To you I fing, in fimple Scottish lays,
The lowly train in life's fequefter'd scene;
The native feelings ftrong, the guilelefs ways,
What A**** in a Cottage would have been ;
Ah! tho' his worth unknown, far happier
there, I ween!"

NOVEMBER chill blaws loud wi' angry fugh;

The fhort'ning winter day, is near a clofe; The miry beasts retreating frae the pleugh; The black'ning trains o' craws to their repofe :

The toil-worn Cotter frae his labor goes,

D

This night his weekly moil is at an end, Collects his fpades, his mattocks, and his hoes, Hoping the morn in eafe and reft to spend,

And weary, o'er the moor, his courfe does.

hameward bend,

III.

III.

Ar length his lonely Cot appears in view,
Beneath the shelter of an aged tree;

Th' expectant wee-things, toddlin, ftacher through

To meet their Dad, wi' flichterin noise and

glee.

His wee-bit ingle, blinkin bonilie,

his clean hearth-ftane, his thrifty Wifie's fmile,

The lifping infant, prattling on his knee, Does a' his weary kiaugh and care beguile,

And make him quite forget his labor and his

toil.

IV.

BELYVE, the elder bairns come drapping in, At fervice out, amang the Farmers roun';

Some

Some ca' the pleugh, fome herd, fome tentie rin

A cannie errand to a neebor town;

Their eldest hope, their Jenny, woman-grown,

In youthfu' bloom, Love sparkling in

her e'e,

Gomes hame, perhaps, to fhew a braw new

gown,

Or depofite her fair-won penny-fee,

To help her parents dear, if they in hardship be.

V.

WITH joy unfeign'd, brothers and fifters meet, And each for other's welfare kindly fpiers: The focial hours, fwift-wing'd, unnotic'd fleet; Each tells the uncos that he fees or hears.

The Parents, partial, eye their hopeful years;

Anticipation forward points the view;

The Mother, wi' her needle and her fheers,

VOL. I.

T

Gars

Gars auld claes look amaift as weel's the new;

The Father mixes a' wi' admonition due.

VI.

THEIR Mafter's and their Mift refs's command, The youngster's a' are warned to obey;

And mind their labors wi' an eydent hand,

And ne'er, though out o' fight, to jauk or

play:

And O! be fure to fear the LORD alway!
• And mind your duty duly, morn and night!
Left in temptation's path ye gang aftray,
Implore his counfel and affifting might;
They never fought in vain that fought the

• LORD aright.'

VII.

BUT hark! a rap comes gently to the door; Jenny, wha kens the meaning o' the fame,

Tells

Tells how a neebor lad cam o'er the moor,

To do fome errands, and convoy her hame.

The wily Mother fees the confcious flame

Sparkle in Jenny's e'e and flush her cheek, With heart-ftruck, anxious care, enquires his

name,

While Jenny hafffins is afraid to speak;

Weel pleas'd the Mother hears, it's nae wild,

worthlefs Rake.

VIII.

WITH kindly welcome, Jenny brings him ben;

A ftrappan youth; he takes the Mother's

eye;

Blythe Jenny fees the vifit's no ill taen;

The Father craks of horfes, pleughs, d

kye.

The Youngster's artlefs heart o'erflows wi' joy,

T 2

But