All sorts of folk that ha' heard me send me their compositions, and though not one in fifty could possibly suit me I go through them a'.

It doesna tak' much time; I can tell by a single glance at the verses, as a rule, if it's worth my while tae go on and finish reading.

At the same time it has happened just often enough that a good song has come to me so, frae an author that's never been heard of before, that I wullna tak' the chance of missing one.
It may be, you'll understand, that some of the songs I canna use are very good.

Other singers have taken a song I have rejected and made a great success wi' it.

But that means just nothing at a' tae me.