When wanting thee, what tuneless cranks Thou comes!-they rattle i' their ranks Thee, Ferintosh! O sadly lost! For loyal Forbes' charter'd boasts Thae curst horse-leeches o' th' excise, Fortune! if thou'll but gie me still An' deal 't about as thy blind skill THE AUTHOR'S FARNEST CRY AND To the Scotch Representatives in the House of Commons. YE Irish Lords, ye Knights an' Squires, Wha represent our brughs an' shires, e A very superior kind of whisky made in a district of the Highlands called by that name. f Coughing. g Lord Forbes of Ferintosh, in the county of Cromarty, formerly held by charter a right for all his tenantry to distil whisky without paying any duty to the king. h A term of contempt. Acake; kind of bread. i Brimstone. k Whole breeches. m Plenty. This was written before the act anent the Scotch distilleries, of Session 1786; for which Scotland and the Author return their most grateful thanks. An' doucely manage our affairs In parliament, To you a simple Poet's prayers Are humbly sent. Alas! my roupet Muse is hearse !P Your Honours' heart wi' grief twad pierce, Low i' the dust, An' scriechin' out prosaic verse, An' like to brust! Tell them wha hae the chief direction, An' rouse them up to strong conviction, Stand forth, an' tell yon Premier youth, The muckle Devil blaw ye south, Does onie great man glunch' an' gloom? Wi' them wha grant 'em If honestly they canna come, Far better want 'em. In gath'ring votes you were na slack; Now stand as tightly by your tack; Ne'er claw your lug," an' fidge your back, An' hum an' haw; But raise your arm, an' tell your crack Before them a'. e Hoarse, as with a cold. p Hoarse. q Great. → Frown. Don't be afraid-never trouble your head about it. u Ear. Swim. D Paint Scotland greetin'w owre her thrissle, Triumphant crushin' 't like a mussel Then on the tither hand present her, Picking her pouchd as bare as winter Is there that bears the name o' Scot, Thus dung in staves,* An' plunder'd o' her hindmost groat Alas! I'm but a nameless wight, Trode i' the mire an' out o' sight! But could I like Montgomeries fight, Or gabf like Boswell, There's some sark-necks I wad draw tight, God bless your honours, can ye see 't, An' nok get warmly to your feet, An' gar them hear it, An' tell them wi' a patriot heat, Ye winnam bear it! Some o' you nicely ken the laws, To mak harangues; Then echo thro' Saint Stephen's wa's Auld Scotland's wrangs. Dempster," a true-blue Scot I'se warran; The laird o' Graham ; Erskine, a spunkie Norland billie; Whom auld Demosthenes or Tully Might own for brithers. Thee, sodger Hugh, my watchman stented, I ken if that your sword were wanted, Ye'd lend your hand, But when there's ought to say anent it, Arouse, my boys! exert your mettle, She'll teach you wi' a reekin' whittle, Anither sang. He n George Dempster, Esq., of Dunnichen, Forfarshire. was many years M. P. for the Dundee district of boroughs, and always spoke and voted on the liberal side of politics. • An oath. p Sir Adam Ferguson. 9 That speaks smoothly and readily. The Duke of Montrose Sagacious, cunning. t Earl of Eglintoun, then Colonel Montgomery, and representative for Ayrshire. * Plough-staff. u Her still. y Ere long. w To bet or wager z A bloody sword. This while she's been in crankous mood, (Deil na they never mair do guid, Play'd her that pliskie !) An' now she's like to rin red-wud,d About her whisky. An' L-d! if ance they pit her till 't, She'll tak the streets, An' rin her whittle to the hilt, I' the first she meets. For G-d's sake, Sirs! then speak her fair, An' to the muckle Househ repair, Wi' instant speed, An' strive, wi' a' your wit an' lear, To get remead.k Yon ill-tongu'd tinkler, Charlie Fox, Even cowe the caddie; An' send him to his dicing box An' sporting lady. Tell yon guid bluid" o' auld Boconnock's, a Fretful. Burlesque allusion to the bill for a Scotch militia, which was, shortly before that time, negatived in Parliament. c A trick. d Run stark mad. Hot. e Put her to it. g Stroke her gently. Learning. k Remedy. m Frighten the fellow, make him knock under. n Good blood. o Two bannocks or cakes made of mixed corn. PA worthy old hostess of the Author's in Mauchline, where he metimes studied politics over a glass of guid auld Scotch drink. |