The text for this is drawn from Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, 1817.

Mary's Dream

A poem by Mr John Lowe, Kells.

This beautiful song, as well as the first act of the tune, are the composition of Mr John Lowe, who was bom at Kenmore in Galloway, in the year 1750. His father was gardener to the Honourable Mr Gordon of Kenmore, son of that unfortunate nobleman who paid the forfeit of his life and titles for his adherence to the House of Stuart in 1715. Lowe was the eldest son of a numerous family, and received a pretty liberal education at the parish school of Kells. At the age of fourteen, he was bound apprentice to a respectable weaver of the name of Heron, father of the late Robert Heron, author of the History of Scotland in six volumes, and other works.

This profession, though dictated by the necessity of a parent, was neither congenial to the feelings nor genius of young Lowe. By his own industry, however, he was afterwards enabled to place himself under the tuition of Mr Mackay, then schoolmaster of Carsphairn, an eminent master of the languages. Lowe at this time employed his evenings in teaching church-music, as he possessed a very just ear, sung well, and played with considerable skill upon the violin. These qualities, added to a happy temper and a fine flow of animal spirits, soon gained him many friends, through whose assistance our poet was, in 1771, enabled to enter himself a student of divinity in the university of Edinburgh.

On his first return from college, he became tutor in the family of Mr McGhie of Airds, an amiable country gentleman, who had several beautiful daughters. In this romantic abode, so favourable to the descriptive muse, Lowe composed many little pieces, of which it is to be regretted that few copies are now to be found, though there are songs of his composition still sung by the common people of the Glenkens in Galloway. He also composed a pretty long pastoral, entitled, 'Morning, a Poem,' which is still preserved in his own bandwriting. He likewise attempted to write a tragedy, but no part of it is now to be found. About this time, Mr Alexander Miller, a surgeon, who had been engaged to Mary, one of the young ladies of Airds, was unfortunately lost at sea; an event which would probably have been forgotten, but for the exquisitely tender and pathetic song of 'Mary's Dream,' which has given to it immortality. It is presumed that our poet was sensibly alive to the misfortunes of a young lady, whose sister had inspired him also with the tenderest passion; but it was not their fate to be united.

After finishing his studies at the Divinity Hall, and seeing no prospect of obtaining a living in his native country, Mr Lowe, in 1773, embarked for America. For some time he acted as tutor to the family of a brother of the great Washington; a situation which supplied some hopes of advancement. He next opened an academy for the education of young gentlemen in Fredericksburgh, Virginia, which was given up upon his taking orders in the church of England. After this event he married a Virginian lady, who unfortunately proved his ruin. She was not only regardless of his happiness, but even unfaithful to his bed.

Overwhelmed with shame, disappointment, and sorrow, the rigour of his constitution was broken, and he fell into an untimely grave in 1798, in the forty-eighth year of his age. His remains were interred under the shade of two palm trees near Fredericksburgh, without even a stone to write,'Mary, weep no more for me.'

This truly elegant and popular ballad, however, was originally composed by Lowe in the Scottish dialect, before he gave it the polished English form. As the older ballad may be interesting, even in its rude form, to some readers, it is here subjoined.