A note concerning the song 'My highland Lassie O'

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Archive number: NTS/02/25/BRN/02/21
Alt. number: 3.6149
Date: 1790
On display: No
Creator: Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient: Campbell, "Highland" Mary

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A note by concerning the song 'My highland Lassie O'

Here, Burns describes his relationship with Mary Campbell whom he calls 'Highland Mary' and about whom he composed the song My Highland Lassie O. Page describing Burns' relationship with Mary Campbell whom he calls "Highland Mary" and composed a song about titled "My Highland Lassie O". The song was included in Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, a copy of which was in the possession of Burns's neighbour Robert Riddell at Friars Carse when he farmed at Ellisland.

The page was torn from Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, a copy of which was in the possession of Burns's neighbour Robert Riddell at Friars' Carse when he farmed at Ellisland (see object number 3.3009.a-d). Riddell's copy was interleaved with annotation relating to the songs, most of which were written by Burns. Included amongst these was a sheet relating to Highland Mary which is seen here, in which Burns describes his courtship and history of his relationship up to the time of her death in Greenock.

Burns's last sentence is particularly telling of the personal nature of his handwritten notes:

'For the sake of this and similar anecdotes, Mr Riddell will keep these volumes solely for his private perusal.'

This may explain why Burns is recorded as having shown great anxiety to recover the volumes after Riddell's death.

A note concerning the song 'My highland Lassie O'

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