SCOTISH SONGS, ANCIENT AND MODERN; WITH CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, EDITED By R. H. CROMEK, F. A. S. ED. LONDON: PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, STRAND. By J. MCREERY, Black-Horse-Court, Fleet-Street. 1810. E NIVERSITY PREFACE. OF 918 C 945 THE following Remarks from the pen of Burns appeared in the publication of The Reliques; and as it might reasonably be presumed that whatever exercised his judgment and gratified his taste, would excite the curiosity of the public, and be worthy of their attention, they are now presented, detached from his other works, accompanied by the Songs which met the Poet's decided approbation. In performing this task, the Editor conceives he shall accomplish a two-fold object; for while the Songs acquire additional interest from the criticisms of so eminent a Poet, the Remarks themselves will be better appreciated when prefixed to the subjects on which they are grounded. The nature of the undertaking would render it unnecessary for him to enter into a general disquisition on Scotish Song, even if it had not been fully illustrated by the able pens of Ramsay, Lord Hailes, Tytler, Ramsay of Ochter |