He saw misfortune's cauld nor-west Ill may she be! So, took a birth afore the mast, To tremble under Fortune's cummock, So, row't his hurdies in a hammock, He ne'er was gien to great misguiding, Yet coin his pouches wadna bide in; Wi' him it ne'er was under hiding; He dealt it free: The muse was a' that he took pride in, That's owre the sea. Jamaica bodies, use him weel, He wadna wrang'd the vera deil, That's owre the sea. Fareweel, my rhyme-composing Billie ! Your native soil was right ill-willie; But may ye flourish like a lily, Now bonnilie! I'll toast ye in my hindmost gillie, Tho' owre the sea. TO A HAGGIS. FAIR fa' your honest, sonsie face, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o' a grace As lang's my arm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, While thro' your pores the dews distil His knife see rustic labour dight, And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin, rich! Then horn for horn they stretch an' strive, Then auld guidman, maist like to ryve, Is there that o'er his French ragout, Or fricassee wad make her spew Wi' perfect sconner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornful view On sic a dinner? Poor devil! see him owre his trash, His spindle shank a guid whip lash, Thro' bloody flood or field to dash, But mark the rustic, haggis-fed, He'll mak it whissle; An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned, Like taps o' thrissle. Ye powers, wha mak mankind your care, But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a Haggis ! A DEDICATION. TO GAVIN HAMILTON, ESQ. EXPECT na, Sir, in this narration, Then when I'm tir'd-and sae are ye, For fear your modesty be hurt. This may do-maun do, Sir, wi' them wha Maun please the great folk for a wamefou; For me! sae laigh I needna bow, For, Lord be thankit, I can plough ; And when I downa yoke a naig, Then, Lord be thankit, I can beg; Sae I shall say, an' that's nae flatt'rin, It's just sic poet, an' sic patron. The Poet, some guid angel help him, The Patron (Sir, ye maun forgie me, What aince he says he winna break it; Ought he can lend he'll no refus't, And rascals whyles that do him wrang, But then, nae thanks to him for a' that; That he's the poor man's friend in need, Morality, thou deadly bane, Thy tens o' thousands thou hast slain! Steal thro' a winnock frae a wh-re, Nae matter, stick to sound believing. Learn three-mile pray'rs, and half-mile graces, Wi' weel spread looves, an' lang wry faces; Grunt up a solemn, lengthen'd groan, And damn a' parties but your own; |