The Book of Scottish Song/The Braes o' Ballochmyle

The Braes o' Ballochmyle.

[Written by Burns in 1788, and set to music by his friend Allan Masterton. Ballochmyle, before it came into the hands of Mr. Alexandor, was the seat of the Whitefoord family, and the song was written as a farewell to the family residence. The Maria mentioned in the song was the eldest daughter of Sir John Whitefoord. She afterwards became Mrs. Cranston. Caleb Whitefoord, celebrated by Goldsmith in his poem of "The Retaliation," belonged to this family.]

The Catrine woods were yellow seen,
⁠The flowers decay'd on Catrine lea,
Nae lav'rock sang on hillock green,
⁠But nature sicken'd on the e'e.
Through faded groves Maria sang,
⁠Hersel' in beauty's bloom the while,
And aye the wild-wood echoes rang,
⁠Fareweel the Braes o' Ballochmyle!

Low in your wintry beds, ye flowers,
⁠Again ye'll flourish fresh and fair;
Ye burdies dumb, in with'ring bowers,
⁠Again ye'll charm the vocal air.
But here, alas! for me nae mair
⁠Shall birdie charm, or floweret smile;
Fareweel, the bonnie banks of Ayr,
⁠Fareweel, fareweel! sweet Ballochmyle!

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