VI

must; [Notes]; scraps of clothes

prune; weave willow twigs

I hae a wife and twa wee laddies;
They maun hae brose and brats o' duddies:
Ye ken yoursels my heart right proud is—
I need na vaunt-
But I'll sned besoms, thraw saugh woodies,
Before they want.

early

one

male-hemp remember

sometimes

VII

Lord help me thro' this warld o' care!
I'm weary-sick o't late and air!

Not but I hae a richer share

Than monie ithers;

But why should ae man better fare,

And a' men brithers?

VIII

Come, firm Resolve, take thou the van,
Thou stalk o' carl-hemp in man!
And let us mind, faint heart ne'er wan
A lady fair:

Wha does the utmost that he can

Will whyles do mair.

IX

But to conclude my silly rhyme

(I'm scant o' verse and scant o' time):

WHO HAD SENT A NEWSPAPER, AND OFFERED TO
CONTINUE IT FREE OF EXPENSE

KIND SIR, I've read your paper through,
And faith, to me 'twas really new!
How guessed ye, Sir, what maist I wanted?
This monie a day I've grain'd and gaunted,
To ken what French mischief was brewin;
Or what the drumlie Dutch were doin;
That vile doup-skelper, Emperor Joseph,
If Venus yet had got his nose off;
Or how the collieshangie works

groaned; gaped

muddy bottomsmacker; [Notes]

squabble

Atween the Russians and the Turks;

Between

[Notes]

Twelfth

spoke of it

lease

hanging

castrate

assembly

crafty giddy; fist

itching

assessments; dues in kind; extended

mad younker

wenches'

aught sedater country stallion

Or if the Swede, before he halt,
Would play anither Charles the Twalt;
If Denmark, any body spak o't;

Or Poland, wha had now the tack o't;
How cut-throat Prussian blades were hingin;
How libbet Italy was singing;

If Spaniard, Portuguese, or Swiss
Were sayin or takin aught amiss;
Or how our merry lads at hame
In Britain's court kept up the game:

How royal George-the Lord leuk o'er him!-
Was managing St. Stephen's quorum;

If sleekit Chatham Will was livin,

Or glaikit Charlie got his nieve in ;
How Daddie Burke the plea was cookin;
If Warren Hastings' neck was yeukin;
How cesses, stents, and fees were rax'd,
Or if bare arses yet were tax'd;

The news o' princes, dukes, and earls,
Pimps, sharpers, bawds, and opera-girls;
If that daft buckie, Geordie Wales,
Was threshin still at hizzies' tails;
Or if he was grown oughtlins douser,
And no a perfect kintra cooser:
A' this and mair I never heard of,
And, but for you, I might despair'd of.
So, gratefu', back your news I send you,
And pray a' guid things may attend you!
ELLISLAND, Monday Morning

HEALTH to the Maxwells' vet'ran Chief!
Health ay unsour'd by care or grief!

Inspir'd, I turn'd Fate's sibyl leaf

This natal morn :

I see thy life is stuff o' prief,

Scarce quite half-worn.

II

This day thou metes threescore eleven,

And I can tell that bounteous Heaven

stuff of proof

every lease

younkers

dust

loving; quiet

(The second-sight, ye ken, is given
To ilka Poet)

On thee a tack o' seven times seven,
Will yet bestow it.

III

If envious buckies view wi' sorrow
Thy lengthen'd days on thy blest morrow,
May Desolation's lang-teeth'd harrow,

Nine miles an' hour,

Rake them, like Sodom and Gomorrah,

In brunstane stoure!

IV

But for thy friends, and they are monie,
Baith honest men and lasses bonie,
May couthie Fortune, kind and cannie
In social glee,

Wi' mornings blythe and e'enings funny
Bless them and thee!

fellow

touch

befall

next; do not

V

Fareweel, auld birkie! Lord be near ye,
And then the Deil, he daurna steer ye!

Your friends ay love, your

foes ay fear

ye!

For me, shame fa' me,

If neist my heart I dinna wear ye,

While Burns they ca' me!