Volume I, song 048, page 49 - 'Within a Mile of Edinburgh' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: ''Twas within a mile of Edinburgh town, In the rosy time of the year, Sweet flowers bloom'd, and the grass was down, And each shepherd woo'd his dear: Bonny Jockey, blith and gay, Kis'd sweet Jenny making hay, The lassie blush'd, and frowning cry'd, no, no, it will not do. I cannot, cannot, wonnot, wonnot, mannot buckle too.' 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. Glen, in his book 'Early Scottish Melodies' (1900), stressed that this particular tune should not be confused with another called 'Within a furlong of Edinborough town', which was published by Tom D'Urfey in the late 1600s. It is important to note that neither are of Scottish origin. In fact, according to Glen, the tune included in the 'Museum' was by the English composer, James Hook.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503243

Title

Volume I, song 048, page 49 - 'Within a Mile of Edinburgh' - 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