ROY’S WIFE OF ALDIVALLOCH.

Roy’s wife of Aldivalloch,
Roy’s wife of Aldivalloch,
Wat ye how she cheated me
As I cam’ o’er the braes of Balloch!

She vow’d, she swore she wad be mine,
She said she lo’ed me best o’ onie;
But, ah! the fickle, faithless quean,
She ’s ta’en the carl, and left her Johnnie! 
Roy’s wife, &c.

Oh, she was a canty quean,
An’ weel could dance the Hieland walloch! 
How happy I, had she been mine,
Or I been Roy of Aldivalloch! 
Roy’s wife, &c.

Her hair sae fair, her e’en sae clear,
Her wee bit mou’ sae sweet and bonnie! 
To me she ever will be dear,
Though she’s for ever left her Johnnie! 
Roy’s wife, &c.

ROBERT COUPER, M.D.

Dr Couper was born in the parish of Sorbie, in Wigtonshire, on the 22d of September 1750.  His father rented the farm of Balsier in that parish.  With a view towards the ministry in the Scottish Church, he proceeded to the University of Glasgow in 1769; but being deprived of both his parents by death before the completion of the ordinary period of academical study, and his pecuniary means being limited, he quitted the country for America, where he became tutor to a family in Virginia.  He now contemplated taking orders in the Episcopal Church, but on the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1776 he returned to Britain without fulfilling this intention.  He resumed his studies at Glasgow preparatory to his seeking a surgeon’s diploma; and he afterwards established himself as a medical practitioner in Newton-Stewart, a considerable village in his native county.  From this place he removed to Fochabers, about the year 1788, on being recommended, by his friend Dr Hamilton, Professor of Anatomy at Glasgow, as physician to the Duke of Gordon.  Before entering on this new sphere of practice, he took the degree of M.D.  At Fochabers he remained till the year 1806, when he again returned to the south.  He died at Wigton on the 18th January 1818.  From a MS. Life of Dr Couper, in the possession of a gentleman in Wigton, and communicated to Dr Murray, author of “The Literary History of Galloway,” these leading events of Dr Couper’s life were first published by Mr Laing, in his “Additional Illustrations to the Scots Musical Museum,” vol. iv. p. 513.

Dr Couper published “Poetry, chiefly in the Scottish Language” (Inverness, 1804), 2 vols. 12mo.  Among some rubbish, and much tawdry versification, there is occasional power, which, however, is insufficient to compensate for the general inferiority.  There are only a few songs, but these are superior to the poems; and those following are not unworthy of a place among the modern national minstrelsy.

KINRARA.

TUNE—­"Neil Gow."