| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Robert Burns. 1759–1796 |
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| 500. Bonnie Lesley |
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| O SAW ye bonnie Lesley | |
| As she gaed o'er the Border? | |
| She 's gane, like Alexander, | |
| To spread her conquests farther. | |
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| To see her is to love her, | 5 |
| And love but her for ever; | |
| For Nature made her what she is, | |
| And ne'er made sic anither! | |
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| Thou art a queen, fair Lesley, | |
| Thy subjects we, before thee: | 10 |
| Thou art divine, fair Lesley, | |
| The hearts o' men adore thee. | |
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| The Deil he couldna scaith thee, | |
| Or aught that wad belang thee; | |
| He'd look into thy bonnie face | 15 |
| And say, 'I canna wrang thee!' | |
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| The Powers aboon will tent thee, | |
| Misfortune sha'na steer thee: | |
| Thou'rt like themsel' sae lovely, | |
| That ill they'll ne'er let near thee. | 20 |
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| Return again, fair Lesley, | |
| Return to Caledonie! | |
| That we may brag we hae a lass | |
| There 's nane again sae bonnie! | |
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GLOSS: scaith] harm. tent] watch. steer] molest. |
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