OUR PASTORAL LIFE. 



243 



rejoicings (for the marriage ceremony needed then no three several 

 days of calling) consisted in a merry dance round the Thorn. The 

 lands of Polwarth were then divided between the two Homes, and, 

 while George carried on the line of the Wedderburn family, Patrick 

 was the founder of the branch afterwards ennobled by the title of 

 Marchmont *. In commemoration of this romantic aifair, all future 

 marriage-parties danced round the Thorn, to a tune named " Polwarth 

 on the Green," and to which several songs have been subsequently 

 adapted. One of these, I am informed, was written by the grand- 

 father of Thomson, the author of the "Seasons;" another was 

 written by Allan Ramsay. In Tannahill's " Och hey ! Johnnie lad," 

 the lass having twitted her suitor with a breach of punctuality, he 

 replies, 



" Gin ye were waiting by the wood. 

 Then I was waiting by the Thorn ; 

 I thought it was the place we set. 



And waited maist 'till dawning mornt-'' 



The custom of the marriage dance continued in force for several 

 centuries. I find that it had gone into disuse at the beginning of 

 the present century J ; and it is now considered to be incompatible 

 with our refined — or at least fashionable— manners. Worse things 

 have of late been restored. 



Another change comes to chequer my dream of the pastoral hfe— 

 a dream suggested by realities which are hastening away into the 

 darkening shadows of the land o' the leal. I now see a man laden 

 more with infirmities than with years, seated before the sanded door- 

 way of a cottage a little apart from the homestead, at the entrance of 

 the avenue which leads to the squire's mansion. In him I can, with 

 some difficulty, recognise the gallant boy who was wont to make 

 merry with goblins and ghaists, and who loved of yore dearly to play 

 the truant, 



" And unconstrain'd to rove along 

 The bushy brakes and glens among." 



He became a soldier. After an absence of some years, he revisited 

 his native place ; and an incident, on this occasion, gave origin to 

 the following verses written by one who was in the same station ot 

 life, and born in our district § : — 



" I cam' to the hill whare a Boy I had wander' d. 

 And high beat ray heart when I traced it again ; 

 As up its steep side, now an auld man, I dander' d, 

 I stopt, whare a bonnie Pink blossom'd its lane :— 



* Chambers' Picture of Scotland, p. 14. J- Works of TannahiU, p. IJ. 



X Stat. Ace. of Scotland, xvii. p. 95, an. 1796. Stat. Ace Berw p. 234. 



t Mr Robert Storey. He was the son of a hmd, and born at Heaton 

 mill on' the Till. I believe that the lines have not been hitherto pub- 

 lished, jj 2 



