The
Burial
of
the
Reverend
George
Gillfillan
of
Dundee
by
William
Topaz
MacGonagall
On
the
Gilfillan
burial
day,
In the
Hill
o' Balgay,
It was
a most
solemn
sight
to see,
Not fewer
than
thirty
thousand
people
assembled
in Dundee,
All watching
the funeral
procession
of Gilfillan
that
day,
That
death
had suddenly
taken
away,
And was
going
to be
buried
in the
Hill
o' Balgay.
There
were
about
three
thousand
people
in the
procession
alone,
And many
were
shedding
tears,
and several
did moan,
And their
bosoms
heaved
with
pain,
Because
they
knew
they
would
never
look
upon
his like
again.
There
could
not be
fewer
than
fifty
carriages
in the
procession
that
day,
And gentlemen
in some
of them
that
had come
from
far away,
And in
whispers
some
of them
did say,
As the
hearse
bore
the precious
corpse
away,
Along
the Nethergate
that
day.
I'm sure
he will
be greatly
missed
by the
poor,
For he
never
turned
them
empty-handed
away
from
his door;
And to
assist
them
in distress
it didn't
give
him pain,
And I'm
sure
the poor
will
never
look
upon
his like
again.
On the
Gilfillan
burial
day,
in the
Hill
o' Balgay,
There
was a
body
of policemen
marshalled
in grand
array
And marched
in front
of the
procession
all the
way;
Also
the relatives
and friends
of the
deceas'd,
Whom
I hope
from
all sorrows
has been
releas'd,
and whose
soul
I hope
to heaven
has fled
away,
To sing
with
saints
above
for ever
and aye.
The provost,
magistrates,
and town
council
were
in the
procession
that
day;
Also
Mrs Gilfillan,
who cried
and sobbed
all the
way
For her
kind
husband,
that
was always
affable
and gay,
Which
she will
remember
until
her dying
day.
When
the procession
arrived
in the
Hill
o' Balgay,
The people
were
almost
as hush
as death,
and many
of them
did say
--
As long
as we
live
we'll
remember
the day
That
the great
Gilfillan
was buried
in the
Hill
o' Balgay.
When
the body
of the
great
Gilfillan
was lowered
into
the grave,
'Twas
then
the people's
hearts
with
sorrow
did heave;
And with
tearful
eyes
and bated
breath,
Mrs Gilfillan
lamented
her loving
husband's
death.
Then
she dropped
a ringlet
of immortelles
into
his grave,
Then
took
one last
fond
look,
and in
sorrow
did leave;
And all
the people
left
with
sad hearts
that
day,
And that
ended
the Gilfillan
burial
in the
Hill
o' Balgay.
