not known, it is generally believed to be an ancient air. Burns, in his notes on the 'Museum', had little to say about this song other than, 'I never heard more of the old words of this old song than the title'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503236

Title

Volume I, song 041, page 41 - 'I Wish my Love were in a Mire' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 130 x 211 mm