THE TWA HERDS.1 The "Twa Herds" were Mr. Moodie, minister of Riccarton, and Mr. John Russel, then minister of Kilmarnock, and afterwards of Stirling. O A' ye pious godly flocks, Weel fed on pastures orthodox, Wha now will keep ye frae the fox, Or worrying tykes,' Or wha will tent the waifs and crocks, The twa best Herds in a' the wast, Hae had a bitter, black outcast Atween themsel. O M'Kinlay, man, and wordy' Russel, The Lord's cause ne'er gat sic a twistle, O, Sirs! whae'er wad hae expeckit, But by the brutes themselves eleckit," 8 What flock wi' M'Kinlay's flock could rank, He let them taste; Frae Calvin's well, ay clear they drank- 1 "This is the first of my poetic offspring that saw the light."-Burns's Letters. 2 Dogs.- Strayed, and not yet claimed.-4 Ewes too old for breeding.Sorrowful.- Quarrel.- Worthy.-8 To twist, to twine.- Elected.-10 Pool of standing water. The thummart,' wil'-cat, brock, and tod,' And weel he lik'd to shed their bluid, What herd like Russel tell'd his tale? And saw gin' they were sick or hale," He fine a mangy sheep could scrub, And new-light herds could nicely drub, Could shake them o'er the burnin' dub," Sic twa!-oh, do I live to see 't!— While new-light herds, wi' laughin' spite, A' ye wha tent the gospel fauld, We trust in thee, -s shaul; That thou wilt work them, hot and cauld, Consider, Sirs, how we're beset, There's scarce a new herd that we get, I hope frae heaven to see them yet Dalrymple has been lang our fae, • Pole-cat.—2 Badger.—3 Fox.—4 If.—5 Healthy.—6 Pond.--7 Each other give.- Shallow.- Much woe. And that cursed rascal ca'd M -e, And baith the Shaws, That aft hae made us black and blae, Auld W―w lang has hatch'd mischief, Ane to succeed him, A chiel wha 'll soundly buff our beef; And monie a ane that I could tell, There's Sh for ane, I doubt he's but a gray-nick quill, Oh! a' ye flocks, o'er a' the hills, And get the brutes the power themsels, Then Orthodoxy yet may prance, Be banish'd o'er the sea to France; Then Shaw's and D'rymple's eloquence, M'Q -'s pathetic manly sense, And guid M'Math," Wi' Smith, wha thro' the heart can glance, May a' pack aff. 1 Frighten.- 2 Dance in a rope, i. e. be hanged.-3 See page 274. 26 THE KIRK'S ALARM.1 ORTHODOX, Orthodox, Wha believe in John Knox, Let me sound an alarm to your conscience; Has been blawn in the wast, That what is no sense must be nonsense. Dr. Mac, Dr. Mac, You should stretch on a rack, Is heretic, damnable error. Town of Ayr, town of Ayr, To meddle wi' mischief a-brewin'; To the church's relief, And orator Bob3 is its ruin. D'rymple mild, D'rymple mild, Auld Satan must have ye, Rumble John, Rumble John, Deal brimstone like adle," And roar every note of the damn'd. 1 This poem was written a short time after the publication of Dr. M‘Gill's Essay. 2 Dr. M'Gill.-3 Robert Aiken.-4 Mr. Russell.-5 Putrid water.- Mr. M'Kinlay. There's a holier chase in your view; That the pack ye'll soon lead, Signet Sawney,' Signet Sawney, For the foul thief is just at your gate. Daddy Auld,' Daddy Auld, And gif ye canna bite ye may bark. Davie Bluster," Davie Bluster, Jamie Goose, Jamie Goose, Ye hae made but toom roose, In hunting the wicked lieutenant; 7 He has cooper'd and caw'd' a wrang pin in 't. Poet Willie,' Poet Willie, Gie the doctor a volley, Wi' your liberty's chain and your wit; O'er Pegasus' side Ye ne'er laid astride, Ye but smelt, man, the place where he s―t. Andro Gouk, 10 Andro Gouk, Ye may slander the book, 1 Mr. M....y.-2 Mr. A....d.-3 Fox.-4 Harm.-5 Mr. G....t of O. 1..e. Mr. Y....g of C..n..k.- Empty praise.-8 Driven.-9 Mr. P..b..s of Ayr.-10 Dr. A. M........11. |