EPITAPH ON A CELEBRATED RULING ELDER.* HERE Sowter Hood in Death does sleep; To Hell, if he's gane thither, EPITAPH FOR ROBERT AIKEN, ESQ.t KNOW thou, O stranger to the fame EPITAPH FOR GAVIN HAMILTON, ESQ.‡ THE poor man weeps-here Gavin sleeps, * Printed in the Kilmarnock edition in 1786, in a copy of which the name is supplied in the Poet's handwriting. To whom the Cotter's Saturday Night is inscribed. This occurs to the Kilmarnock edition. This Epitaph is likewise in the Kilmarnock edition. A BARD'S EPITAPH.§ Is there a whim-inspir'd fool, Owre fast for thought, owre hot for rule, And owre this grassy heap sing dool, Is there a Bard of rustic song, Who, noteless, steals the crowds among, O, pass not by ! But, with a frater-feeling strong, Here, heave a sigh. Is there a man whose judgment clear, Wild as the wave; Here pause-and, thro' the starting tear, Burns alludes to the conduct shewn to Mr. Hamilton for his spiritual offences, which has been already alluded to. § Printed in the Kilmarnock and every other edition without any variation. The poor Inhabitant below Was quick to learn and wise to know, But thoughtless follies laid him low, Reader, attend-whether thy soul Know, prudent, cautious, self-controul A EPITAPH ON MY FATHER. † O YE, whose cheek the tear of pity stains,' The pitying heart that felt for human woe; The friend of man, to vice alone a foe; "For ev❜n his failings lean'd to virtue's side."* VAR. who sympathize with Virtue's pains. Printed in the Kilmarnock and all other editions. The variation of the title and first line is from a copy in the Poet's autograph. * Goldsmith. R. B. EPITAPH ON JOHN DOVE, INNKEEPER, HERE lies Johnny Pidgeon; What was his religion? Wha e'er desires to ken, To some other warl' Maun follow the carl, For here Johnny Pidgeon had nane ! Strong ale was ablution,— Small beer persecution, A dram was memento mori; But a full flowing bowl Was the saving his soul, And port was celestial glory. EPITAPH ON JOHN BUSHBY, WRITER, HERE lies John Bushby, honest man! Cheat him, Devil, if you can. || Printed in the Glasgow Collection in 1801. He kept the Whitefoord Arms, at the entrance of the Cowgate, at Mauchline. EPITAPH ON A WAG IN MAUCHLINE.|| LAMENT him, Mauchline husbands a', For had ye staid whole weeks awa, Your wives they ne'er had miss'd ye. Ye Mauchline bairns, as on ye pass EPITAPH ON A PERSON NICKNAMED HERE lies a mock Marquis whose titles were shamm'd, If ever he rise, it will be to be damn'd. || This epistle was printed in the Glasgow Collection in 1801. The wag was James Smith, of Mauchline. |