Like summer breezes sighing,
Her voice is low an' sweet—
Her voice is low an' sweet—
An' she's a' the world to me,
An' for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me down an' dee."
The music of the song is modern, and was composed by Lady John Scott, aunt by marriage of the present Duke of Buccleuch. The composer was only guessed at for many years, but somewhat recently she has acknowledged the authorship.
Maxwelton House sits high upon its "braes." It is "harled" without and painted white, and is built around three sides of a sunny court. Ivy clambers thriftily about it. Over the entrance door of the tower, and above a window in the opposite wing, are inserted two marriage stones; the former that of Annie's father and mother, the latter of her grandfather and grandmother. These marriage stones are about two feet square. The initials of the bride and bridegroom, and the date of the marriage, are cut upon them, together with the family coat of arms, which bears, among other heraldic devices, two laurel leaves and the motto, Virtus semper viridis. Below the grandfather's marriage stone is cut in the lintel the following:
Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it.
Looking up the glen from Maxwelton, the chimneys of Craigdarrock House are seen.