[Thomas Cooper writes of his time as a shoe-making apprentice to Joseph Clark]

He was useful to me, however, in other directions than in teaching me the use of the awl.  He had read some of the poetry of Byron, spoke of it passionately, and lent me the poems of Burns.  The pathos of Burns took possession of my whole nature almost as completely as the fire and force of Byron.  I soon learned to sing “Ye banks and braes o’ bonny Doon,” and “Auld lang syne,” and “Robin Adair;” and formed tunes of my own for some of the songs―such as “Their groves o’ green myrtle” and “Awa wi’ your witchcraft o’ beauty’s alarms.”