But, hark! the tent has changed its voice! For a' the real judges rise, They canna sit for anger. Smith* opens out his cauld harangues And aff the godly pour in thrangs, A lift that day. What signifies his barren shine Of moral powers and reason? Or some auld pagan heathen, That's right that day. In guid time comes an antidote 1 Unearthly. Fast, fast, that day. 2 Primly. * Mr. (afterwards Dr.) George Smith, minister of Galston. Burns intended a compliment here on his rational mode of preaching, but the rev. gentleman did not appreciate the effort. The Rev. Mr. (afterwards Dr.) William Peebles, minister of Newton-uponAyr, sometimes named, from its situation, the Water-fit. Dr. Mackenzie, then of Mauchline, afterwards of Irvine, had recently conducted some village controversy under the title of "Common Sense.' Some local commentators are of opinion that he, and not the personified abstraction, is meant. is meant. Probably both are included. § A street so called which faces the tent in Mauchline.-B. Wee Miller neist the guard relieves, Though in his heart he weel believes 1 Rattles. Now but and ben the change-house fills Here's crying out for bakes and gills, While thick and thrang, and loud and lang, They raise a din, that, in the end, Is like to breed a rupture O' wrath that day. Leeze me on drink! it gies us mair It never fails, on drinking deep, By night or day. 2 Half-way. *The Rev. Mr. Miller, afterwards minister of Kilmaurs. He was of remarkably low stature, but enormous girth. †The Rev. John Russell, at this time minister of the chapel of ease, Kilmarnock, afterwards minister of Stirling-one of the heroes of "The Twa Herds.' "He was," says a correspondent of Cunningham's, "the most tremendous man I ever saw: Black Hugh Macpherson was a beauty in comparison. His voice was like thunder, and his sentiments were such as must have shocked any class of hearers in the least more refined than those whom he usually addressed." 1 Lumps. His piercing words, like Highland swords, His talk o' hell, whare devils dwell; Wi' fright that day. A vast, unbottom'd, boundless pit, 'Twad be owre lang a tale to tell And how they crowded to the yill How drink gaed round, in cogs and caups, And cheese and bread, frae women's laps, And dauds1 that day. In comes a gaucie, gash2 guidwife, And sits down by the fire, Syne draws her kebbuck and her knife; The lasses they are shyer. The auld guidmen, about the grace, Frae side to side they bother, Till some ane by his bonnet lays, And gies them't like a tether, Waesucks! for him that gets nae lass, On sic a day! Now Clinkumbell, wi' rattlin' tow, Begins to jow and croon ;7 Some swagger hame, the best they dow,8 2 Fat and homely. 3 Cheese. 4 Alas. 5 Soil. 6 Cheese-crust. * Shakespeare's "Hamlet."-B. 7 Sing and groan. 8 Can. How mony hearts this day converts O' sinners and o' lasses! Their hearts o' stane, gin night, are gane, There's some are fou o' love divine; There's some are fou o' brandy; And mony jobs that day begin May end in houghmagandy * Some ither day. VERSES ON A SCOTCH BARD, GONE TO THE WEST INDIES. THE following lines were written when the poet meditated emigrating to A' YE wha live by sowps o' drink, Come, mourn wi' me! The bonny lasses weel may wiss him, For weel I wat they'll sairly miss him O Fortune, they hae room to grumble! 1 Breaches in fences. 2 Lads. 4 "Our friend has eluded 5 Frolic. 3 Versifying. * May end in copulation. |