Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.

Lochaber

Lochaber

By Allan Ramsay (1686–1758)

FAREWELL to Lochaber, farewell to my Jean,

Where heartsome with thee I have mony a day been;

To Lochaber no more, to Lochaber no more,

We ’ll maybe return to Lochaber no more.

These tears that I shed they are a’ for my dear,

And not for the dangers attending on weir;

Though borne on rough seas to a far bloody shore,

Maybe to return to Lochaber no more!

Though hurricanes rise, and rise every wind,

No tempest can equal the storm in my mind;

Though loudest of thunders on louder waves roar,

That ’s naething like leaving my love on the shore.

To leave thee behind me my heart is sair pained,

But by ease that ’s inglorious no fame can be gained:

And beauty and love ’s the reward of the brave;

And I maun deserve it before I can crave.

Then glory, my Jeany, maun plead my excuse;

Since honor commands me, how can I refuse?

Without it I ne’er can have merit for thee,

And losing thy favor I ’d better not be.

I gae then, my lass, to win honor and fame,

And if I should chance to come glorious hame,

I ’ll bring a heart to thee with love running o’er,

And then I ’ll leave thee and Lochaber no more.