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ROBERT BURNS
The Address to the Haggis
Auld Lang Syne
The Bonny Wee Thing
Epistle to Dr. Blacklock
Farewell
Invitation to a Medical Gentleman
Is There for Honest Poverty
The Jolly Beggars: A Cantata
Masonic Song
The Master’s Apron
Miscellanea
Oh, were I on Parnassus' Hill
A Red Red Rose
Scots Wha Hae With Wallace Bled
Such a Parcel of Rogues
To a Mouse
Three Graces for dinner
The Tree of Liberty
The verse of Robert Burns
[Robbie
Detail from an unsigned, undated oil painting owned by Ancient Light Lodge No.88 in Delta, British Columbia. Download a grayscale version or silhouette.
Auld Lang Syne
Burns has described this as an old song and tune which had often thrilled through his soul; and in communicating it to his friend George Thomson, he professed to have recovered it from an old man’s singing; and exclaimed regarding it--"Light be the turf on the breast of the Heaven-inspired poet who composed this glorious fragment!" The probability is, however, that the poet was indulging in a little mystification on the subject, and that the entire song was his own composition. The second and third verses--describing the happy days of youth--are his beyond a doubt.
SHOULD auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min'?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o' lang syne?
CHORUS
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne !
We twa hae run about the braes,
And put't the gowans fine ;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne !
For auld &c.
We twa hae paidlet i' the burn,
Frae mornin sun till dine :
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld &c.
And here’s a hand, my trusty fiere,1.
And gie’s a hand o' thine ;
And we'll tak a right gude willie-waught,2.
For auld lang syne !
For auld &c.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine ;
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld &c.

1 Friend.^ 2 Draught.^
Notes transcribed from The Complete Works of Robert Burns. William P. Nimmo, Edinburgh: 1867. p. 130. Footnotes renumbered. Text transcribed from The Works of Robert Burns, with an account of his life, and a criticism on his writings. To which are prefixed, some observations on the character and condition of the Scottish peasantry. In four volumes. Vol. II. The Second Edition. London: Printed for T. Cadell, Jun. and W. Davies, Strand; and W. Creech, Edinburgh. 1801. Printed by R. Noble in the Old Bailey [467 pages] p.122-3.

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