THIRD EPISTLE TO J. LAPRAIK. Trowth, they had muckle for to blame! Scarce through the feathers; And thole' their blethers! 2 It pits me aye as mad's a hare; When time's expedient: Meanwhile I am, respected Sir, Yours most obedient. 181 THIRD EPISTLE TO JOHN LAPRAIK. 1 Suffer. Sept. 13, 1785. GUID speed an' furder to you, Johnny, The staff o' bread, May ye ne'er want a stoup o' bran'y May Boreas never thresh your rigs, But may the tapmast grain that wags It's now twa month that I'm your debtor, 4 Morasses. 7 A knife. But mair profane. But let the kirk-folk ring their bells, 2 But browster wives an' whisky-stills, Your friendship, sir, I winna quat it, Then han' in nieve" some day we'll knot it, An' when wi' usquabae we've wat it 5 It winna break. But if the beast and branks be spared An' theekit right, I mean your ingle-side to guard Ae winter night. Then muse-inspirin' aqua-vitæ Shall make us baith sae blythe an' witty, Till ye forget ye're auld an' gatty,7 As ye were nine An' be as canty year less than thretty, But stooks are cowpet 8 wi' the blast, An' quat my chanter; Sae I subscribe myself, in haste, Yours, RAB THE RANTER. EPISTLE TO THE REV. JOHN M MATH, ONE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CLERGY WHO PREACHED AGAINST THE 66 "" Accompanied by a copy of "Holy Willie's Prayer." My Musie, tired wi' mony a sonnet On gown, an' ban', an' douse black bonnet, Lest they should blame her, An' rouse their holy thunder on it And anathem her. I own 'twas rash, an' rather hardy, Can easy, wi' a single wordie, But I Lowse hell upon me. gae mad at their grimaces, Their sighin', cantin', grace-proud faces, 3 Whase greed, revenge, and pride disgraces There's Gawn,4 misca't waur than a beast, Than mony scores as guid's the priest An' Wha sae abus't him. may a bard no crack his jest What way they've use❜t him? See him, the poor man's friend in need, An' shall his fame an' honour bleed By worthless skellums," An' not a Muse erect her head To cowe the bellums ? 6 O Pope, had I thy satire's darts, Their jugglin' hocus-pocus arts 1 Run riotously. Gavin Hamilton, Esq. To cheat the crowd. 2 Timid. 3 Elastic. 183 God knows I'm no the thing I should be, Than under gospel colours hid be An honest man may like a glass, An' then cry zeal for gospel laws, They take religion in their mouth; An' hunt him down, o'er right an' ruth, All hail, Religion! maid divine! Thus daurs to name thee; To stigmatize false friends of thine Can ne'er defame thee. Though blotch't an foul wi' mony a stain, An' far unworthy of thy train, With trembling voice I tune my strain To join with those Who boldly daur thy cause maintain TO JOHN GOUDIE. Sir, in that circle you are named;' An' some, by whom your doctrine's blamed, Even, sir, by them your heart's esteemed, Pardon this freedom I have ta'en, Whase heart ne'er wranged ye, But to his utmost would befriend Ought that belanged t'ye. 185 EPISTLE TO JOHN GOUDIE, KILMARNOCK, ON THE PUBLICATION OF HIS ESSAYS." O GOUDIE! terror of the Whigs,3 Girnin',4 looks back, Wishin' the ten Egyptian plagues Wad seize you quick. Poor gapin', glowrin' Superstition, Alas! there's ground o' great suspicion She'll ne'er get better. Auld Orthodoxy lang did grapple, Mr. M'Math preached against the severe Calvinistic doctrines called the "Auld Light." 2 Mr. John Goldie, or Goudie, a tradesman in Kilmarnock, had published a series of essays relating to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. It was the publication of the second edition of this work in 1785 which called forth this epistle from Burns. 3 The "Auld Church portion of the Kirk of Scotland, known still to the religious world as high Calvinists. They held the terrible doctrine of a particular election by God of some to be saved and others to be for ever lost; a superstition in an irrevocable destiny somewhat resembling that of the heathen Greeks of old. The New Light' believers had more rational and worthier views of the Divine justice and goodness. 5 A Presbyterian clergyman, the Rev. J. Russell. Grinning. |