O' stature short, but genius bright,
That's he, mark weel-

And wow!' he has an unco slight'
O' cauk and keel.3

By some auld houlet-haunted biggin',"
Or kirk deserted by its riggen,
It's ten to ane ye'll find him snug in
Some eldritch part,

Wi' deils they say, L-d safe's! colleaguin'
At some black art.-

Ilk ghaist' that haunts auld ha' or cham'er,"
Ye gipsey gang that deal in glamor,"

And you deep-read in hell's black grammar,
Warlocks10 an' witches;
Ye'll quake at his conjuring hammer,
Ye midnight b-es!

It's tauld he was a sodger" bred,
And ane wad rather fa'n than fled;
But now he's quat the spurtle blade,13
And dog-skin wallet,

And taen the-Antiquarian trade,
I think they call it.

He has a fouth" o' auld nick-nackets:
Rusty airn caps and jingling jackets,"
Wad hand the Lothians three in tackets,"
A towmont guid;18

An' parritch-pats," and auld saut-backets,
Before the flood.

Of Eve's first fire he has a cinder;
And Tubal-Cain's fire-shool and fender;
That which distinguished the gender

O' Balaam's ass;

1 An exclamation of pleasure, or wonder.-2 Great sleight, or dexterity.Chalk and red clay.-4 An owl.-5 Building. See his Antiquities of Scotland.- Frightful, ghastly.-7 Each ghost.-8 Old hall, or chamber.- For tune-telling, pretending to a knowledge of future events by magic, &c.— 10 Wizards.-11 Soldier.-12 Did quit.—13 A sort of nickname for a sword. -14 A plenty.-15 Iron helmets.-16 Coats of mail, &c. See his Treatise on Ancient Armor.-17 Small nails.-18 Would furnish tacks enough to supply the three counties of Lothian for a twelvemonth.-19 Porridge-pots.

A broom-stick o' the Witch of Endor,
Weel shod wi' brass.

Forbye,' he 'll shape you aff, fu' gleg,'
The cut of Adam's philibeg;3

The knife that nicket Abel's craig,*

He'll prove you fully

It was a faulding jocteleg,"

Or long-kail gullie.®

But wad ye see him in his glee,
(For meikle glee and fun has he,)
Then set him down, and twa or three
Guid fellows wi' him;

And port, O port! shine thou a wee,
And then ye 'll see him!

Now, by the powers o' verse and prose!
Thou art a dainty chield,' O Grose!
Whae'er o' thee shall ill suppose,

They sair misca' thee;

I'd take the rascal by the nose,

Wad say, Shame fa' thee!

VERSES WRITTEN AT SELKIRK.®

AULD chuckie Reekie''s sair distrest,
Down droops her ance weel burnisht crest,
Nae joy her bonnie buskit" nest

Can yield ava,"

Her darling bird that she lo'es best,
Willie's awa!

O Willie was a witty wight,"
And had o' things an unco13 slight;
Auld Reekie ay he keepit tight,

And trig an' braw:14

1 Besides.-2 Quite readily.-3 The short petticoat, part of the Highland dress.4 Throat.- A folding or clasp knife.- A large knife used for cutting kail.-7 Fellow.

8 To William Creech, Esq., Edin urgh, author of "Fugitivo Pieces," &c., and the Poet's worthy publisher.

9 Edinburgh.-10 Dressed.-1 great.-14 Spruce and fine.

At all.-12 A superior genius.-13 Very

But now they'll busk' her like a fright,
Willie's awa!

The stiffest o' them a' he bow'd,
The bauldest o' them a' he cow'd;2
They durst nae mair than he allow'd,
That was a law:

We've lost a birkie3 weel worth gowd,
Willie's awa!

Now gawkies, tawpies, gowks and fools,*
Frae colleges, and boarding-schools,
May sprout like simmer puddock-stools,"
In glen or shaw ;

He who could brush them down to mools,"
Willie's awa!

The brethren o' the Commerce-chaumers
May mourn their loss wi' doolfu' clamor;
He was a dictionar and grammar

Amang them a';

I fear they'll now mak mony a stammer,
Willie's awa!

Nae mair we see his levee door
Philosophers and poets pour,"
And toothy critics by the core,
In bloody raw!

The adjutant o' a' the score,

Willie's awa!

Now worthy Gregory's Latin face,
Tytler's and Greenfield's modest grace;
M'Kenzie, Stuart, such a brace

Ás Rome ne'er saw;

They a' maun meet some ither place,
Willie's awa!

Poor Burns-e'en Scotch drink canna quicken,
He cheeps11 like some bewilder'd chicken,

1 Dress.-2 Frightened.-3 Clever fellow.-4 Foolish, thoughtless young persons.-5 Mushrooms.-6 A small wood in a hollow.-7 Dust.

8 The Chamber of Commerce of Edinburgh, of which Mr. C. was secretary. Many literary gentlemen were accustomed to meet at Mr. C.'s house at breakfast.

10 Must.-11 Chirps.

Scared frae its minnie1 and the clecken
By hoodie-craw;3

Grief's gien his heart an unco kickin',
Willie's awa!

Now every sour-mou'd, girnin" blellum,"
And Calvin's fock' are fit to fell him;
And self-conceited critic skellum

His quill may draw;

He wha could brawlie' ward their bellum,"
Willie's awa!

Up wimpling," stately Tweed I've sped,
And Eden scenes on crystal Jed,
And Ettrick banks now roaring red,
While tempests blaw;

But every joy and pleasure 's fled,
Willie's awa!

May I be slander's common speech;
A text for infamy to preach;
And, lastly, streekit out to bleach
In winter snaw; ·

When I forget thee! Willie Creech,
Tho' far awa!

May never wicked fortune touzle him!
May never wicked men bamboozle him!
Until a pow13 as auld's Methusalem!
He canty claw! 15

Then to the blesséd, new Jerusalem,
Fleet wing awa!

LIBERTY.-A FRAGMENT.

THEE, Caledonia, thy wild heaths among-
Thee famed for martial deed and sacred song-
To thee I turn with swimming eyes;
Where is that soul of freedom fled?

1 Mother.-2 Brood.-3 The pewit-gull.- Given.-5 Grinning.—6 A talkmg fellow.-7 People.-8 A worthless fellow.-9 Finely.-10 Their ill-nature. -11 Meandering.-12 Stretched.-13 Head.-14 Old.-15 Cheerfully scratch.

Immingled with the mighty dead!

Beneath that hallow'd turf where Wallace lies!

Hear it not, Wallace, in thy bed of death!

Ye babbling winds, in silence sweep;
Disturb not ye the hero's sleep,
Nor give the coward secret breath.-
Is this the power in freedom's war
That wont to bid the battle rage?
Behold that eye which shot immortal hate,
Crushing the despot's proudest bearing,
That arm which, nerved with thundering fate,
Braved usurpation's boldest daring!

One quenched in darkness like the sinking star,
And one the palsied arm of tottering, powerless age.

THE VOWELS.-A TALE.

'Twas where the birch and sounding thong are plied, The noisy domicile of pedant pride;

Where Ignorance her darkening vapor throws,
And cruelty directs the thickening blows;
Upon a time, Sir Abece the great,

In all his pedagogic powers elate,

His awful chair of state resolves to mount,
And call the trembling vowels to account.
First enter'd A, a grave, broad, solemn wight,
But, ah! deform'd, dishonest to the sight!
His twisted head look'd backward on his way,
And flagrant from the scourge, he grunted, ai!
Reluctant, E stalk'd in; with piteous grace
The justling tears ran down his honest face!
That name, that well-worn name, and all his own.
Pale he surrenders at the tyrant's throne!
The pedant stifles keen the Roman sound
Not all his mongrel diphthongs can compound;
And next the title following close behind,
He to the nameless, ghastly wretch assign'd.
The cobweb'd gothic dome resounded Y!
In sullen vengeance, I, disdain'd reply:
The pedant swung his felon, cudgel round,
And knock'd the groaning vowel to the ground!