I love the malice of "Alas", and the paradise of "To memory now I can't recall". %^)

The following stanza is attributed to Robert Burns on a page of an unidentified book that someone copied for me some years ago:

This night is my departing night,
For here na langer must I stay;
There's neither friend nor foe o' mine
But wishes, wishes me away.
What I have done thro' lack of wit,
I never, never can recall;
I hope ye're a' my friends as yet,
Goodnight, and joy be wi' you a'.

But it's not in my anthology either under "The Parting Glass" or under its first line, tho it may be buried somewhere in all those pages under another name.

The same page gives the following version by Sir Alexander Boswell:

Goodnight, and joy be wi' ye a',
Your harmless mirth has cheered my heart;
May life's fell blasts out-o'er ye blaw!
In sorrow may ye never part!
My spirit lives, but strength is gone,
The mountain-fires now blaze in vain;
Remember, sons, the deeds I've done,
And in your deeds I'll live again!

When on yon muir our gallant clan
Frae boasting foes their banners tore,
Who show'd himsel' a better man
Or fiercer wav'd the red claymore?
But when in peace -- then mark me there,
When thro' the glen the wanderer came,
I gave him of our hardy fare,
I gave him here a welcome hame.

The auld will speak, the young maun hear,
Be canty, but be good and leal;
Your ain ills ay ha'e heart to bear,
Another's ay ha'e heart to feel;
So, ere I set, I'll see you shine,
I'll see you triumph ere I fa';
My parting breath shall boast you mine,
Goodnight, and joy be wi' you a'.

Quite a different picture!