George Thomson an Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden
Edinburgh, Dienstag, 18. Januar 1825

Altho’ I have not the honour of being known to you, I flatter myself you will pardon me for the liberty I take in thus addressing you. It is but lately that we have had an opportunity in Edinburgh of becoming acquainted with your genius. The Manager of our Theatre has at last given us Der Freischutz, a work which ought to place the name of Weber upon everlasting and glorious record. No words of mine can express the delight which it has afforded to the lovers of Music here: you have soared into the highest and wildest regions of imaginations with the happiest success, and I feel for you the utmost admiration, respect and gratitude.

I beg leave to inform you that I have for many years employed my leisure in collecting and publishing the National Melodies of Scotland, along with verses by our most celebrated lyric Poets, Burns, Scott, Byron &c. My unbounded admiration for your illustrious countrymen, Haydn & others, induced me to request them to compose Ritornelles for introducing & concluding each Melody, and Accompaniments for the Pianoforte, Violin, Flute, & Violoncello, to a great number of these Melodies, which they have done most happily. Admiring your genius no less, I am going to intreat that you will have the goodness to contribute your talents also to enrich the Work. In the hope, of your gratifying me, I enclose Ten of the Melodies, for which I wish to have your Ritornelles & Accompaniments. They are, like the Scotch Melodies in general, of a simple character; and it is desirable that the Pianoforte Acc.t sh.d be of a similar description, because our young ladies who sing, generally accompany themselves on the Piano, and some of them cannot do this well, if that accomp.t is much crowded with notes or of very difficult execution. For the other accomp.ts I do not wish any greater facility than you yourself think proper. Far from wishing to fetter you in any way, I wish you to be directed entirely by your own fancy & fine taste.

The Ritornelles at the beginning & at the end of each Melody may be whatever length you please, tho in general, I sh.d not like them to be shorter than 6 or 8 bars each.

In order to indicate to you the character of the song which is sung to each Melody, I have prefixed to each, the two lines which are most expressive of its general meaning. – The figures under the note indicate the place at which each line of the Poetry begins. –

The highest sum which Haydn & other distinguished German composers demanded & received was 4 ducats for each Melody, & I flatter myself you will not be offended if I offer the same to you. – I shall according to y.r pleasure either pay the money here to y.r Countryman the Baron Ende, from‡ to be paid to you by his mother the Baroness Ende née Globig, or if you write me on receipt of this, & name a Banker at Dresden to whom‡ receive the money, I will write to my Bankers, Messrs Coutts & C.o London to remit it to Dresden.

I had the pleasure of hearing many pleasing particulars of you from Mr Kalkbrenner when lately in Edin.h If you favour me with a few lines when you send the music, will you be so good as to tell me what you w.d demand for Three entire new Overtures for the Pianoforte, with Acc.ts for the Violin, Flute, Viola, & Violoncello?
I have the honour to be Y . G Thomson

The following are the Melodies that were sent to M. de Weber

• N.o 1. Gang to the kye wi’ me. Vol. 5. oct.o | p. 31. | 3 stanzas | Not in the folio‡ | Scene, - Moonlight | O come then here nor linger, | For day has gone to rest.
• N.o 2. The Troubadour – Glowing with Love &c. Vol. 4 oct.o | p. 9 | Four stanzas | Not in Folio‡ | My arm it is my country’s right, | My heart is in my lady’s bower, | Resolved for Love & fame to fight, | I come a gallant Troubadour.
• N.o 3. The desponding Lover. Vol. 2 oct.o | p. 5 | Three stanzas‡ | O poortith cauld and restless Love, | Ye wreck my peace between ye. Folio Vol. 1 | p. 47‡
• N.o 4. Bonny Dundee – | The successful Lover. Vol. 2. oct.o | p. 8. | Two stanzas | And | A long add.l Song‡ | And still to her charms she alone is a stranger | Her modest demeanour’s the jewel of all. Vol. 1 Folio | p. 45‡
• N.o 5. And ye shall walk in silk attire. | The lovely constant Maid. Vol. 2. oct.o | p. 3. | Three stanzas‡ | And ere I faithless prove to him, | I’ll lay me down & die. Folio Vol. 1 | p. 44.‡
• N.o 6. Contented wi’ little & canty wi’ mair. | The light-hearted Soldier. Vol 2. oct.o | p. 20 | Four stanzas | long lines | Folio Vol. 2 p. 65.‡ | A Soldier am I, all the world o’er I range | And would not my lot with a monarch exchange
• N.o 7. John Anderson my Jo. Vol. 2. oct.o | p. 25 | Two stanzas‡ | An old couple recollecting past joys Vol. 2 folio | p. 51‡ | John Anderson my Jo John, | We clamb the hill together, | And many a canty day John, | We’ve had with ane anither.
• N.o 8. – O my Love’s like the red red rose. Vol. 3. octavo‡ | Admiration, Vol. 2. folio | p. 89. | Two stanzas.‡ | O my love’s like the Melody | That’s sweetly played in tune.
• N.o 9. – Kind Robin loe’s me. Vol. 3. oct.o‡ | Fidelity – | Robin is my only Jo, Vol. 2 folio p. 60 | Five stanzas‡ | For well ken I he loves me.
• N.o 10. My Boy Tammy Not yet in the 8.vo | Vol. 2 folio. p. 90 | Six long stanzas‡ | Ardent Love. | Thine am I my faithfull fair | Thine my lovely Nancy.’