Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Mary Macneil

Traditional

“Mary Macneil” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 261 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

The last gleam o' sunset in ocean was sinkin',

Owre mountain an' meadowland glintin' fare-weel;

An' thousands o' stars in the heavens were blinkin',

As bright as the een o' sweet Mary Macneil.

A' glowin' wi' gladness she lean'd on her lover,

Her een tellin' secrets she thought to conceal;

And fondly they wander'd whar nane might discover

The tryst o' young Ronald an' Mary Macneil.

O! Mary was modest, an' pure as the lily

That dew-draps o' mornin' in fragrance reveal;

Nae fresh bloomin' flow'ret in hill or in valley

Could rival the beauty of Mary Macneil.

She moved, and the graces play'd sportive around her;

She smiled, and the hearts o' the cauldest wad thrill;

She sang, an' the mavis cam' listenin' in wonder,

To claim a sweet sister in Mary Macneil.

But ae bitter blast on its fair promise blawin',

Frae spring a' its beauty an' blossoms will steal;

An' ae sudden blight on the gentle heart fa'in',

Inflicts the deep wound nothing earthly can heal.

The simmer saw Ronald on glory's path hiein'—

The autumn, his corse on the red battle-fiel';

The winter, the maiden found heart-broken, dyin';

An' spring spread the green turf owre Mary Macniel!

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Mary Macneil”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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