Annotation:Secret Kiss by Mr. Oswald (The)
X:1 T:Secret Kiss by Mr. Oswald, The M:C L:1/8 R:Air Q:"Slow" B:James Oswald – Caledonian Pocket Companion, vol. 4 (1752, p. 23) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D D2 (F>G) A3 (B/c/)|(dc)(BA) {G}F4|E2{E}F>A {AB}d3e|(fe)(dc) TB2A2| D2 F>G A3 (B/c/)|(dc)(BA) TF4|f3e (d<B) (A<F)|E2 {E}F>A TB2A2:| |:d2 (d/e/f/e/) d3B|A/(B/d/B/ A/F/E/4F/4A/) F4|E2 {E}F>A {AB}d3e| (fe)(dc) TB2A2|d2 (d/e/f) B2 (B/c/d)|A2 (g>f) {f}e4|\ L:1/16 d6c2 TB3A/B/ d2F2|E4 {E}F3A {A}TB4A4:|]
SECRET KISS BY MR. OSWALD, THE. AKA - "Stolen Kiss (The)," "My Bonny Mary." Scottish, Air. Cellist-composer wikipedia:James_Oswald_(composer) (1710-1769) set the music "Stolen Kiss (The)" (song No. 2 in his twelve-song collection "Colin's Kisses", 1742), to verses by Robert Dodsley. Each song was named after a type of kiss - "The Meeting Kiss," "The Stolen Kiss," The Parting Kiss," etc. Shortly after Oswald first published this collection it was criticized by some as scandalous, requiring him to address the issue in later advertisements where he wrote: "The Report so industriously spread, that these songs are not proper for the Ladies to sing, is as false as it is scandalous; there being nothing in the Words of Sentiments that can offend the most delicate". Dodsley words for "The Stolen Kiss" begin:
On a mossy bank reclin'd.
Beauteous Chloe lay reposing,
O’er her breast each am'rous wind
Wanton play'd, its sweets disclosing:
Tempted with the dwelling charms,
Colin, happy swain, drew nigh her,
Softly stole into her arms,
Laid his scrip and sheep-hook by her.
By the time the tune was published in Oswald's Caledonian Pocket Companion (c. 1752), the title had been altered to "The Secret Kiss." The melody was originally selected by Robert Burns' for his song "My Bonny Mary" (AKA "Silver Tassie") in Johnson's Scots Musical Museum (Song #231). Later Burns sent the lyric to George Thomson’s Select Melodies of Scotland, suggesting he put it with the tune “Woe's my heart that we should sunder"; nevertheless, "The Secret Kiss" melody is the one that has become attached to his song. Burns' song begins:
Go, fetch to me a pint o' wine,
And fill it in a silver tassie;
That I may drink before I go,
A service to my bonie lassie.
The boat rocks at the pier o' Leith;
Fu' loud the wind blaws frae the Ferry;
The ship rides by the Berwick-law,
And I maun leave my bonie Mary.
