Wad haud the Lothians three in tackets, An' parritch-pats, and auld saut-backets, Of Eve's first fire he has a cinder; A broom-stick o' the Witch of Endor, Forbye, he'll shape you aff, fu' gleg, The knife that nicket Abel's craigy He'll prove you fully, It was a faulding jocteleg," Or long-kail gullie." But wad ye see him in his glee, Guid fellows wi' him; And port, O port! shine thou a wee, Now, by the pow'rs o' verse and prose! They sair misca' thee; I'd take the rascal by the nose, Wad say, Shame fa' thee! Small nails. Would furnish tacks enough to supply the three counties of Lothian for a twelvemonth. Besides. t Porridge-pots. w Quite readily. The short petticoat, part of the Highlanc dress. y Throat A large knife used for cutting kail. VERSES WRITTEN AT SELKIRK. Can yield ava, Her darling bird that she lo'es best, O Willie was a witty wight,g And had o' things an uncoh slight; And trig an' braw:1 But now they'll buskk her like a fright, The stiffest o' them a' he bow'd, We've lost a birkiem weel worth gowd Now gawkies, tawpies, gowks and fools," He who could brush them down to mools, The brethren o' the Commerce-chaumer Amang them a'; I fear they'll now mak mony a stammer, c To William Creech, Esq. Edinburgh, author of 'Fugitive Pieces,' &c. and the Poet's worthy publisher. e Dressed. fAt all. g A superior genius. i Spruce and tine. k Dress. Frightened. d Edinburgh, h Very great. m Clever fellow. • Mushrooms. was secretary. 7 Dust. r The Chamber of Commerce of Edinburgh, of which Mr. C. Nae mair we see his levee door In bloody raw! The adjutant o' a' the score, Willie 's awa! Now worthy Gregory's Latin face, As Rome ne'er saw; They a' maunt meet some ither place, Poor Burns-e'en Scotch drink canna quicken, Grief's gien his heart an unco kickin', Now ev'ry sour-mou'd, girnin'a blellum,b His quill may draw; He wha could brawliee ward their bellum, Up wimpling, stately Tweed I 've sped, But ev'ry joy and pleasure 's fled, May I be slander's common speech; A text for infamy to preach; Many literary gentlemen were accustomed to meet at Mr C's house at breakfast. w Mother. x Brood. y The pewit-gull. z Given. a Grinning. t Must. u Chirps. b A talking fellow. c People. g Meandering. d A worthless fellow. e Finely. And, lastly, streekith out to bleach When I forget thee! Willie Creech, May never wicked fortune touzle him! Then to the blessed, new Jerusalem, LIBERTY.-A FRAGMENT. THEE, Caledonia, thy wild heaths among- Beneath that hallow'd turf where Wallace lies! Hear it not, Wallace, in thy bed of death! Ye babbling winds in silence sweep; Disturb not ye the hero's sleep, Nor give the coward secret breathIs this the power in freedom's war That wont to bid the battle rage? Behold that eye which shot immortal hate, Crushing the despot's proudest bearing, That arm which, nerved with thundering fate, Braved usurpation's boldest daring! One quench'd in darkness like the sinking star, And one the palsied arm of tottering, powerless age. THE VOWELS.-A TALE. 'Twas where the birch and sounding thong are The noisy domicile of pedant pride; [plied, Where Ignorance her darkening vapour throws, And cruelty directs the thickening blows; A Stretched. i Hed. k Old. 7 Cheerfully scratch, Upon a time, Sir Abece the great, His awful chair of state resolves to mount, First enter'd A, a grave, broad, solemn wight, But, ah! deform'd, dishonest to the sight! His twisted head look'd backward on his way, And flagrant from the scourge, he grunted, ai! Reluctant, E stalk'd in; with piteous grace The justling tears ran down his honest face! That name, that well-worn name, and all his own, Pale he surrenders at the tyrant's throne! The pedant stifles keen the Roman sound Not all his mongrel diphthongs can compound; And next the title following close behind, He to the nameless, ghastly wretch assign'd. The cobweb'd gothic dome resounded Y! In sullen vengeance, I, disdain'd reply: The pedant swung his felon cudgel round, And knock'd the groaning vowel to the ground! In rueful apprehension enter'd O, The wailing minstrel of despairing woe; Th' Inquisitor of Spain the most expert, Might there have learnt new mysteries of his art. So grim, deform'd, with horrors entering U, His dearest friend and brother scarcely knew! As trembling U stood staring all aghast, The pedant in his left hand clutch'd him fast, In helpless infant's tears he dipp'd his right, Baptiz'd him eu, and kick'd him from his sight. FRAGMENT, Inscribed to the Right Hon. C. J. Fox. How wisdom and folly meet, mix, and unite; How virtue and vice blend their black and their white; How genius, the illustrious father of fiction, Confounds rule and law, reconciles contradiction- |