Gaene in a gallopping consumption, Her feeble pulse gies strong presumption, 'Tis you and Taylors are the chief And twa red peats wad send relief, TO J. RANKINE, Enclosing some Poems. O ROUGH, rude, ready-witted Rankine, Will send you, Korah-like, a-sinkin', Ye hae sae monie cracks° au' cants, An' fill them fou ;P And then their failings, flaws, an' wants, Hypocrisy, in mercy spare it! That holy robe, O dinna tear it! But your curst wit, when it comes near it, e Going. A If, against. f Skill. g Dr. Taylor of Norwich. Two red-hot turfs, such as are used for fuel. k Empty m Choice. n A certain humorous dream of his was then making a nuise in the country-side. p Make them drunk. o Conversation. 9 Rends. Think, wicked sinner, wha ye 're skaithing," Frae onie unregenerate heathen I've sent you here some rhyming ware, Yon sang," ye 'll sen 't wi' canniew care, Tho' faith, sma' heart hae I to sing! An' danc'd my fill; I'd better gaen an' sair'd2 the king 'Twas ae night, lately, in my fun, An' brought a paitricka to the grun',b An' as the twilight was begun, Thought nane wad ken. The poor wee thing was little hurt; I straikete it a wee for sport, Ne'er thinkin' they wad fashd me for't; Somebody tells the poacher-court The halee affair Some auld-us'd hands had taen a note, I was suspected for the plot; I scorn'd to lie, So gat the whissle o' my grot,e An' pay't the fee. But, by my gun, o' guns the wale,' The game shall I vow an' swear! pay o'er moor an' dale, As soon 's the clocking-timeh is by Tho' I should herd the buckskin kye1 Trowth, they had muckle for to blame! Scarce thro' the feathers; It pits me ay as mad 's a hare; When time 's expedient: Meanwhile I am, respected sir, Your most obedient. TO THE SAME, On his writing to the author that a girl was with child by him. I AM a keeper of the law In some sma' points, altho' not a'; I played a lozing game. ƒThe choice. h Hatching-time. g Shot. i Be transported to America, and made a cow-herd. k Belly. Some people tell me ginm I fa' The breaking of ae point, tho' sma', I hae been in for 't ance or twice, But now a rumour 's like to rise, A whaup" 's i' the nest. TO DR. BLACKLOCK. Ellisland, Oct. 21, 1780. Wow, but your letter made me vauntie ! Lord send you ay as weel 's I want ye, The ill-thief blaw the Heron' south! And bade nae better. But aiblins" honest Master Heron And holy study; An' tir'd o' sauls to waste his learw on, But what d' ye think, my trusty fier ?* • Proud. p Cheerful. 9 Short journey. w Learning. r Friend Parnassian queens, I fear, I fear, Ye 'll now disdain me, And then my fifty pounds a year Ye glaiket, gleesome, dainty damies, That strang necessity supreme is I hae a wife and twa weea laddies, They maun hae brose and brats o' duddies;b But I'll snede besoms-thraw saugh woodies, Lord help me thro' this warld o' care! Not but I hae a richer share Than monie ithers; But why should ae man better fare, And a' men brithers? Come, Firm Resolve, take thou the van, Wha does the utmost that he can, Will whyles' do mair. But to conclude my silly rhyme, (I'm scant o' verse, and scant o' time,) To make a happy fire-side clime To weans and wife, That's the true pathos and sublime y Inattentive. Of human life. 2 Meandering. b Food and raiment. d Twist willow ropes. a Little, c Lop, or cut. Late and early. • Sometimes. |