Volume I, song 092, page 93 - 'Braes of Ballenden' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Beneath a green shade, a lovely young swain one ev'ning reclined, to discover his pain; So sad, yet so sweetly, he warbled his woe, The wind ceas'd to breathe, and the fountains to flow: Rude winds with compassion could hear him complain, Yet Chloe, less gentle, was deaf to his strain.' 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. The name Chloe is associated with the Greek goddess Demeter, who was the corn goddess and associated with fertility. By the time of this song, Greek mythology had become popular among seventeenth century puritan families, and therefore had religious connotations. 'This song (tune) is the composition of Mr Oswald, and the words are by Dr. Blacklock', are Burns's only comments on this song in his personal notes.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503287

Title

Volume I, song 092, page 93 - 'Braes of Ballenden' - 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