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If haply Knowledge, on a random tramp,
Had shor'd them with a glimmer of his lamp,
And would to Common-sense, for once betray'd them,
Plain, dull Stupidity stept kindly in to aid them.

What farther clishmaclaver might been said,
What bloody wars, if Sprites had blood to shed,
No man can tell; but all before their sight,
A fairy train appear'd in order bright:
Adown the glitt'ring stream they featly danc'd;
Bright to the moon their various dresses glanc'd:
They footed o'er the wat'ry glass so neat,
The infant ice scarce bent beneath their feet:
While arts of Minstrelsy among them rung,
And soul-ennobling bards heroic ditties sung,
O had M'Lauchlan,* thairm-inspiring sage,
Been there to hear this heavenly band engage,
When thro' his dear Strathspeys they bore with
Highland rage;

Or when they struck old Scotia's melting airs,
The lover's raptur'd joys or bleeding cares;
How would his Highland lug been nobler fir'd,
And ev❜n his matchless hand with finer touch inspir'd!
No guess could tell what instrument appear'd,
But all the soul of Music's self was heard;
Harmonious concert rung in every part,

While simple melody pour'd moving on the heart.

The Genius of the stream in front appears,

A venerable Chief advanc'd in years;

.

A well known performer of Scottish music on the violin. VOL. III.

His hoary head with water-lilies crown'd,
His manly leg with garter-tangle bound.
Next came the loveliest pair in all the ring,
Sweet Female Beauty hand in hand with Spring;
Then, crown'd with flow'ry hay, came Rural Joy,
And Summer, with his fervid-beaming eye:
All-cheering Plenty, with her flowing horn,
Led yellow Autumn wreath'd with nodding corn;
Then Winter's time-bleach'd locks did hoary show,
By Hospitality with cloudless brow.

Next follow'd Courage with his martial stride,
From where the Fcal wild-woody coverts hide;
Benevolence, with mild benignant air,

A female form, came from the tow'rs of Stair ;*
Learning and Worth in cqual measures trode
From simple Catrine, their long-lov'd abode :
Last, white-rob'd Peace, crown'd with a hazel wreath,
To rustic Agriculture did bequeath

The broken iron instruments of death;

At sight of whom our Spirites forgat their kindling wrath.

The Poet alludes here to Mrs Stewart of Stair.-Stair was then in her possession. She afterwards removed to Afton-Lodge, on the banks of the Afton, a stream which he afterwards celebrated in a song entitled "Afton Water."-See a letter to Mrs Stewart, vol. ii, No. V. The song, Afton Water, vol. iv.

THE ORDINATION.

For sense they little owe to Frugal Heav'n➡
To please the Mob they hide the little giv'n.

I.

KILMARNOCK Wabsters fidge an' claw,
An' pour your creeshie nations;

An'

ye

wha leather rax an' draw,

Of a' denominations,

Swith to the Laigh Kirk, ane an' a'
An' there tak up your stations;
Then aff to B-gb—'s in a raw,
An' pour divine libations

For joy this day.

II.

Curst Common-sense, that imp o' h-ll,

Cam in wi' Maggie Lauder ;*
But O******* aft made her yell,
An' R***** sair misca'd her;
This day M******* takes the flail
An' he's the boy will blaud her!
He'll clap a shangan on her tail,
An' set the bairns to daud her

Wi' dirt this day.

Alluding to a scoffing ballad which was made on the ad. mission of the late Reverend and worthy Mr L. to the Laigk. Kirk.

III.

Mak haste an' turn King David owre,
An' lilt wi' holy clangor;

O' double verse come gie us four,
An' skirl up the Bangor :

This day the Kirk kicks up a stoure,
Nae mair the knaves shall wrang her,

For Heresey is in her pow'r,

And gloriously she'll whang her

Wi' pith this day.

IV.

Come, let a proper text be read,
An' touch it aff wi' vigour,
How graceless Ham* leugh at his Dad,
Which made Canaan a niger,

Or Phineast drove the murdering blade,
Wi' wh-re-abhorring rigour;
Or Zipporah, the scauldin jade,

Was like a bluidy tiger

I' th' inn that day.

V.

There, try his mettle on the creed,

And bind him down wi' caution,

That Stipend is a carnal weed

He taks but for the fashion ;

And gie him o'er the flock, to feed,

And punish each transgression:

Genesis, ch. ix. ver. 22. + Numbers, ch. xxv. ver. 8. Exodus, ch. iv. ver. 25.

Especial, rams that cross the breed,
Gie them sufficient threshin,

Spare them nae day.

VI.

Now auld Kilmarnock cock thy tail,
And toss thy horns fu' canty;

Nae mair thou'lt rowte out-owre the dale,

Because thy pasture's scanty;

For lapfu's large o' gospel kail

Shall fill thy crib in plenty,

An' runts o' grace the pick aud wale,

No gi'en by way o' dainty,

But ilka day.

VII,

Nae mair by Babel's streams we'll weep,

To think upon our Zion;

And hing our fiddles up to sleep,

Like baby-clouts a-dryin;

Come, screw the pegs wi' tunefu' cheep, And o'er the thairms be tryin;

Oh, rare! to see our elbucks wheep,

An' a' like lamb-tails flyin

Fu' fast this day!

VIII.

Lang Patronage, wi' rod o' airn,

Has shor'd the Kirk's undoin, As lately F-nw-ck, sair forfairn, Has proven to its ruin ;

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