roof of straw.

THOU KEN'ST, MARY HAY.[91]

TUNE--_"Bonny Mary Hay."_

Thou ken'st, Mary Hay, that I loe thee weel,
My ain auld wife, sae canty and leal,
Then what gars thee stand wi' the tear in thine e'e,
And look aye sae wae, when thou look'st at me?

Dost thou miss, Mary Hay, the saft bloom o' my cheek,
And the hair curling round it, sae gentie and sleek?
For the snaw 's on my head, and the roses are gane,
Since that day o' days I first ca'd thee my ain.

But though, Mary Hay, my auld e'en be grown dim,
An age, wi' its frost, maks cauld every limb,
My heart, thou kens weel, has nae cauldness for thee,
For simmer returns at the blink o' thine e'e.

The miser hauds firmer and firmer his gold,
The ivy sticks close to the tree, when its old,
And still thou grows't dearer to me, Mary Hay,
As a' else turns eerie, and life wears away.

We maun part, Mary Hay, when our journey is done,
But I 'll meet thee again in the bricht world aboon,
Then what gars thee stand wi' the tear in thine e'e,
And look aye sae wae when thou look'st at me?

[91] Composed in 1830.

ROBERT ALLAN.

Robert Allan was the son of a respectable flax-dresser in the village of
Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire. The third of a family of ten children, he was
born on the 4th of November 1774. Inheriting a taste for music, he early
evinced talent in the composition of song, which was afterwards fostered
by the encouragement of Tannahill and Robert Archibald Smith. With
Tannahill he lived on terms of the most cordial friendship. He followed
the occupation of a muslin weaver in his native place, and composed many
of his best verses at the loom. He was an extensive contributor to the
"Scottish Minstrel," published by R. A. Smith, his songs being set to
music by the editor. In 1820, a number of his songs appeared in the
"Harp of Renfrewshire." His only separate volume was published in 1836,
under the editorial revision of Robert Burns Hardy, teacher of elocution
in Glasgow.

In his more advanced years, Allan, who was naturally of good and
benevolent dispositions, became peculiarly irritable; he fancied that
his merits as a poet had been overlooked, and the feeling preyed deeply
upon his mind. He entertained extreme political opinions, and conceived
a dislike to his native country, which he deemed had not sufficiently
estimated his genius. Much in opposition