THE AUTHOR'S EARNEST CRY AND PRAYER TO THE SCOTCH REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. YE Irish lords, ye knights an' squires, In Parliament, To you a simple poet's prayers Are humbly sent. Alas! my roupit muse is hearse; Your Honours' heart wi' grief 'twad pierce Low i' the dust, An' screechin' out prosaic verse, An' like to brust! Tell them wha hae the chief direction, An' rouse them up to strong conviction, Stand forth, an' tell yon Premier youth If ye dissemble! Does ony great man glunch an' gloom? Wi' them wha grant them; If honestly they canna come, Far better want them. ΙΟ 20 30 In gath'rin' votes you were na slack; But raise your arm, an' tell your crack Paint Scotland greetin owre her thrissle; Seizin a stell, Triumphant crushin't like a mussle Then on the tither hand present her, Pickin' her pouch as bare as Winter Is there, that bears the name o' Scot, Thus dung in staves, An' plunder'd o' her hindmost groat Alas! I'm but a nameless wight, Trode i' the mire out o' sight! But could I like Montgomeries fight, Or gab like Boswell, There's some sark-necks I wad draw tight, God bless your Honours, can ye see't, An' no get warmly to your feet An' gar them hear it? An' tell them wi' a patriot-heat, Ye winna bear it? 40 50 бо 89 Some o' you nicely ken the laws To mak harangues; Then echo thro' Saint Stephen's wa's Auld Scotland's wrangs. Dempster, a true blue Scot I'se warran'; The Laird o' Graham: Erskine, a spunkie Norland billie; Whom auld Demosthenes or Tully Might own for brithers. Arouse, my boys! exert your mettle She'll teach you, wi' a reekin whittle, Anither sang. This while she's been in crankous mood; (Deil nor they never mair do guid Play'd her that pliskie!) An' now she's like to rin red-wud About her whisky. An' Lord, if ance they pit her till 't, She'll tak the streets, I' th' first she meets! 100 90 For God sake, sirs! then speak her fair, An' to the muckle house repair Wi' instant speed An' strive, wi' a' your wit and lear, Yon ill-tongu'd tinkler, Charlie Fox, E'en cowe the cadie, An' send him to his dicing-box An' sportin' lady. Tell yon guid bluid o' auld Boconnock's If he some scheme, like tea an' winnocks, Could he some commutation broach, Nor erudition, Yon mixtie-maxtie queer hotch-potch, The Coalition. Auld Scotland has a raucle tongue; To tak their part, Tho' by the neck she should be strung, She'll no desert. An' now, ye chosen Five-and-Forty, May still your Mither's heart support ye; An' kick your place, Ye'll snap your fingers, poor an' hearty, Before his face. God bless your Honours a' your days That haunt St. Jamie's! Your humble poet sings an' prays, While Rab his name is. POSTSCRIPT. Let half-starv'd slaves in warmer skies But, blythe an' frisky, What tho' their Phoebus kinder warms, Or, hounded forth, dishonour arms In hungry droves. Their gun 's a burden on their shouther; Till skelp! a shot-they're aff, a' throu'ther, But bring a Scotsman frae his hill, 6 An' there's the foe!' He has nae thought but how to kill Twa at a blow. Nae cauld faint-hearted doubtings tease him; An', when he fa's, His latest draught o' breathin' lea'es him In faint huzzas. 140 150 160 170 |