[46] A daughter of Baron Hume was one of the ladies who induced Lady Nairn to become a contributor to "The Scottish Minstrel." Many of the songs were sent to the Editor through the medium of Miss Hume. She thus expresses herself in a letter to a friend:--"My father's admiration of 'The Land o' the Leal' was such, that he said no woman but Miss Ferrier was capable of writing it. And when I used to shew him song after song in MS., when I was receiving the anonymous verses for the music, and ask his criticism, he said--'Your unknown poetess has only _one_, or rather _two_, letters out of taste, viz., choosing "B. B." for her signature.'" THE PLEUGHMAN.[47] There 's high and low, there 's rich and poor, There 's trades and crafts enew, man; But, east and west, his trade 's the best, That kens to guide the pleugh, man. Then, come, weel speed my pleughman lad, And hey my merry pleughman; Of a' the trades that I do ken, Commend me to the pleughman. His dreams are sweet upon his bed, His cares are light and few, man; His mother's blessing 's on his head, That tents her weel, the pleughman. Then, come, weel speed, &c. The lark, sae sweet, that starts to meet The morning fresh and new, man; Blythe though she be, as blythe is he That sings as sweet, the pleughman. Then, come, weel speed, &c. All fresh and gay, at dawn of day Their labours they renew, man; Heaven bless the seed, and bless the soil, And Heaven bless the pleughman. Then, come, weel speed, &c. [47] This seems to have been the author's first composition in Scottish verse. See the Memoir. CALLER HERRIN'.[48] Wha 'll buy caller herrin'? They 're bonnie fish and halesome farin'; Wha 'll buy caller herrin', New drawn frae the Forth? When ye were sleepin' on your pillows, Dream'd ye ought o' our puir fellows, Darkling as they faced the billows, A' to fill the woven willows. Buy my caller herrin', New drawn frae the Forth. Wha 'll buy my caller herrin'? They 're no brought here without brave daring; Buy my caller herrin', Haul'd thro' wind and rain. Wha 'll buy caller herrin'? &c. Wha 'll buy my caller herrin'? Oh, ye may ca' them vulgar farin'! Wives and mithers, maist despairin', Ca' them lives o' men. Wha 'll buy caller herrin'? &c. When the creel o' herrin' passes, Ladies, clad in silks and laces, Gather in their braw pelisses, Cast their heads, and screw their faces. Wha 'll buy caller herrin'? &c. Caller herrin 's no got lightlie; Ye can trip the spring fu' tightlie; Spite o' tauntin', flauntin', flingin', Gow has set you a' a-singin'. Wha 'll buy caller herrin'? &c.