An', backlins-comin, to the leuk She grew mair bright. This was deny'd, it was affirm'd; The herds an' hissels were alarm'd: The rev'rend gray-beards rav'd an' storm'd, That beardless laddies Should think they better were inform'd Than their auld daddies. Frae less to mair it gaed to sticks; Frae words an' aiths to clours an' nicks; An' monie a fallow gat his licks, Wi' hearty crunt; An' some, to learn them for their tricks, Were hang'd an' brunt. This game was play'd in monie lands, Till lairds forbade, by strict commands, But new-light herds gat sic a cowe, Folk thought them ruin'd stick-an-stowe, 'Till now amaist on ev'ry knowe Ye'll find ane plac'd; An' some, their new-light fair avow, Just quite barefac'd. Nae doubt the auld-light flocks are bleatin; Their zealous herds are vex'd an' sweatin; Mysel, I've even seen them greetin Wi' girnin spite, To hear the moon sae sadly lie'd on By word an' write. But shortly they will cowe the louns! Some auld-light herds in neebor towns Are mind't, in things they ca' balloons, To tak a flight, An' stay ae month amang the moons, An' see them right. Guid observation they will gie them; An' when the new-light billies see them, I think they'll crouch! Sae, ye observe that a' this clatter I hope, we bardies ken some better Than mind sie brulzie. EPISTLE TO J. R***** INCLOSING SOME POEMS. O rough, rude, ready-witted R******, The wale o' cocks for fun and drinkin! There's monie godly folks are thinkin, Your dreams* an' tricks Will send you, Korah-like, a-sinkin, Straught to auld Nick's. Ye hae sae monie cracks an' cants, And in your wicked, drunken rants, Ye mak a devil o' the saunts, An' fill them fou; And then their failings, flaws, an' wants, Are a' seen thro'. Hypocrisy, in mercy spare it! That holy robe, O dinna tear it! A certain humorous dream of his was then making a noise in the country-side. Spare't for their sakes wha aften wear it, But your curst wit, when it comes near it, Think, wicked sinner, wha ye're skaithing, It's just the blue-gown badge an' claithing O' saunts; tak that, ye lea'e them naithing To ken them by, Frae ony unregenerate heathen Like you or I. I've sent you here some rhyming ware, A' that I bargain'd for an' mair; Sae, whan ye hae an hour to spare, I will expect, Yon sang", ye'll sen't wi' cannie care, Tho' faith, sma' heart hae I to sing! My muse dow scarcely spread her wing! I've play'd mysel a bonnie spring, An' dane'd my fill! I'd better gaen an' sair'd the king At Bunker's Hill. "Twas ae night lately in my fun, I gaed a roving wi' the gun, An' brought a patrick to the grun, A bonnie hen, And, as the twilight was begun, Thought nane wad ken. The poor wee thing was little hurt; I straikit it a wee for sport, Ne'er thinkin they wad fash me for't; But, deil-me-care! Somebody tells the poacher-court The hale affair. A song he had promised the author. Some auld us'd hands had taen a note, That sie a hen had got a shot; I was suspected for the plot; I scorn'd to lie; So gat the whissle o' my groat, An' pay't the fee. But, by my gun, o' guns the wale, I vow an' swear! The game shall pay o'er moor an' dale, As soon's the clockin-time is by, For my gowd guinea: Tho' I should herd the buckskin kye For't, in Virginia. Trowth, they had muckle for to blame! "Twas neither broken wing nor limb, But twa-three draps about the wame Scarce thro' the feathers; An' baith a yellow George to claim, An' thole their blethers! It pits me aye as mad's a hare; When time's expedient; Meantime I am, respected sir, Your most obedient. JOHN BARLEYCORN, A BALLAD. I. There was three kings into the east, II. They took a plough and plough'd him down, And they hae sworn a solemn oath. John Barleycorn was dead. III. But the chearful spring came kindly on, And show'rs began to fall; John Barleycorn got up again, IV. The sultry suns of summer came, His head weel arm'd wi' pointed spears, The sober autumn enter'd mild, VI. His colour sicken'd more and more, He faded into age; And then his enemies began To shew their deadly rage. This is partly composed on the plan of an old song known by the same name. |