]
[Footnote 213: The author, John Tait, a writer to the Signet and some
time Judge of the police-court in Edinburgh, assented to this, and
altered the line to,
"And sweetly the wood-pigeon cooed from the tree."]
[Footnote 214: Song CXXXIX.]
[Footnote 215: Song LXXX.]
[Footnote 216: Song CLXXVII.]
[Footnote 217:
"How sweet this lone vale, and how soothing to feeling,
Yon nightingale's notes which in melody meet."
The song has found its way into several collections.]
* * * * *
CCLIII.
TO MR. THOMSON.
[The letter to which this is in part an answer, Currie says, contains
many observations on Scottish songs, and on the manner of adapting the
words to the music, which at Mr. Thomson's desire are suppressed.]
_April, 1793._
I have yours, my dear Sir, this moment. I shall answer it and your
former letter, in my desultory way of saying whatever comes
uppermost.
The business of many of our tunes wanting, at the beginning, what
fiddlers call a starting-note, is often a rub to us poor rhymers.
"There's braw, braw lads on Yarrow braes,
That wander through the blooming heather,"
you may alter to
"Braw, braw lads on Yarrow braes,
Ye wander," &c.
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