TO COLONEL DE PEYSTER

Squire Hal, besides, had in this case
Pretensions rather brassy;

For talents, to deserve a place,
Are qualifications saucy.

So their worships of the Faculty,
Quite sick of merit's rudeness,
Chose one who should owe it all, d'ye see,
To their gratis grace and goodness.

As once on Pisgah purg'd was the sight
Of a son of Circumcisión,

So may be, on this Pisgah height,
Bob's purblind mental vision-
Nay, Bobby's mouth may be opened yet,
Till for eloquence you hail him,
And swear that he has the angel met
That met the ass of Balaam.

In your heretic sins may you live and die,
Ye heretic Eight-and-Thirty!

But accept, ye sublime Majority,
My congratulations hearty.

With your honours, as with a certain king,

In your servants this is striking,

The more incapacity they bring,

The more they're to your liking.

Epistle to Colonel de Peyster.1

My honor'd Colonel, deep I feel
Your interest in the Poet's weal;
Ah! now sma' heart hae I to speel
The steep Parnassus,

Surrounded thus by bolus pill,

And potion glasses.

a climb.

1 Colonel de Peyster commanded the Dumfries Volunteers.

TO COLONEL DE PEYSTER

O what a canty world were it,

Would pain and care and sickness spare it;
And Fortune favour worth and merit

As they deserve;

&

And aye rowth o' roast-beef and claret,
Syne, wha wad starve?

Dame Life, tho' fiction out may trick her,
And in paste gems and frippery deck her;
Oh! flickering, feeble, and unsickerb
I've found her still,

Aye wavering like the willow-wicker,
"Tween good and ill.

Then that curst carmagnole, auld Satan,
Watches like baudrons by a ratton
Our sinfu' saul to get a clautd on,
Wi' felon ire;

Syne, whip! his tail ye'll ne'er cast saut on,
He's aff like fire.

Ah Nick! ah Nick! it is na fair,
First showing us the tempting ware,
Bright wines, and bonie lasses rare,
To put us daft;

Syne weave, unseen, thy spider snare
O hell's damned waft.

Poor Man, the flie, aft bizzes by,
And aft, as chance he comes thee nigh,
Thy damn'd auld elbow yeuks wi' joy
And hellish pleasure !

Already in thy fancy's eye,

Thy sicker treasure.

Soon, heels o'er gowdie," in he gangs,

And, like a sheep-head on a tangs,h

A LASS WI' A TOCHER

Thy girning laugh enjoys his pangs,
And murdering wrestle,

As, dangling in the wind, he hangs,
A gibbet's tassel.

But lest you think I am uncivil

To plague you with this draunting drivel,
Abjuring a' intentions evil,

I quata my pen,

The Lord preserve us frae the devil!
Amen! Amen!

A Lass wi' a Tocher.1

Tune-"Ballinamona Ora."

AWA' wi' your witchcraft o' Beauty's alarms,
The slender bit Beauty you grasp in your arms,
O, gie me the lass that has acres o' charms,
O, gie me the lass wi' the weel-stockit farms.

Chorus-Then hey, for a lass wi' a tocher,b
Then hey, for a lass wi' a tocher;
Then hey, for a lass wi' a tocher;
The nice yellow guineas for me.

Your Beauty's a flower, in the morning that blows,
And withers the faster, the faster it grows:
But the rapturous charm o' the bonie green knowes,
Ilk spring they're new deckit wi' bonie white yowes.
Then hey, for a lass, &c.

And e'en when this Beauty your bosom hath blest
The brightest o' Beauty may cloy when possess'd;
But the sweet, yellow darlings wi' Geordie impress'd,
The langer ye hae them, the mair they're carest.
Then hey, for a lass, &c.

■ lay down.

b dowry.

cewes.

1 Written for an Irish air, to oblige Mr Thomson. (February 1796.)

HERON ELECTION BALLAD

Heron Election Ballad, No. IV.1

The Trogger.

Tune-"Buy Broom Besoms."

a

WHA will buy my troggin, fine election ware,
Broken trade o' Broughton, a' in high repair?

Chorus-Buy braw troggin frae the banks o' Dee;
Wha wants troggin let him come to me.

There's a noble Earl's fame and high renown,
For an auld sang-it's thought the gudes were stown—
Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here's the worth o' Broughton3 in a needle's e'e;
Here's a reputation tint by Balmaghie.*

Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here's its stuff and lining, Cardoness's head,"
Fine for a soger, a' the wale o' lead.

C

Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here's a little wadset,d Buittle's scrap o' truth,
Pawn'd in a gin-shop, quenching holy drouth.
Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here's an honest conscience might a prince adorn;
Frae the downs o' Tinwald,' so was never worn.
Buy braw troggin, &c.

VERSICLES TO JESSIE LEWARS

Here's armorial bearings frae the manse o' Urr;
The crest, a sour crab-apple, rotten at the core.1
Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here is Satan's picture, like a bizzard gled,
Pouncing poor Redcastle, sprawlin like a tacd."
Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here's the font where Douglas 3 stane and mortar names;
Lately used at Caily christening Murray's crimes.
Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here's the worth and wisdom Collieston can boast;
By a thievish midge they had been nearly lost.
Buy braw troggin, &c.

Here is Murray's fragments o' the ten commands;
Gifted by black Jock 5 to get them aff his hands.
Buy braw troggin, &c.

6

Saw ye e'er sic troggin? if to buy ye're slack,
Hornie's turnin chapman-he'll buy a' the pack.
Buy braw troggin, &c.