The Downfall of Delhi

‘Twas in the year of 1857 and on the 14th of September That the Sepoy rebels at Delhi were forced to surrender; The attack was first to be made by Brigadier Nicholson, And he

Beautiful Balmerino

Beautiful Balmermo on the bonnie banks of Tay, It’s a very bonnie spot in the months of June or May; The scenery there is charming and fascinating to see, Especially the surroundings of the

The First Grenadier of France

‘Twas in a certain regiment of French Grenadiers, A touching and beautiful custom was observed many years; Which was meant to commemorate the heroism of a departed comrade, And when the companies assembled for

The Battle of Alma

‘Twas on the heights of Alma the battle began. But the Russians turned and fled every man; Because Sir Colin Campbell’s Highland Brigade put them to flight, At the charge of the bayonet, which

The Great Yellow River Inundation in China

‘Twas in the year of 1887, and on the 28th of September, Which many people of Honan, in China, will long remember; Especially those that survived the mighty deluge, That fled to the mountains,

Bill Bowls the Sailor

‘Twas about the beginning of the present century, Bill Bowls was pressed, and sent to sea; And conveyed on board the Waterwitch without delay, Scarce getting time to bid farewell to the villagers of

A Tale of Christmas Eve

‘Twas Christmastide in Germany, And in the year of 1850, And in the city of Berlin, which is most beautiful to the eye; A poor boy was heard calling out to passers-by. “Who’ll buy

The Burning of the Ship Kent

Good people of high and low degree, I pray ye all to list to me, And I’ll relate a harrowing tale of the sea Concerning the burning of the ship “Kent” in the Bay

The Wreck of the Steamer Stella

‘Twas in the month of March and in the year of 1899, Which will be remembered for a very long time; The wreck of the steamer “Stella” that was wrecked on the Casquet Rocks,

The Inauguration of the University College

Good people of Dundee, your voices raise, And to Miss Baxter give great praise; Rejoice and sing and dance with glee, Because she has founded a College in Bonnie Dundee. Therefore loudly in her

Loch Ness

Beautiful Loch Ness, The truth to express, Your landscapes are lovely and gay, Along each side of your waters, to Fort Augustus all the way, Your scenery is romantic… With rocks and hills gigantic…

The Burning of the People's Variety Theatre, Aberdeen

‘Twas in the year of 1896, and on the 30th of September, Which many people in Aberdeen will long remember; The burning of the People’s Variety Theatre, in Bridge Place Because the fire spread

The Hero of Kalapore

The 27th Regiment has mutinied at Kalapore; That was the substance of a telegram, which caused great uproar, At Sattara, on the evening of the 8th of July, And when the British officers heard

Women's Suffrage

Fellow men! why should the lords try to despise And prohibit women from having the benefit of the parliamentary Franchise? When they pay the same taxes as you and me, I consider they ought

Descriptive Jottings of London

As I stood upon London Bridge and viewed the mighty throng Of thousands of people in cabs and ‘busses rapidly whirling along, All furiously driving to and fro, Up one street and down another

The Little Match Girl

It was biting cold, and the falling snow, Which filled a poor little match girl’s heart with woe, Who was bareheaded and barefooted, as she went along the street, Crying, “Who’ll buy my matches?

Broughty Ferry

Ancient Castle of Broughty Ferry With walls as strong as Londonderry; Near by the sea-shore, Where oft is heard and has been heard the cannon’s roar In the present day and days of yore,

Bonnie Montrose

Beautiful town of Montrose, I will now commence my lay, And I will write in praise of thee without dismay, And in spite of all your foes, I will venture to call thee Bonnie

The Execution of James Graham, Marquis of Montrose

‘Twas in the year of 1650, and on the twenty-first of May, The city of Edinburgh was put into a state of dismay By the noise of drums and trumpets, which on the air

The Hero of Rorke's Drift

Twas at the camp of Rorke’s Drift, and at tea-time, And busily engaged in culinary operations was a private of the line; But suddenly he paused, for he heard a clattering din, When instantly

The Funeral of the Late Prince Henry of Battenberg

Alas! Prince Henry of Battenberg is dead! And, I hope, has gone to heaven, its streets to tread, And to sing with God’s saints above, Where all is joy and peace and love. ‘Twas

A Descriptive Poem on the Silvery Tay

Beautiful silvery Tay, With your landscapes, so lovely and gay, Along each side of your waters, to Perth all the way; No other river in the world has got scenery more fine, Only I

General Roberts in Afghanistan

‘Twas in the year of 1878, and. the winter had set in, Lord Roberts and the British Army their march did begin, On their way to Afghanistan to a place called Cabul; And the

The Convict's Return

Ye mountains and glens of fair Scotland I’m with ye once again, During my absence from ye my heart was like to break in twain; Oh! How I longed to see you and the

A Tribute to Mr Murphy and the Blue Ribbon Army

All hail to Mr Murphy, he is a hero brave, That has crossed the mighty Atlantic wave, For what purpose let me pause and think- I answer, to warn the people not to taste

The Capture of Havana

‘Twas in the year 1762 that France and Spain Resolved, allied together, to crush Britain; But the British Army sailed from England in May, And arrived off Havana without any delay. And the British

The Destroying Angel

I dreamt a dream the other night That an Angel appeared to me, clothed in white. Oh! it was a beautiful sight, Such as filled my heart with delight. And in her hand she

An Autumn Reverie

Alas! Beautiful Summer now hath fled, And the face of Nature doth seem dead, And the leaves are withered, and falling off the trees, By the nipping and chilling autumnal breeze. The pleasures of

The Irish Convict's Return

Ye mountains and glens of Old Ireland, I’ve returned home to ye again; During my absence from ye My heart always felt great pain. Oh, how I long’d to see you dear Nora, And

The Wreck of the Barque Wm. Paterson of Liverpool

Ye landsmen all attend my verse, and I’ll tell to ye a tale Concerning the barque “Wm. Paterson” that was lost in a tempestuous gale; She was on a voyage from Bangkok to the

The Storming of the Dargai Heights

‘Twas on the 20th of November, and in the year of 1897, That the cheers of the Gordon Highlanders ascended to heaven, As they stormed the Dargai heights without delay, And made the Indian

The Battle of Omdurman

Ye Sons of Great Britain! come join with me And King in praise of the gallant British Armie, That behaved right manfully in the Soudan, At the great battle of Omdurman. ‘Twas in the

The Bonnie Sidlaw Hills

Bonnie Clara, will you go to the bonnie Sidlaw hills And pu’ the blooming heather, and drink from their rills? There the cranberries among the heather grow, Believe me, dear Clara, as black as

Little Pierre's Song

In a humble room in London sat a pretty little boy, By the bedside of his sick mother her only joy, Who was called Little Pierre, and who’s father was dead; There he sat

Nora, the Maid of Killarney

Down by the beautiful Lakes of Killarney, Off times I have met my own dear Barney, In the sweet summer time of the year, In the silvery moonlight so clear, I’ve rambled with my

Jenny Carrister, The Heroine of Lucknow-Mine

A heroic story I will unfold, Concerning Jenny Carrister, a heroine bold, Who lived in Australia, at a gold mine called Lucknow, And Jenny was beloved by the the miners, somehow. Jenny was the

The Death of Lord and Lady Dalhousie

Alas! Lord and Lady Dalhousie are dead, and buried at last, Which causes many people to feel a little downcast; And both lie side by side in one grave, But I hope God in

Beautiful Torquay

All ye lovers of the picturesque, away To beautiful Torquay and spend a holiday ‘Tis health for invalids for to go there To view the beautiful scenery and inhale the fragrant air, Especially in

Beautiful Village of Penicuik

The village of Penicuik, with its neighbouring spinning mills, Is most lovely to see, and the Pentland Hills; And though of a barren appearance and some parts steep, They are covered with fine pasture

The Battle of Atbara

Ye Sons of Great Britain, pray list to me, And I’ll tell ye of a great victory. Where the British defeated the Dervishes, without delay, At the Battle of Atbara, without dismay. The attack

Beautiful Aberfoyle

The mountains and glens of Aberfoyle are beautiful to sight, Likewise the rivers and lakes are sparkling and bright; And its woods were frequented by the Lady of the Lake, And on its Lakes

Beautiful Balmoral

Ye lovers of the picturesque, away and see Beautiful Balmoral, near by the River Dee; There ye will see the deer browsing on the heathery hills, While adown their sides run clear sparkling rills.

The Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay! With your numerous arches and pillars in so grand array And your central girders, which seem to the eye To be almost towering to the sky. The

Young Munro the Sailor

‘Twas on a sunny morning in the month of May, I met a pretty damsel on the banks o’ the Tay; I said, My charming fair one, come tell to me I pray, Why

The Bonnie Lass o' Dundee

O’ a’ the toons that I’ve been in, I dearly love Dundee, It’s there the bonnie lassie lives, The lass I love to see. Her face is fair, broon is her hair, And dark

A Tribute to Henry M. Stanley

Welcome, thrice welcome, to the city of Dundee, The great African explorer Henry M Stanley, Who went out to Africa its wild regions to explore, And travelled o’er wild and lonely deserts, fatigued and

The Pennsylvania Disaster

‘Twas in the year of 1889, and in the month of June, Ten thousand people met with a fearful doom, By the bursting of a dam in Pennsylvania State, And were burned, and drowned

The Relief of Mafeking

Success to Colonel Baden-Powell and his praises loudly sing, For being so brave in relieving Mafeking, With his gallant little band of eight hundred men, They made the Boers fly from Mafeking like sheep

Lord Robert's Triumphal Entry into Pretoria

‘Twas in the year of 1900, and on the 5th of June, Lord Roberts entered Pretoria in the afternoon; His triumphal entry was magnificent to see, The British Army marching behind him fearlessly. With

The Miraculous Escape of Robert Allan, the Fireman

‘Twas in the year of 1858, and on October the fourteenth day, That a fire broke out in a warehouse, and for hours blazed away; And the warehouse, now destroyed, was occupied by the

The Death of the Rev. Dr. Wilson

‘Twas in the year of 1888 and on the 17th of January That the late Rev. Dr. Wilson’s soul fled away; The generous-hearted Dr. had been ailing for some time, But death, with his

The Burial of Mr. Gladstone

Alas! the people now do sigh and moan For the loss of Wm. Ewart Gladstone, Who was a very great politician and a moral man, And to gainsay it there’s few people can. ‘Twas

Jottings of New York

Oh, mighty city of New York, you are wonderful to behold Your buildings are magnificent the truth be it told They were the only thing that seemed to arrest my eye, Because many of

The Beautiful Sun

Beautiful Sun! with thy golden rays, To God, the wise Creator, be all praise; For thou nourisheth all the creation, Wherever there is found to be animation. Without thy heat we could not live,

The Battle of Alexandria

It was on the 21st of March in the year of 1801, The British were at their posts every man; And their position was naturally very strong, And the whole line from sea to

The Terrific Cyclone of 1893

‘Twas in the year of 1893, and on the 17th and 18th of November, Which the people of Dundee and elsewhere will long remember, The terrific cyclone that blew down trees, And wrecked many

The Death of the Old Mendicant

There was a rich old gentleman Lived on a lonely moor in Switzerland, And he was very hard to the wandering poor, ‘Tis said he never lodged nor served them at his door. ‘Twas

The Tay Bridge Disaster

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay! Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken away On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember’d for a

Oban

Oh! beautiful Oban with your lovely bay, Your surroundings are magnificent on a fine summer-day; There the lover of the picturesque can behold, As the sun goes down, the scenery glittering like gold. And

The Wreck of the Indian Chief

‘Twas on the 8th of January 1881, That a terrific gale along the English Channel ran, And spread death and disaster in its train, Whereby the “Indian Chief” vessel was tossed on the raging

Attempted Assassination of the Queen

God prosper long our noble Queen, And long may she reign! Maclean he tried to shoot her, But it was all in vain. For God He turned the ball aside Maclean aimed at her

Lost in the Prairie

In one of fhe States of America, some years ago, There suddenly came on a violent storm of snow, Which was nearly the death of a party of workmen, Who had finished their day’s

Baldovan

The scenery of Baldovan Is most lovely to see, Near by Dighty Water, Not far from Dundee. ‘Tis health for any one To be walking there, O’er the green swards of Baldovan, And in

Saving a Train

‘Twas in the year of 1869, and on the 19th of November, Which the people in Southern Germany will long remember, The great rain-storm which for twenty hours did pour down, That the rivers

The Tragic Death of the Rev. A. H. Mackonochie

Friends of humanity, of high and low degree, I pray ye all come listen to me; And truly I will relate to ye, The tragic fate of the Rev. Alexander Heriot Mackonochie. Who was

Beautiful Monikie

Beautiful Monikie! with your trees and shrubberies green And your beautiful walks, most charming to be seen: ‘Tis a beautiful place for pleasure-seekers to resort, Because there they can have innocent sport, Taking a

The Death of Prince Leopold

Alas! noble Prince Leopold, he is dead! Who often has his lustre shed: Especially by singing for the benefit of Esher School, Which proves he was a wise prince. and no conceited fool. Methinks

The Kessack Ferry-Boat Fatality

‘Twas on Friday the 2nd of March, in the year of 1894, That the Storm Fiend did loudly laugh and roar Along the Black Isle and the Kessack Ferry shore, Whereby six men were

Beautiful Crief

Ye lovers of the picturesque, if ye wish to drown your grief, Take my advice, and visit the ancient town of Crieff; The climate is bracing, and the walks lovely to see. Besides, ye

To Mr James Scrymgeour, Dundee

Success to James Scrymgeour, He’s a very good man, And to gainsay it, There’s few people can; Because he makes the hearts Of the poor o’erjoyed By trying to find work for them When

The Wreck of the Columbine

Kind Christians, all pay attention to me, And Miss Mouat’s sufferings I’ll relate to ye; While on board the Columbine, on the merciless sea, Tossing about in the darkness of night in the storm

The Battle of Tel-el-Kebir

Ye sons of Great Britain, come join with me, And sing in praise of Sir Garnet Wolseley; Sound drums and trumpets cheerfully, For he has acted most heroically. Therefore loudly his praises sing Until

The Battle of the Nile

‘Twas on the 18th of August in the year of 1798, That Nelson saw with inexpressible delight The City of Alexandria crowded with the ships of France, So he ordered all sail to be

Glasgow

Beautiful city of Glasgow, with your streets so neat and clean, Your stateley mansions, and beautiful Green! Likewise your beautiful bridges across the River Clyde, And on your bonnie banks I would like to

The Troubles of Matthew Mahoney

In a little town in Devonshire, in the mellow September moonlight, A gentleman passing along a street saw a pitiful sight, A man bending over the form of a woman on the pavement. He

The Albion Battleship Calamity

‘Twas in the year of 1898, ond on the 21st of June, The launching of the Battleship Albion caused a great gloom, Amongst the relatives of many persons who were drowned in the River

An Address to Shakespeare

Immortal! William Shakespeare, there’s none can you excel, You have drawn out your characters remarkably well, Which is delightful for to see enacted upon the stage For instance, the love-sick Romeo, or Othello, in

An All-Night Sea Fight

Ye sons of Mars, come list to me, And I will relate to ye A great and heroic naval fight, Which will fill your hearts with delight. The fight was between the French Frigate

The Death of the Queen

Alas! our noble and generous Queen Victoria is dead, And I hope her soul to Heaven has fled, To sing and rejoice with saints above, Where ah is joy, peace, and love. ‘Twas on

An Address to the Rev. George Gilfillan

All hail to the Rev. George Gilfillan of Dundee, He is the greatest preacher I did ever hear or see. He is a man of genius bright, And in him his congregation does delight,

The Battle of Culloden

‘Twas in the year of 1746, and in April the 14th day, That Prince Charles Stuart and his army marched on without delay, And on the 14th of April they encamped on Culloden Moor,

The Bonnie Lass o' Ruily

‘Twas in the village of Ruily there lived a bonnie lass With red, pouting lips which few lasses could surpass, And her eyes were as azure the blue sky, Which caused Donald McNeill to

Lines in Praise of Tommy Atkins

Success to Tommy Atkins, he’s a very brave man, And to deny it there’s few people can; And to face his foreign foes he’s never afraid, Therefore he’s not a beggar, as Rudyard Kipling

Forget-Me-Not

A gallant knight and his betroth’d bride, Were walking one day by a river side, They talk’d of love, and they talk’d of war, And how very foolish lovers are. At length the bride

The Capture of Lucknow

‘Twas near the Begum Kothie the battle began, Where innocent blood as plentiful as water ran; The Begum Kothie was a place of honour given to the 93rd, Which heroically to a man they

The Crucifixion of Christ

Composed, by Special Request, 18th June 1890 Then Pilate, the Roman Governor, took Jesus and scourged Him, And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and thought it no sin To put it on

The Castle of Mains

Ancient Castle of the Mains, With your romantic scenery and surrounding plains, Which seem most beautiful to the eye, And the little rivulet running by, Which the weary traveller can drink of when he

The Heatherblend Club Banquet

‘Twas on the 16th of October, in the year 1894, I was invited to Inverness, not far from the sea shore, To partake of a banquet prepared by the Heatherblend Club, Gentlemen who honoured

Bonnie Dundee in 1878

Oh, Bonnie Dundee! I will sing in thy praise A few but true simple lays, Regarding some of your beauties of the present day And virtually speaking, there’s none can them gainsay; There’s no

The Sorrows of the Blind

Pity the sorrows of the poor blind, For they can but little comfort find; As they walk along the street, They know not where to put their feet. They are deprived of that earthly

The Battle of El-Teb

Ye sons of Great Britain, I think no shame To write in praise of brave General Graham! Whose name will be handed down to posterity without any stigma, Because, at the battle of El-Teb,

The Loss of the Victoria

Alas! Now o’er Britannia there hangs a gloom, Because over 400 British Tars have met with a watery tomb; Who served aboard the ” Victoria,” the biggest ship in the navy, And one of

Lines in Praise of the Lyric Club Banquet

Which was Held in the Queens Hotel, Perth, on the Evening of 5th September 1894 ‘Twas in the year of 1894, and on the 5th of September, Which for a long time I will

Loch Katrine

Beautiful Loch Katrine in all thy majesty so grand, Oh! how charming and fascinating is thy silver strand! Thou certainly art most lovely, and worthy to be seen, Especially thy beautiful bay and shrubberies

The River of Leith

As I stood upon the Dean Bridge and viewed the beautiful scenery, I felt fascinated and my heart was full of glee, And I exclaimed in an ecstasy of delight, In all my travels

Burning of the Exeter Theatre

‘Twas in the year of 1887, which many people will long remember, The burning of the Theatre at Exeter on the 5th of September, Alas! that ever-to-be-remembered and unlucky night, When one hundred and

The Summary History of Sir William Wallace

Sir William Wallace of Ellerslie, I’m told he went to the High School in Dundee, For to learn to read and write, And after that he learned to fight, While at the High School

The Burning of the Steamer City of Montreal

A sad tale of the sea I will relate, which will your hearts appal Concerning the burning of the steamship “City of Montreal,” Which had on board two hundred and forty-nine souls in all,

The Battle of Corunna

‘Twas in the year of 1808, and in the autumn of the year, Napoleon resolved to crush Spain and Portugal without fear; So with a mighty army three hundred thousand strong Through the passes
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