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humble tribute to your Dedication.

For all things else and all men may renew;

Yea, son for son the gods may give and take,

But never a brother or sister any more.

I turned first to p.151 to see if you had
solved the problems connected with Montrose's
great song. But his verse is outside the
scope of your book. None the less, as you
may have these questions fresh in your
mind, will you, when we next meet at the
Chest, enliven the somewhat tedious proceedings
of that august body by sending me a note
on the following points.

'My dear and only Love' (an incomparable
opening) was first attributed to Montrose by
Watson on p.107 of Part III of Scots Poems, 1711.

The text according to Napier follows a broadside
of 1690. Does this broadside exist? I have never
seen it and wish you had reproduced it if it
does. I have a note that an imitation

'My dear and only love take heed

How thou thyself expose.'

was printed in Wit and Drollery, 1661, p.41,
and that this was reprinted in Pills to Purge
Melancholy, 1720, vol: VI, p.122-3, with the
music. I have also seen the music in The Dancing
Master, 17th edition, 1721, p.110. 'Never love
thee more'.

I have only got Watson and Durfey. Watson
gives thirteen stanzas to the 'Second Part' and
Durfey prints five and a half of which only
the first is the same as that given by Watson.