Scotlandsmusic

Burns met and fell in love with Mrs. Nancy McLehose in Edinburgh in 1787. She was beautiful and witty he was the young literary lion of his day. They conducted a famous correspondence ('Sylvander' to 'Calrinda') but parted forever on 6 December 1791. Burns sent her these verses soon after. Sir Walter Scott said of them that they 'contain the essence of a thousand love tales'. The tune given here is an old melody published in 'Greig's Scots Minstrelsie' of 1892-1895.