GENESIS OF 'AULD LANG SYNE'

It is thought that Burns used references from old poems to develop 'Auld Lang Syne'. Some of these old poems that predate Burns's poem include:

A) A fifteenth century anonymous ballad, ‘Auld Kyndnes Foryett’, contained in the 1568 Bannatyne Manuscript, and reprinted in the 1770 publication Ancient Scottish Poems.

B) A ballad with eleven stanzas beginning "Should old acquaintance be forgot" and refrain "old long syne" in the manuscript commonplace book of James Crichton, 2nd Viscount Frendraught, in 1667, which may be the earliest surviving rendering of this ballad.

C) A broadside ballad of twelve stanzas, each with chorus, and containing the first four stanzas of the 1667 ballad, entitled 'Old Long Syne' published ca. 1701.

D) This same ballad entitled "Old Longsyne" with ten stanzas rearranged, with refrain and no chorus, printed in Watson’s collection of Scottish poems published in 1711.
This ballad is variously attributed to Robert Ayton (1570–1638) and Francis Sempill (d. 1682).

E) A song titled "The Kind Reception" by poet Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), in his 1719 publication Scots Songs, begins with the line "Should auld acquaintance be forgot". This song was later reproduced in The Scots Musical Museum, Vol 1, 1787, with the title "Auld Lang Syne".


A) "AULD KYNDNES FORYETT"

The genesis of the phrase ‘Auld lang syne’ has been traced back as far as the sixteenth century. It appeared in an anonymous and untitled fifteenth century ballad, ‘Auld Kyndnes Foryett’, contained in the 1568 Bannatyne Manuscript (a compilation of Scottish literary materials collected by the Edinburgh merchant George Bannatyne (1548-1608)).

There is at least one print source for this poem in Burns’s time, an edition of the full manuscript published in 1770:
Ancient Scottish Poems, Published from the Manuscript of George Bannatyne (1545-1608), 1568. Edited by Sir David Dalrymple, 1770, pp.184-186.

This ballad consists of eight stanzas each of eight lines. The last line of each stanza becomes the refrain of the ballad:
"auld kyndnes is quyt foryett."
[old kindness is quite forgotten]

First line title:
"This warld is all bot fenyeit fair"

Bannatyne Manuscript, by George Bannatyne (1545-1608), Vol 1, 1568, pp.222-224
Auld Kyndnes Foryett 1568
first stanza at bottom of page 222
last stanza at top of page 224
use arrows (< >) to tab pages


This warld is all bot fenyeit fair,
And als unstable as the wind;
Gud faith is flemit, I wat nocht quhair,
Trest fallowship is evill to find;
Gud conscience is all maid blind,
And cheritie is nane to gett;
Leill, loif, and lawte lyis behind,
And auld kyndnes is quyt foryett.

Quhill I had ony thing to spend,
And stuffit weill with warldis wrak,
Amang my freindis I wes weill kend:
Quhen I wes proud and had a pak,
Thay wald me be the oxtar tak,
And at the he buird I wes set;
Bot now thay latt me stand abak,
Sen auld kyndnes is quyt foryet.

Now I find bot freindis few,
Sen I wes prysit to be pure;
Thay hald me now bot for a schrew,
To me thay tak bot littill cure;
All that I do is bot injure:
Thocht I am bair I am nocht bett;
Thay latt me stand bot on the flure.
Sen auld kyndnes is quyt foryet.

Suppoiss I mene I am nocht mendit,
Sen I held pairt with poverte;
Away sen that my pak wes spendit,
Adew all liberalite.
The prowerb now is trew, I se,
Quha may nocht gife, will littill gett;
Thairfoir, to say the varite,
Now auld kyndnes is quyt foryet.

Thay wald me hals with hude and hatt,
Quhill I wes riche and had anewch;
About me freindis anew I gatt,
Rycht blythlie on me thay lewch;
Bot now thay mak it wondir tewch,
And lattis me stand befoir the yett;
Thairfoir this warld is verry frewch,
And auld kyndnes is quyt foryett.

Als lang as my cop stud evin,
I yeid bot seindill myn allane;
I squyrit wes with sex or seven,
Ay quhill I gaif thame twa for ane;
Bot suddanly fra that wes gane,
Thay passit by with handis plett;
With purtye fra I wes ourtane,
Than auld kyndnes wes quyt foryett.

In to this warld suld na man trow,
Thow may weill se the ressoun quhy;
For evir, bot gif thy hand be fow,
Thow arte bot littill settin by;
Thow art nocht tane in cumpany,
Bot thair be sum fisch in thy nett;
Thairfoir foir this fals warld I defy,
Sen auld kyndnes is quyt foryet.

Sen that na kyndnes kepit is
In to this warld that is present,
Gife thow wald cum to hevynnis bliss,
Thy self appleiss with sobir rent;
Leife godly, and gife with gud intent
To every man his proper dett;
Quhat evir God send hald the content,
Sen auld kyndnes is quyt foryet.


Rather than Burns’s more optimistic call to remember old friendships, this ballad laments the fickleness of those who would feign it for financial gain.
It is the soliloquy of one in straitened circumstances, whose condition is much aggravated by reflections on the ingratitude of those who professed themselves friends in his former prosperous days.

These two stanzas in the poem are to the point and make this clear:—

The fifth stanza goes:

They wald me hals with hude and hatt,
Quhyle I wes rich and had anewch,
About me friends anew I gatt,
Rycht blythie on me they lewch;
But now they mak it wonder tewch,
And lattis me stand befoir the yett;
Thairfoir this warld is verry frewch,
And auld kyndnes is quyt foryett.

[They would salute me with hood and hat],
[While I was rich and had plenty],
[About me friends anew I got],
[Very happily on me they laughed];
[But now they make it very tough],
[And let me stand outwith the door];
[Therefore this world is very fraught],
[And auld kindness is quite forgotten].


The second stanza goes:

Quhill I had ony thing to spend,
And stuffit weill with warldis wrak ,
Amang my freinds I wes weill kend:
Quhen I wes proud, and had a pak,
Thay wald me be the oxtar tak,
And at the hé buird I wes set;
Bot now thay latt me stand abak ,
Sen auld kyndnes is quyt foryett.

[While I had anything to spend],
[And stuffed well with worldly goods],
[Among my friends I was well known]:
[When I was proud, and had wealth/fortune],
[They would take me by the arm],
[And at the high table I was sat];
[But now they leave me stand aback]
[Since auld kindness is quite forgotten].


The relationship of this fifteenth-century poem to Burns's more modern song is one of general sentiment rather than any direct textual similarity.
This sentiment (and fate) is one of two strands which lie at the heart of a group of eighteenth-century songs associated with Auld Lang Syne — songs which either describe rejection, bitterness, and loss of the old friendship when hard times are encountered, or on the other hand fulfilment and the re-establishment of old ties. The sentiments of “auld kindness” and “auld lang syne” are closely related throughout the history of the song, though the link between financial status and friendship is rarely stated as explicitly as here.


B) "SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT"

A ballad with eleven stanzas each of eight lines and a refrain of one line is in the 1667 manuscript commonplace book of James Crichton, which may be the earliest surviving rendering of this ballad. It appears to have been written as a lovers lament.

The first two lines of the ballad are as:
"Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon"

The refrain, being the eighth line of each stanza, is as below:
"kind/on/for/to old long syne"


"A Book of verses: seria mixta jocis".
Manuscript commonplace book by James Crichton, 2nd Viscount Frendraught, 1667, pp.247-249
Should old acquaintance be forgot 1667


Should old acquantance be forgot
and never thought upon
The flames of love extinguished
and fully past and gone
Is thy kind heart become so cold
that loving breast of thine
That thou can never think upon
Kind old long syne

Where is thy protestations
Thy woues [vows] & oaths my dear
Thou madest to me & I to thee
In register are clear
Is faith & truth so violate
the immortal gods divine
Seeing thou can never once reflect
On old long syne

Is't worldly cares or Cupid’s fears
that make thee to bewray
Or is't some object of more worth
has stol'n thy heart away
Or of desert makes thee neglect
hir [her] once so much was thine
That thou despairs to think upon
Kind old long syne

If ever I have a house my Dear
that shall be called myn
That pleasure can afford for thee
or other good therin
Tho thou wer rebell to the king
and stormid wt [with] snow & rain
Command both me & all therin
for old long syne

Should I be robbed of my love
qch [which] is my good & gain
which I so freely ever thought
for ever to maintain
My dearest do we not reject
but ease me of my pain
And still I wou [vow] we shall renew
kind old long syne

Suppose thou do not fancie me
it will but breed me pain
When I am benished in exile
to thee it is no gain
If thou'd [thou hadst] be kind as heretofore
qch [which] is thy who'd desyne
Then surely I will thee addore
for old long syne

My dear qn [when] thou dos think upon
the oathes thou madest to me
Me thinks thou should regrait [lament] thy self
of thy disloayiallte [disloyalty]
Return from thy cruelty
thy heart to me inklyn [inclined]
And let us not forgatfull be
of old long syne

Farewell my dearest and adieu
I speak this with disdain
Because thou didst not cordially
give love for love again
Thou art the most disloyall maid
that ever my eye hath seen
In thy never thought upon
kind old long syne

Tho Cupid's darts was shot at thee
It did not wound thy heart
Farewell adieu I must begon
It is Tyme to depart
For thou has most inconstant been
qch [which] makes me to repyn [repine]
As well as thou I'll bid adieu
to old long syne

If fortoun thus had favored me
as to have made thee to wyn [win]
I'd think it no disparagment
to have been John Janesons man
But now I woue [vow] I coer [sair, sore] rue
[sorely regret]
it so I did inclyn
To [Too] ofon [often] I doe [do] think upon
kind old long syne

Great kindness did I show to thee
But thou didst it refuse
For thou didst show thy self regrat [regret]
my offers to abbate [abbot]
Where thou'd [thou hadst] think ony [any] tyme by (sialt?)
how if thou might been myn
thou'd [thou hadst] wish thou could recall again
kind old long syne


abbate = abbot = head of an abbey

bewray (Archaic) = To disclose perfidiously; to betray; to reveal or show or make visible.
Examples:
Thy speech bewrayeth thee. Matthew 26:73.
This would my conscience to myself bewray .
I would bewray thee,” spoke the girl earnestly.


While Burns's "Auld Lang Syne" stirs pleasant memories of carefree companionship, the "old acquaintance" of this ballad is a faithless lover ("Thou art the most disloyall maid that ever my eye hath seen"), its narrator full of bitterness and regret.


C) "OLD LONG SYNE"
Broadside ballad entitled 'Old Long Syne' published ca. 1701.

Old Long Syne 1701


This ballad, containing the first four stanzas of the 1667 ballad, consists of twelve stanzas each of eight lines, a refrain of one line and a chorus of four lines.

The first two lines of the ballad are as:
'Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;"

The refrain, being the eighth line of each stanza, is as below:
"on/for/kind Old long syne."

The chorus, at the end of each stanza, is as below:
"On/For Old long syne my Jo,
on/for Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
on/for Old long syne."

"my jo” is a Scots endearment meaning "my joy" or "my dear”


An Excellent and proper New Ballad, Entituled,
OLD LONG SYNE,
Newly corrected and amended, with a large and new
Edition of several exellent Love Lines,
To be sung With its own proper Musical sweet Tune.

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long .
On Old long syne my Jo,
on Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

My Heart is ravisht with delight,
when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,
and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face,
so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease,
for Old long syne
For Old long syne my Jo,   
for Old long syne
That thou canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,
when from thee I am gone;
will not thy presence yeild relief,
to this sad Heart of mine:
Why doth thy presence me defeat,
with excellence divine?
Especially When I reflect
on old long syne
On old long syne my Jo,
on Old long syne:
That thou canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

Oh then Clorinda pray prove more kind,
be not ungratefull still:
Since that my Heart ye have so ty'd,
why shoud ye then it kill:
Sure Faith and Hope depends on thee,
kill me not with disdain:
Or else I swear I`le still reflect,
on Old long syne.
On Old long syne my Jo,
on Old long syne;
I pray you do but once reflect,
on Old long syne.

Since you have rob'd me of my Heart;
It`s reason I have yours;
Which Madam Nature doth impart,
to your black Eyes and Browes:
With honour it doth not consist,
to hold thy Slave in pain:
Pray let thy rigour then resist,
for Old long syne.
For Old long syne my Jo,
for Old long syne;
That then canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

It is my freedom I do crave,
by depracating pain;
Since libertie ye will not give,
who glories in his Chain:
But yet I wish the gods to move
that noble Heart of thine;
To pitty since ye cannot love,
for Old long syne.
For Old long syne my Jo,
for Old long syne;
That thou may ever once reflect,
on Old long syne.

Dear will ye give it back my Heart,
since I cannot have thine;
For since with yours ye will not part,
no reason you have mine;
But yet I think I'le let it ly,
within that breast of thine,
Who hath a Thief in every Eye,
to Make me live in pain.
For Old long syne my Jo,
for Old long syne;
Wilt thou not ever once reflect,
on Old long syne.

THE SECOND PART.

Where are thy Protestations,
thy Vows and Oaths my Dear;
Thou made to me and to thee,
in Register yet clear.
Is Faith and Truth so violat,
to immortal Gods divine,
As never once for to reflect
on Old long syne;
On Old long syne my Jo,
on Old long syne;
That thou canst never once reflect.
on Old long syne.

It's Cupid's Fears or Frostie Cares
that makes thy Sprits decay:
Or it's an Object of more worth
hath stoln my Heart away?
Or some desert makes thee neglect
her, so much once was thine.
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne
On Old long syne my Jo,
on Old long syne;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.

Is Worldly cares so desperat,
that makes thee to despair?
It's that, thee exasperats
and makes thee to forbear?
If thou of Ty, were free as I,
Thou surely should be mine,
If this ware true we should renew
kind Old long syne.
For Old long syne my Jo,
for Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

But since that nothing can prevail
and all hopes are in vain;
From these rejected Eyes of mine,
still showers of Tears Shall rain:
Although thou has me now forgot,
yet I'le continue thine;
And ne'r neglect for to reflect,
on Old long syne
On Old long syne my Jo,
on Old long syne;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.

If ever I have a house my Dear,
that's truely called mine;
That can afford best Countrey chear,
or ought that's good therein:
Though thou wast Rebell to the King
and beat with Wind and Rain,
Assure thy self of welcome Love,
for Old long syne.
For Old long syne my Jo,
for Old long syne,
Assure thy self of welcome Love,
for Old long syne.

FINIS


D) "OLD LONGSYNE"
This same ballad entitled "Old Longsyne" consists of ten stanzas rearranged, each of eight lines, a refrain of one line and no chorus. Printed in Watson’s collection of Scottish poems published in 1711.
This ballad is variously attributed to Robert Ayton (1570–1638) and Francis Sempill (d. 1682).

The first two lines of the ballad are as:
'Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;"

The refrain, being the eighth line of each stanza, is as below:
"On/For/Kind Old-long-syne."

"Old Longsyne"
A Choice Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems, by James Watson, Part III, 1711, pp.71-74, with 4 added verses.
Old Longsyne 1711

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never thought upon,
The flames of love extinguished,
And freely past and gone?
Is thy kind heart now grown so cold
In that loving breast of thine,
That thou canst never once reflect
On old-long-syne?

Where are thy protestations,
Thy vows and oaths, my dear,
Thou made to me, and I to thee,
In register yet clear?
Is faith and truth so violate
To the immortal Gods divine,
That thou canst never once reflect
On old-long-syne?

Is't Cupid’s fears, or frosty cares,
That makes thy sp'rits decay?
Or is't some object of more worth,
That's stol'n thy heart away?
Or some desert, makes thee neglect
Him, so much once was thine,
That thou canst never once reflect
On old-long-syne?

Is't worldly cares so desperate,
That makes thee to despair?
Is't that makes thee exasperate,
And makes thee to forbear?
Is thou of that were free as I,
Thou surely should be mine:
Is this were true, we should renew
Kind old-long-syne.

But since that nothing can prevail,
And all hope is in vain,
From these rejected eyes of mine
Still showers of tears shall rain:
And though thou hast me now forgot,
Yet I'll continue thine,
And ne'er forget for to reflect
On old-long-syne.

If e'er I have a house, my dear,
That truly is call'd mine,
And can afford but country cheer,
Or ought that's good therein;
Tho' thou were rebel to the King,
And beat with wind and rain,
Assure thy self of welcome love,
For old-long-syne.

My soul is ravish'd with delight
When you I think upon;
All griefs and sorrows take the flight,
And hastily are gone;
The fair resemblance of your face
So fills this breast of mine,
No fate nor force can it displace,
For old-long-syne.

Since thoughts of you doth banish grief,
When I'm from you removed;
And is in them I find relief,
When with sad cares I'm moved,
How doth your presence me affect
With ecstasies divine,
Especially when I reflect
On old-long-syne.

Since thou has rob'd me of my heart
By those resistless powers,
Which Madam Nature doth impart
To those fair eyes of yours;
With honour it doth not consist
To hold a slave in pyne,
Pray let your rigour then desist.
For old-long-syne.

'Tis not my freedom I do crave
By deprecating pains;
Sure liberty he would not have
Who glories in his chains:
But this I wish, the Gods would move
That noble soul of thine
To pity, since thou cannot love
For old-long-syne.



Various versions of this text circulated in manuscript during the seventeenth century before it was printed in broadside form and eventually in James Watson's Choice Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems (1711). Though the first line and refrain is familiar, the rest of the text bears little resemblance to the enduring version published over a century later by Burns.


E) "THE KIND RECEPTION" (SHOULD OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT)

A song titled "The Kind Reception" by poet Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), in his 1719 publication Scots Songs, begins with the line "Should auld acquaintance be forgot". Later printed in Ramsay's The Tea-Table Miscellany in 1724, pp.97–99, with the title "Auld Lang Syne".

This song was later reproduced in The Scots Musical Museum, Vol 1, 1787, with the title "Auld Lang Syne".
Burns says in his notes: Ramsay here, as usual with him, has taken the idea of the song, and the first line, from the old fragment, which may be seen in "the museum", vol.v.


"The Kind Reception"
By Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), Scots Songs, 1719, pp.13-15.
The Kind Reception (Should auld acquaintance be forgot) 1719


Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Tho' they return with scars?
These are the noblest hero's lot,
Obtain'd in glorious wars.
Welcome, my Varo, to my breast,
Thy arms about me twine,
And make me once again as blest
As I was lang syne.

Methinks around us on each bough
A thousand Cupids play,
Whilst thro' the groves I walk with you,
Each object makes me gay.
Since your return, the sun and moon
With brighter beams do shine,
Streams murmur soft notes while they run,
As they did lang syne.

Despise the court and din of state;
Let that to their share fall,
Who can esteem such slav'ry great,
While bounded like a ball:
But sunk in love, upon my arms
Let your brave head recline;
We 'll please ourselves with mutual charms,
As we did lang syne.

O'er moor and dale with your gay friend
You may pursue the chace;
And after a blyth bottle, end
All cares in my embrace:
And in a vacant rainy day,
You shall be wholly mine;
We'll make the hours run smooth away,
And laugh at lang syne.

The hero, pleas'd with the sweet air,
And signs of gen'rous love,
Which had been utter'd by the fair,
Bow'd to the pow'rs above.
Next day, with glad consent and haste,
Th' approach'd the sacred shrine,
Where the good priest the couple blest,
And put them out of pine.



From Ramsay’s song onwards, most songs on the theme of “auld lang syne” give as context the return of one of the acquaintances after a long sojourn abroad. Ramsay’s version—in which the old acquaintances are lovers who had been separated by war—is the only known version previous to Burns’s to have so positive an outcome: the lovers consequently marry and are therefore put out of pine (pain). The more pessimistic sentiment—exile followed by estrangement—was much more prevalent, though, and continued to be circulated and reinvented throughout the nineteenth century.