Thine be the volumes, Jessy fair, And with them take the Poet’s prayer, That Fate may, in her fairest page, With ev’ry kindliest, best presage Of future bliss, enroll thy name: With native worth and spotless fame, And wakeful caution, still aware Of ill—but chief, Man’s felon snare; All blameless joys on earth we find, And all the treasures of the mind— These be thy guardian and reward; So prays thy faithful friend, the Bard. Dumfries, June 26, 1769. [Footnote 1: Written for music played by Miss Lewars, who nursed him in his last illness.] Fairest Maid On Devon Banks Tune—“Rothiemurchie.” Chorus—Fairest maid on Devon banks, Crystal Devon, winding Devon, Wilt thou lay that frown aside, And smile as thou wert wont to do? Full well thou know’st I love thee dear, Couldst thou to malice lend an ear! O did not Love exclaim: “Forbear, Nor use a faithful lover so.” Fairest maid, &c. Then come, thou fairest of the fair, Those wonted smiles, O let me share; And by thy beauteous self I swear, No love but thine my heart shall know. Fairest maid, &c. Glossary A’, all. A-back, behind, away. Abiegh, aloof, off. Ablins, v. aiblins. Aboon, above up. Abread, abroad. Abreed, in breadth. Ae, one. Aff, off. Aff-hand, at once. Aff-loof, offhand. A-fiel, afield. Afore, before. Aft, oft. Aften, often. Agley, awry. Ahin, behind. Aiblins, perhaps. Aidle, foul water. Aik, oak. Aiken, oaken. Ain, own. Air, early. Airle, earnest money. Airn, iron. Airt, direction. Airt, to direct. Aith, oath. Aits, oats. Aiver, an old horse. Aizle, a cinder. A-jee, ajar; to one side. Alake, alas. Alane, alone. Alang, along. Amaist, almost. Amang, among. An, if. An’, and. Ance, once. Ane, one. Aneath, beneath. Anes, ones. Anither, another. Aqua-fontis, spring water. Aqua-vitae, whiskey. Arle, v. airle. Ase, ashes. Asklent, askew, askance. Aspar, aspread. Asteer, astir. A’thegither, altogether. Athort, athwart. Atweel, in truth. Atween, between. Aught, eight. Aught, possessed of. Aughten, eighteen. Aughtlins, at all. Auld, old. Auldfarran, auldfarrant, shrewd, old-fashioned, sagacious. Auld Reekie, Edinburgh. Auld-warld, old-world. Aumous, alms. Ava, at all. Awa, away. Awald, backways and doubled up. Awauk, awake. Awauken, awaken. Awe, owe. Awkart, awkward. Awnie, bearded. Ayont, beyond.