LAMENT FOR JAMES, EARL OF GLENCAIRN PART OF LAMENT FOR JAMES, EARL OF THE wind blew hollow frae the hills, That wav'd o'er Lugar's winding stream: Beneath a craigy steep, a Bard, Laden with years and meikle pain, In loud lament bewail'd his lord, Whom Death had all untimely taen. 'And last (the sum of a' my griefs!) His country's pride, his country's stay: In weary being now I pine, For a' the life of life is dead, And hope has left my aged ken, 'Awake thy last sad voice, my harp! Then sleep in silence evermair! 1 The kindest of the patrons of Burns. And thou, my last, best, only friend, Thou brought from Fortune's mirkest gloom. 'The bridegroom may forget the bride That smiles sae sweetly on her knee; EPISTLE TO REV. JOHN McMATH EPISTLE TO REV. JOHN MCMATH He was a leader among the "new lights" in the church. This epistle was an attack on the "auld lights," especially on Rev. William Auld of Mauchline, and his elder, "Holy Willie," William Fisher. I own 'twas rash, an' rather hardy, Can easy, wi' a single wordie, But I gae mad at their grimaces, Their sighin' cantin', grace-proud faces, Whase greed, revenge, and pride disgraces There's Gaw'n1 misca'd waur than a beast, Than mony scores as guid's the priest And may a bard no crack his jest What way they've us'd him? 1 Gavin Hamilton, a fine man in Mauchline. He was a leader among the laymen who were "new lights," or progressives in theology. See him, the poor man's friend in need. An' not a muse erect her head To cowe the blellums? O Pope, had I thy satire's darts Their jugglin' hocus-pocus arts To cheat the crowd. God knows, I'm no the thing I shou'd be, Than under gospel colours hid be They take religion in their mouth; An' hunt him down, owre right and ruth. |