Transactions. 71 
Warm as the sun and frank and free, 
I've marked a constancy in thee— 
The type o’ what true friends should be ; 
For without vaunting, 
Wealth never yet had charms for me 
Where worth was wanting. 
To Wightman, priest o’ Kirkmahoe, 
The gentlest creature here below ; 
In short, to a’ the friends I know 
Remember me, 
And ne’er may care, that bogle-boe, 
Haunt them or thee. 
And for their sakes, whom ye revere, 
And hers, the dearest o’ the dear, 
This breast shall glow in love sincere 
By wishing to them 
The comforts of a gude New- Year, 
And mony o’ them. 
J. MAYNE. 
To William Grierson, Esq., of Baitford, Dumfries. 
Then followed a letter of date 3rd March, 1809, dealing with 
the air of ‘“‘ Whistle o’er the lave o’t,” and a number of Dumfries 
matters. 
London, 8rd March, 1809, 
Dear Sir,—Your letter by Dr Brewster came safe, and I thank you very 
kindly for making me acquainted with that gentleman. I am much obliged 
to you also for your letter of the 7th ult. in reply to all my queries and 
wishes, I am glad that you have enabled me through the medium of 
- Johnny Wilson to adhere to my first statement that John Bruce, however 
famous as a player, was not the composer of the air of ‘‘ Whistle o’er the 
lave ot.” I always thought that it was of much higher antiquity. 
Continue your kindness to Mr Wilson, and I will repay you with pleasure. 
I wish it were possible to get a sketch of John Gass and of William 
M‘Clush, and any other of the worthies that are still living connected with 
or mentioned in ‘‘The Siller Gun.” If you can help me to these and to 
drawings of the Craigs, or of the town, as far as they can illustrate or 
embellish a future edition of that poem, I will cheerfully and handsomely 
pay for them. A view of the procession would also be very gratifying. 
In anything I have done or mean to do on this subject, emolument never 
entered into my consideration. The town of Dumfries and everything 
connected with its vicinity are so dear to my heart that it would afford 
me even a dying pleasure to have been instrumental in diffusing or pro- 
longing a knowledge of their beauties. Entreat Mr Anderson in my name 
to read the poem over again, and as he reads to write down every anecdote 
and observation on men and things that occurs to him. I was very 
hurried when the notes were thrown together. What was worse, I was 
