:

THE TWA DOGS.

I see how folk live that hae riches;
But surely poor folk maun be wretches;

LUATH.

They're nae sae wretched's ane wad think;
Tho' constantly on poortith's brink,
They're sae accustom'd wi' the sight,
The view o't gies them little fright.

Then chance an' fortune are sae guided,
They're ae in less or mair provided;
An' tho' fatigu'd wi' close employment,
A blink o' rest's a sweet enjoyment.

The dearest comfort o' their lives,
Their grushie weans an' faithfu' wives:.
The prattling things are just their pride,
That sweetens a' their fire-side.

An' whyles twalpennie worth o' nappy
Can mak the bodies unco happy;
They lay aside their private cares,
To mind the Kirk and State affairs:
They'll talk o' patronage and priests,
Wi' kindling fury in their breasts,

THE TWA DOGS.

Or tell what new taxation's comin,
An' ferlie at the folk in Lon'on.

As bleak-fac'd Hallowmass returns, They get the jovial, rantin kirns, When rural life o' ev'ry station, Unite in common recreation ;

Love blinks, Wit slaps, an' social Mirth Forgets there's Care upo' the earth.

That merry day the year begins, They bar the door on frosty winds; The nappy reeks wi' mantling ream, An' sheds a heart-inspiring steam; The luntin pipe, an' sneeshin mill, Are handed round wi' right guid will The cantie auld folks, crackin crouse; The young anes rantin thro' the houseMy heart has been sae fain to see them, That I for joy hae barkit wi' them.

Still it's owre true that ye hae said, Sic game is now owre often play'd. There's monie a creditable stock O' decent, honest, fawsont folk,

;

THE TWA DOGS.

Are riven out baith root and branch,
Some rascal's pridefu' greed to quench,
Wha thinks to knit himsel the faster
In favour wi' some gentle Master,
Wha, aiblins, thrang a-parliamentin
For Britain's guid his soul indentin-

CÆSAR.

Haith, lad, ye little ken about it; For Britain's guid! guid faith! I doubt it. Say rather, gaun as Premiers lead him, An' saying age or no's they bid him: At operas an' plays parading, Mortgaging, gambling, masquerading; Or may be, in a frolic daft, To Hague or Calais takes a waft, To mak a tour, an' tak a whirl, To learn bon ton, an' see the worl.

There, at Vienna or Versailles,
He rives his father's auld entails:
Or by Madrid he takes the rout,
To thrum guitars, and fecht wi' nowt;
Or down Italian vista startles,

Where hunting among groves o' myrtles:

THE TWA DOGS.

Then bouses drumly German water,
To mak himsel look fair and fatter,
An' clear the consequential sorrows,
Love-gifts of Carnival signoras.

For Britain's Guid! for her destruction!
Wi' dissipation, feud, an' faction.

LUATH.

Hech man! dear sirs! is that the gate They waste sae mony a braw estate! Are we sae foughten an' harass'd For gear to gang that gate at last!

O would they stay aback frae courts, An' please themselves, wi' countra' sports, It wad for every ane be better,

The Laird, the Tenant, an' the Cotter !!
For thae frank, rantin, ramblin billies
Fient haet o' them's ill-hearted fellows;
Except for breaking o' their timmer,
Or speakin lightly o' their limmer,
Or shootin o' a hare or moor-cock,
The ne'er a bit they're ill to poor folk.

THE TWA DOGS.

But will ye tell me, Master Cæsar,pod Sure great folk's life's a life o' pleasure; Nae cauld or hunger e'er can steer them, The vera thought o't need na fear them.

CÆSAR.

L-d man, were ye but whyles where I am, The gentles ye wad ne'er envy 'em.

It's true, they need na starve or sweat,
Thro' winter's cauld or simmer's heat;
They've nae sair wark to craze their banes,
An' fill auld age wi' grips an' granes :
But human bodies are sic fools,
For a' their colleges and schools,

That when nae real ills perplex them
They mak enow themselves to vex them
An' aye the less they hae to sturt them.davef
In like proportion less will hurt them.

A country fellow at the pleugh,

His acre's till'd, he's right enough: olange 20

A country girl at her wheel, w

Her dizzen's done, she's unco weel: ma'

But Gentlemen, an' Ladies warst,

Wï ev'ndown want o' wark are curst.