Shall ever danton me or awe me, My sweet wee lady, Or if I blush when thou shalt ca' me Wee image of my bonnie Betty, As a' the priests had seen me get What tho' they ca' me fornicator, An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter Sweet fruit o' monie a merry dint, Sin' thou came to the warl' asklent, Which fools may scoff at; An' if thou be what I wad hae thee, If thou be spared; Thro' a' thy childish years I'll e'e thee, Gude grant that thou may ay inherit TO A HAGGIS.1 FAIR fa' your honest, sonsie' face, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang 's my arm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, While thro' your pores the dews distil His knife see rustic labor dight,? And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reeking rich! Then horn for horns they stretch an' strive: Then auld guidman, maist like to rive," Is there that o'er his French ragout, Or fricassee wad make her spew Wi' perfect sconner, 14 Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? Poor devil! see him owre his trash, 1 A kind of pudding boiled in the stomach of a cow, or sheep.-2 Enga. ging, pleasing.— Above. — Paunch.- A small gut.- Worthy.-7 Wipe clean.- A spoon made of horn.-9 Bellies.-10 By and by.-11 To split.12 Grace after meat.-13 Surfeit.-14 Loathing.-15 Puny, weak. His spindle-shank a guid whip-lash, Thro' bloody flood or field to dash, But mark the rustic, haggis-fed, He'll mak it whissle; An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,* Ye Powers wha mak mankind your care, But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, ADDRESS TO THE TOOTHACHE. My curse upon thy venom'd stang, When fevers burn, or ague freezes, But thee-thou hell o' a' diseases, Adown my beard the slavers trickle! 1 The fist.-2 Nut.- Large, ample. To lop off.-5 Tops of thistles.Small portions.-7 A jerk of waters, or a thin potion that will jerk or quash like water. 8 A small wooden dish with a handle. - Ears. 1 20 The greater. As round the fire the giglets' keckle' While, raving mad, I wish a heckle O' a' the numerous human dools," 10 The tricks o' knaves, or fash" o' fools, Where'er that place be priests ca' hell, 13 Thou, Toothache, surely bear'st the bell O thou grim, mischief-making_chiel', In gore a shoe-thick, Gie a' the faes o' Scotland's weal A towmond's16 Toothache! TO A POSTHUMOUS CHILD, BORN IN PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF DISTRESS, SWEET floweret, pledge o' meikle” love, November hirples o'er the lea, Fools.- Laugh.-3 Leap, jump. A board in which are driven a number of sharp iron pins, used for dressing hemp, flax, &c. Backside. Sorrows.-7 Bad harvests.-8 Foolish bargains.— Stool of repentance.-10 Laid in the grave.-11 Trouble.-12 The victory.-13 Row. -14 Above. 15 Makes, 16 A twelvemonth.-17 Much. -18 Creeps, 'or limps. And gane, alas! the shelt'ring tree, May He, who gives the rain to pour, May He, the friend of woe and want, But late she flourish'd, rooted fast, Blest be thy bloom, thou lovely gem, TO A MOUNTAIN DAISY, On turning one down with the plough, in April, 1786, WEE, modest, crimson-tippéd flower, To spare thee now is past my power, Alas! it's no thy neebor sweet! When upward-springing, blythe, to greet Cauld blew the bitter-biting North Upon thy early, humble birth, Acute pains.-2 Unhurt.-3 Small.-4 Dust.-5 Not.-6 Wet, wotness. |