Mrs. Grant wrote _The Blue Bells of Scotland_ on the occasion of the departure of the Marquis of Huntly for the Continent with his regiment of Highland troops in 1799. A book entitled _The North Country Chorister_, printed in 1802, included this song under the title _The New Highland Lad_. Ritson, the editor of this book, says: "The song has been lately introduced upon the stage. It was originally _The Bells of Scotland_, but was revised by Mrs. Jordan, who altered the words and sang them to a tune of her own which superseded the old air." When Charles Mackay and Sir Henry Rowley Bishop were arranging old English airs, this song came under discussion. Mackay says: "_The Blue Bells of Scotland_ is almost invariably spoken of as a Scottish air; but Sir Henry found reason to suspect that it was English, and urged me to write new words to it, to dispossess, if possible, the old song of Mrs. Jordan. He was induced to form this opinion by receiving from Mr. Fitzgerald 'a Sussex tune' to a song commencing: 'Oh, I have been forester this many a long day.' Three or four bars of the melody were almost identical with the second part of _The Blue Bells of Scotland_, but as the remainder bore no resemblance to that popular favorite, and the whole tune was so beautiful that it was well worth preserving, I so far complied with Sir Henry's wish as to write _The Magic Harp_ to Mr. Fitzgerald's kind contribution to our work. Sir Henry wrote under date of the 22nd of October, 1852, 'I am strongly of the opinion that when Mrs. Jordan composed the music of _The Blue Bells of Scotland_, she founded the air upon that rescued from oblivion for us by Mr. Fitzgerald--or rather that she originally intended to sing it to that tune, but finding some parts of it too high for her voice, which was of a very limited compass, she altered them, and the air became that of _The Blue Bells of Scotland_.'" Mrs. Grant's _Highland Laddie_ and Mrs. Jordan's _Blue Bells of Scotland_ have kept time together so long now, that it is not likely any musical critic will ever disturb them again. The following altered version of Mrs. Grant's song has in some places been even more popular than the original:-- "Oh where, and oh where is your Highland laddie gone? 'He's gone to fight the French for King George upon the throne; And it's oh! in my heart, how I wish him safe at home.' "Oh where, and oh where does your Highland laddie dwell? 'He dwells in merrie Scotland, at the sign of the Blue Bell; And it's oh, in my heart, that I love my laddie well.' "What clothes, in what clothes is your Highland laddie clad? 'His bonnet's of the Saxon green, his waistcoat's of the plaid; And it's oh! in my heart, that I love my Highland lad.' "Suppose, oh, suppose that your Highland lad should die? 'The bagpipes shall play over him, I'll lay me down and cry; And it's oh! in my heart, that I wish he may not die!'" [Illustration]