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would often lean on his shoulder, and the pair would hum together 
the favourite ballads of the hour. His book, now scarce, is 
entitled, ‘‘ Wit and Mirth, or Pills to purge Melancholy: being a 
collection’ of the beft merry ballads and fongs new and old, fitted 
to all humours, having each their proper time for either the voice 
or the inftrument.” D’Urfey was a man of no mean ability, a poet 
and musician, and a very convivial companion: he lived on till 
1719, and died poor and forgotten. Like the dramas and ballads 
of the time, his work is disfigured by the then prevailing immorality. 
TD)’ Urfey wrote new words to many old tunes, very often in 
the Scottish dialect. And here we may notice that the Scotch 
poets have for the most part composed their verses for old tunes, 
Scotch or English, and wisely, too, for they leave them in the best 
of company, and with every prospect of a very prolonged life. But 
by doing this they have levied black-mail on our English melodies, 
and carried them bodily over the border. Take for instance, “Ye 
banks and braes,” written by Burns to an old English tune, ‘‘Lost 
is my quiet”; “Jock o’ Hazeldean,” by Sir W. Scott, to another 
English tune, “In January last.” The tune to “Auld Robin Grey” 
was written by an English clergyman, the Rev. William Leeves. 
Many have had their words Scotticized, as, “Oh, Nancy, will you 
go with me,” which is improved in the new version. The tune 
was written by Thomas Carter, an organist, and so skilful a player 
on the harpsichord, that he could readily and correctly play any 
piece of music placed upside down before him. 
In later times, the practice of imitating Scotch verses was 
renewed ; tunes were composed for these dialect verses, and many 
of these have come to be regarded as Scotch. “The Blue-bells of 
Scotland” is by Mrs. Jordan, a noted actress; “ Within a mile of 
Edinboro’ town,” by James Hook, an able musician, and father of 
the witty Theodore Hook. He composed also the tune to the 
“Lass of Richmond Hill.” I feel that I am treading on delicate 
ground, but if it can be proved in open court, that the tunes afore- 
said, and others, are of English birth, the Scotch, who have an 
abundance of unrivalled melodies of their own, will willingly give 
up their claim to the few that have straggled over the border. But 
