K********* lang may grunt an' grane, To death, she's dearly paid the kane, Tam Samson's dead! The brethren of the mystic level Like ony bead: Death's gien the lodge an unco devel: Tam Samson's dead. When winter muffles up his cloak, Wi' gleesome speed, Wha will they station at the cock ? Tam Samson's dead. He was the king o' a' the core In time of need; Tam Samson's dead. But now he lags on death's hog-score Now safe the stately sawmont sail, And geds for greed, Since dark in death's fish-creel we wail Tam Samson dead. Rejoice ye birring paitricks a'; Ye cootie moorcocks, crousely craw; Your mortal fae is now awa', Withouten dread; Tam Samson's dead. That woefu' morn be ever mourn'd Frae couples freed; But, och! he gaed, and ne'er return'd! Tam Samson's dead. In vain auld age his body batters; An acre braid! Now ev'ry auld wife, greetin, clatters, Tam Samson's dead. Owre many a weary hag he limpit, Wi' deadly feide; Now he proclaims, wi' tout o' trumpet, Tam Samson's dead. When at his heart he felt the dagger, Wi' weel-aim'd heed; 'L-d, five!' he cry'd, an' owre did stagger; Tam Samson's dead! Ilk hoary hunter mourn'd a brither ; Marks out his head, Tam Samson's dead!' Whare Burns has wrote, in rhyming blether, There low he lies, in lasting rest; To hatch an' breed; Alas! nae mair he'll them molest! Tam Samson's dead! When August winds the heather wave, O' pouther an' lead, Till Echo answers frae her cave, Tam Samson's dead! Heav'n rest his saul, whare'er he be! Yet what remead ? Tam Samson's dead! Ae social honest man want we: THE EPITAPH. Tam Samson's weel-worn clay here lies, If honest worth in heav'n rise, PER CONTRA. Go, Fame, an' canter like a filly Tell ev'ry social honest billie To cease his grievin, For yet, unskaith'd by Death's gleg gullie, Tam Samson's livin. Killie is a phrase the country-folks sometimes use for Kilmar. доск. HALLOWEEN* Yes! let the rich deride, the proud disdain [The following Poem will, by many readers, be well enough understood; but for the sake of those who are unacquainted with the manners and traditions of the country where the scene is cast, notes are added, to give some account of the principal charms and spells of that night, so big with prophecy to the peasantry in the west of Scotland. The passion of prying into futurity makes a striking part of the history of human nature in its rude state, in all ages and all nations; and it may be some entertainment to a philosophic mind, if any such should honour the author with a perusal, to see the remains of it among the more unenlightened in our own.] UPON that night when fairies light. On Cassilis Downans + dance, To sport that night. Amang the bonnie winding banks Where Doon rins, wimplin, clear, Some merry, friendly, countra folks Is thought to be a night when witches, devils, aud other mischief-making beings, are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands; particularly those aerial people, the Fairies, who are said on that night to hold a grand anniversary. + Certain little, romantic, rocky, green hills, in the neighbourhood of the ancient seat of the Earls of Cassilis. A noted cavern near Colean House, called The Cove of Colean; which, as Cassilis Downans, is famed in country story for being a favourite haunt of fairies. The famous family of that name, the ancestors of ROBERT, the great deliverer of his country, were Earls of Carrick. To burn their nits, an' pou their stocks, Fu' blythe that night. The lasses feat, an' cleanly neat, Whiles fast at night. Sae bow't that night. The vera wee things todlin rin Wi' stocks out-o wre their shou❜ther; An' gif the costoc's sweet or sour, Syne coziely, aboon the door, Wi' canni care, they've plac'd them The lasses staw frae 'mang them a' To pou their stalks o' corn;† * The first ceremony of Halloween is, puiling each a stock, or plant of kail. They must go out, hand-in-hand, with eyes shut, and pull the first they meet with; its being big or little, strait or crooked, is prophetic of the size and shape of the grand object of all their spells the husband or wife. If any yird, or earth, stick to the root, that is tocher, or fortuue; and the state of the custoc, that is, the heart of the stem, is indicative of the natural temper and disposition. Lastly, the stems, or, to give them their ordinary appeilation, the runts, are placed somewhere above the head of the door; and the Christian names of the people whom chance brings into the house are, according to the priority of placing the runts, the names in question. They go to the barn-yard, and pull each, at three several times, |