Scottish Accent

[Gene C]

(10-28-2016 02:26 PM)Angela Wrote:  This is the second time I came across this and thought it notable.
Apparently, Abraham Lincoln managed to acquire a wicked Scottish accent in order to properly quote Robert Burns' poetry - and from the references it appears he did so in his younger years - around 1830.
I have come across this in Michael Burlingame's biography and now again in the Sidney Blumenthal bio (which sadly isn't giving many original sources). I have gone through Herndon's Informants a bit but have not been lucky yet.
So fun to imagine how he might have picked this up, isn't it!

Over the years, many of Robert Burns poems have been set to music.
This is probably one of the best known, Ae Fond Kiss

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, and then forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love forever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met—or never parted—
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace. enjoyment, love, and pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Here is the song by two Scottish singers, Claire Hastings and Dougie MacLean.
I picked these two because they seem to capture the feeling of the poem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXa_7vh0GpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pD_TcPmLhM

I can almost picture Abraham and Mary reading this together.