Whit? Nae Rabbie?

[Govangirl]

I popped in here quickly tonight to read some Burns poetry or at least to have a wee 'Happy Burns Night' greeting - but nothing, not a haggis-stuffed sausage! So on this auspicious day, just so we can remember our beloved Bard:

A Fond Kiss
A fond kiss, and then we sever;
A farewell, and then forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me.
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Nothing could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love forever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met--or never parted--
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Fare thee well, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee well, thou best and dearest!
Thine be like a joy and treasure,
Peace. enjoyment, love, and pleasure!
A fond kiss, and then we sever;
A farewell, alas, forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met--or never parted--
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
These words are simply beautiful! What a poet! Happy Burns Nicht everyone!!!

[Hume]

I meant to post earlier, with a question actually. I had heard of 'highland Mary' in the context of Burns before. However, I read at the weekend that around the time she knew Burns her parents were from Campbeltown, although originally Dunoon I think.

Is this well known?

[Govangirl]

According to my Burns book, Hume, Highland Mary Campbell certainly lived in Campbeltown as a child. She certainly caught Rabbie's eye who wrote several poems and songs for her but then many women did!!!!

I would bet that EMDEE knows a great deal more about her time in Campbeltown.

[Sheik Yir Erse]

EMDEE went to school with her

[Govangirl]

EMDEE, these young yins jist huv nae respect!! As Burns says in his famous poem Tae the cheeky Sheik:

He's always compleenin' frae mornin' to e'enin',
He hoasts and he hirples the weary day lang;

[Hume]

Aye, the wee sheikit, cowrin', timourous beastie has got away quick smart after his comment!

[Ship called Dignity]

This was reported on the forum last year viewtopic.php?f=22&t=12082&p=111931&hilit=highland+mary#p111844

Highland Mary Plaque

Observant passers-by in High Street may have noticed that a plaque has appeared on the wall at the door of Glen Scotia Distillery. Close inspection will reveal that the plaque commemorates ‘Highland Mary’ Campbell, Robert Burns’s fiancee, who died on 17 October, 1786, at the age of twenty.

The plaque comprises a reproduction of ‘The Betrothal of Robert Burns and Highland Mary’, painted circa 1881 by James Archer, and the following text, accompanied by the final verse of Burns’s ‘Highland Mary’:

‘Mary Campbell, immortalised by Robert Burns (1759-1796) as “Highland Mary”, spent her childhood here in Dalintober. She lived at Broombrae and attended school nearby. She and Burns became engaged in 1786, but she died at Greenock later that year, from a malignant fever, and is buried there.

‘Mary Campbell’s remarkable cult status was founded on such poems as “To Mary in Heaven”, “Highland Mary” and “The Highland Lassie O”, and she remains, by her brief but intense association with Scotland’s most celebrated poet, Dalintober’s most illustrious historical figure.’

‘O pale, pale now, those rosy lips
I aft hae kiss’d sae fondly!
And clos’d for ay, the sparkling glance,
That dwalt on me sae kindly!
And mouldering now in silent dust,
That heart that lo’ed me dearly!
But still within my bosom’s core
Shall live my Highland Mary.’

The plaque was funded by the Kintyre Antiquarian and Natural History Society and mounted by kind permission of Glen Scotia Distillery. An anticipatory unveiling was staged at the Society’s AGM in the Argyll Arms Hotel, Campbeltown, on 27 April, when the guest speaker was Professor Gerard Carruthers, head of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow and general editor of the new Oxford University Press edition of the works of Robert Burns, to be published from next year onwards. Professor Carruthers gave an informative and entertaining talk on the subject of Burns and Mary Campbell and their relationship, which remains, almost 225 years later, the subject of intense and at times bitter controversy .

Among those present in the audience was Mr Norrie Paton, a local Burns scholar, who was Angus Martin’s collaborator, over several years, in seeing the project through to completion. Also present was Mr Iain McAllister, manager of Glen Scotia Distillery, and his son, Lucas, who presented Professor Carruthers with a bottle of 10-year-old Glen Scotia, courtesy of Loch Lomond Distillery Company, which owns the distillery.



From left to right in main photograph: Iain McAllister, Angus Martin, Murdo MacDonald (President of the Society), Lucas McAllister, Gerry Carruthers and Norrie Paton. Photographs by George McSporran

Not everybody's cup of tea but I love Eddi's version of Ae Fond Kiss.

PS - Happy Burns Day!

[Hume]

Thanks ScD - must have missed that last year.

[Govangirl]

Yes thanks ScD although I have to agree with the comment 'and at times bitter controversy' especially seeing that Mary in that thread was described as sweet and gentle. There was certainly a whole lot more to her than that.

[Mzz pasico]

Fae Scotia's hoosie the plaque's awa, it cudna thole sair blast,
Bare frame is a' thou lae a'hin' o' Highland Mary's past !!!

[EMDEE]

Here's David Cameron's attempt at a Burns quotation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zIVGsRVKb8

Whatever you do don't book him to recite Tam o' Shanter at your Burns Supper.

[Govangirl]

Fae Scotia's hoosie the plaque's awa, it cudna thole sair blast,
Bare frame is a' thou lae a'hin' o' Highland Mary's past !!!

Well done Mzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Mzz pasico]

Awe thank you GG. The violent storm a few weeks ago left only the frame attached to the wall and I couldn't resist those few lines!

[Ship called Dignity]

Awe thank you GG. The violent storm a few weeks ago left only the frame attached to the wall and I couldn't resist those few lines!

I wondered what happened to it right enough when I passed the last week. Thought it was vandalised!

[kathy9]

Who, Rab C Nesbitt?? (just joking)