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One of the Ochil hills, near Stirling. Dun-ma-chit (Gaelic), the hill of the good prospect. It is pronounced Demyit.

The ancient name of Stirling.

The Edinburgh Gazetteer, a violent opposition paper, published in 1793–4.

The author cannot refrain from seizing the last opportunity he may ever have, to caution his female readers against the vice, here intentionally introduced. Women are not sufficiently aware of the danger annexed to the smallest indulgence in spirituous liquors. A delicate frame, or a susceptible mind, experiencing a temporary relief from a pernicious stimulus, has recourse to it at a time when the best cordials are fortitude and resignation. Hence the deplorable habit of dram-drinking—a habit the most disgusting! —the most degrading to the female character!

Alluding to the conduct of the Dutch.

Roslin Castle.

The ancient seat of the celebrated poet William Drummond, who flourished in 1585.

Rosebank, near Roslin; the author's place of nativity.

Melville Castle, the seat of the Right Honourable Henry Dundas.

The Duchess of Buccleugh; the unwearied patroness and supporter of the afflicted and the poor.

An old man-servant.

The Sunday supper was called the Presbyterian supper.

The usual modicum.

This engraving had been at some period thrown off for the use of a literary society in London, likewise called the Sober Society. The representation was a female figure, with the finger of one hand pointing to the moon (horned) and six stars overhead; and the finger of the other hand pointing to the ground, with this motto —Virtus tandem Vigebat.

One of the rules of the Sober Club was, that the bill should be called for and paid at eleven o'clock; after which hour every one might do as he inclined; i. e. retire, or remain as long as he chose; and as this last liberty was generally productive of sober happiness, it was called the Beate.

These lines were written during the commencement of Robespierre's reign of justice, virtue, and humanity.

A small, beautiful stream, in Annandale.

The river that runs past Liverpool.

Dr James Currie, late of Liverpool.

This verse is all the author ever heard of the original.— The meaning of the Gaelic chorus is, O Mally Aiken, thou art my love.

Bawn (Gaelic), fair, white, generally applied to the hair.

Dow (Gaelic), black, generally applied to the hair.

I am asleep, do not waken me. The Gaelic chorus is pronounced according to the present orthography.

Written during the prospect of an immediate invasion. The song represents the parting between a husband and wife on the first signal of the enemy's approach.

The author's complaints were such, that, unable either to read or to write above a few minutes without distress, his only amusement was to compose by the help of memory alone. It may, perhaps, be worth mentioning, that Will and Jean, the Waes o'War, the Links o'Forth, and the present poem, were all composed by memory, previously to the commitment of a single line to paper.

West and East Indies.

See the author's account of the caves of Elephanta, Canary, and Ambola, published in the eighth volume of the Archæologia.

An unexpected change in administration at home, blasted all the author's fair prospects in India.

Milton.

Guinea grass pasture. See Edwards' Hist. 8vo, vol. I. p. 186.

The palmeto royal, or mountain cabbage, from 150 to 200 feet in height; a tree, says Mr Edwards, which, without doubt, is among the most graceful of all the vegetable creation.

The second part of ‘The Harp’ was composed during the author's first passage home from Jamaica.

The author's first attempts in Scottish poetry were the composing of words to some of our most simple pastoral and Gaelic airs.

Allan Ramsay.

Alluding to the uncommon sale of ‘Will and Jean,’ which, in less than seven weeks after publication, went through five editions of 1500 copies each. Fourteen editions were thrown off before the expiration of a twelvemonth.

Stirling.

Glasgow.

Lossit, in Cantyre, Argyleshire, where some of the songs, from their resemblance to the Gaelic, were particularly relished. They were afterwards set to music, and published in Edinburgh.

Lossit, in Cantyre, Argyleshire, where some of the songs, from their resemblance to the Gaelic, were particularly relished. They were afterwards set to music, and published in Edinburgh.

John Graham, Esq. of Three-mile-river, Jamaica; under whose kind and hospitable roof the present poem was composed.

These additional verses were written immediately after the death of the memorable person here mentioned.