THE

DAFT DAYS,

THE

KING'S BIRTH-DAY

IN EDINBURGH,

AND

BRAID CLAITH.

BY ROBERT FERGUSSON.

THE

DAFT DAYS.

Now mirk December's dowie face Glowrs owre the rigs wi' sour grimace, While, through his minimum o' space, The bleer-ee'd sun,

Wi' blinkin' light, and stealing pace, His race doth run.

Frae naked groves nae birdie sings, To shepherd's pipe nae hillock rings, The breeze nae od'rous flavour brings

Frae Borean cave,

And dwynin' nature droops her wings,

Wi' visage grave.

Mankind but scanty pleasure glean

Frae snawy hill or barren plain,

Whan Winter, 'midst his nipping train,

Wi' frozen spear,

Sends drift owre a' his bleak domain,

And guides the weir.

Auld Reikie! thou'rt the canty hole,
A bield for mony a cauldrife soul,
Wha snugly at thine ingle loll,

Baith warm and couth;

While round they gar the bicker roll,

To weet their mouto.

Whan merry Yule-day comes, I trow
You'll scantlins find a hungry mou':
Sma' are our cares, our stamacks for
O' gusty gear,

And kickshaws, strangers to our view
Sin' fairn-year.

Ye browster wives, now busk ye braw,
And fling your sorrows far awa';

Then come and gie's the tither blaw
O' reaming ale,

Mare precious than the well o' Spa,

Our hearts to heal

Then, though at odds wi' a' the warl',
Amang oursels we'll never quarrel;
Though Discord gie a canker'd snarl
To spoil our glee,

As lang's there's pith into the barrel,
We'll drink and 'gree.

Fidlers, your pins in temper fix,
And roset weel your fiddle-sticks,

But banish vile Italian tricks

Frae out your quorum,

Nor fortes wi' pianos mix,

Gie's Tullochgorum.

For nought can cheer the heart sae weel As can a canty Highland reel;

It even vivifies the heel

To skip and dance:

Lifeless is he wha canna feel

Its influence.

Let mirth abound, let social cheer
Invest the dawning of the year.
Let blithesome innocence appear

To crown our joy,

Nor envy, wi' sarcastic sneer,

Our bliss destroy.

And thou, great god of Aqua vitæ !
Wha sways the empire o' this city.
When fou we're sometimes capernoity,
Be thou prepar'd

To hedge us frae that black banditti,
The City-Guard.

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