LXXVIII.
Reading edition
THERE’S A YOUTH IN THIS CITY.
To a Gaelic Air.
[“This air,” says Burns, “is claimed by Neil Gow, who calls it a Lament for his Brother. The first half-stanza of the song is old: the rest is mine.” They are both in the Museum.]
I.
There’s a youth in this city, It were a great pity That he frae our lasses shou’d wander awa: For he’s bonnie an’ braw, Weel-favour’d an’ a’, And his hair has a natural buckle an’ a’. His coat is the hue Of his bonnet sae blue; His feck it is white as the new-driven snaw; His hose they are blae, And his shoon like the slae. And his clear siller buckles they dazzle us a’.
II.
For beauty and fortune The laddie’s been courtin’; Weel-featured, weel-tocher’d, weel-mounted and braw; But chiefly the siller, That gars him gang till her, The pennie’s the jewel that beautifies a’. There’s Meg wi’ the mailen That fain wad a haen him; And Susie, whose daddy was laird o’ the ha’; There’s lang-tocher’d Nancy Maist fetters his fancy— But the laddie’s dear sel’ he lo’es dearest of a’.