Then hand in nieve some day we 'll knot it, fist Then Muse-inspirin aqua-vitæ Shall mak us baith sae blythe an' witty, Till ye forget ye're auld an' gatty, And be as canty As ye were nine year less than thretty Sweet ane an' twenty! enervated jolly INCLOSING A COPY OF HOLY WILLIE'S PRAYER sedate; [Notes] II My Musie, tir'd wi' monie a sonnet Is grown right eerie now she's done it, An' rouse their holy thunder on it, And anathém her. fearful Their sighin, cantin, grace-proud faces, Their three-mile prayers an' hauf-mile graces, Their raxin conscience, Whase greed, revenge, an' pride disgraces Waur nor their nonsense. There's Gau'n, misca'd waur than a beast, Wha has mair honor in his breast Than monie scores as guid's the priest Wha sae abus't him : And may a Bard no crack his jest What way they've use't him? furious elastic Worse than [Notes] railers daunt; blusterers VI See him, the poor man's friend in need, By worthless skellums, An' not a Muse erect her head To cowe the blellums ? VII O Pope, had I thy satire's darts Their jugglin, hocus-pocus arts To cheat the crowd! VIII God knows, I'm no the thing I should be, Nor am I even the thing I could be, But twenty times I rather would be An atheist clean Than under gospel colors hid be Just for a screen. IX An honest man may like a glass, An honest man may like a lass; But mean revenge an' malice fause He'll still disdain An' then cry zeal for gospel laws Like some we ken. X They take Religion in their mouth, They talk o' Mercy, Grace, an' Truth : For what? To gie their malice skouth On some puir wight; An' hunt him down, o'er right an' ruth, To ruin streight. XI All hail, Religion! Maid divine, Thus daurs to name thee. To stigmatise false friends of thine Can ne'er defame thee. XII Tho' blotch't and foul wi' monie a stain An' far unworthy of thy train, With trembling voice I tune my strain To join with those Who boldly dare thy cause maintain In spite of foes: false play against |