Wi' ghastly ee, poor Tweedle-dee
Upon his hunkers bended,

And pray'd for grace, wi' ruefu' face,
And sae the quarrel ended.

But tho' his little heart did grieve
When round the tinkler prest her,
He feign'd to snirtle' in his sleeve,
When thus the Caird address'd her:

AIR.

TUNE-" CLOUT THE CAUDRON."

My bonnie lass, I work in brass,
A tinkler is my station;

I've travell'd round all Christian ground
In this my occupation;

I've ta'en the gold, I've been enroll'd
In many a noble squadron;

But vain they search'd, when off I march'd go and clout the caudron.

To

I've ta'en the gold, &c.

Despise that shrimp, that wither'd imp,
Wi' a' his noise and caprin,

And tak a share wi' those that bear

The budget and the

apron ;

And by that stoup, my faith and houp,
And by that dear Kilbagie,2

If e'er ye want, or meet wi' scant,

May I ne'er weet my craigie.3

And by that stoup, &c.

RECITATIVO.

The Caird prevail'd-th' unblushing fair
In his embraces sunk,
Partly wi' love o'ercome sae sair,
And partly she was drunk.

Sir Violino, with an air

That show'd a man o' spunk, Wish'd unison between the pair, And made the bottle clunk,

To their health that night.

1 Laugh.

2 A peculiar sort of whisky.

3 Throat.

But hurchin Cupid shot a shaft
That play'd a dame a shavie,1
The fiddler rak'd her fore and aft,
Ahint the chicken cavie.

Her lord, a wight o' Homer's craft,
Tho' limping wi' the spavie,
He hirpl'd up, and lap like daft,
And shor'd3 them Dainty Davie
O' boot that night.

He was a care-defying blade
As ever Bacchus listed,
Tho' Fortune sair upon him laid,
His heart she ever miss'd it.
He had nae wish, but—to be glad,
Nor want but-when he thirsted;
He hated nought but-to be sad,
And thus the Muse suggested

His sang that night.

AIR.

TUNE "FOR A' THAT, AND A' THAT."

I AM a bard of no regard

Wi' gentlefolks, an' a' that;
But Homer-like, the glowrin byke,*
Frae town to town I draw that.

CHORUS.

For a' that, and a'that,

And twice as meikle's a' that;
I've lost but ane, I've twa behin',
I've wife enough for a' that.

I never drank the Muses' stank,5
Castalia's burn, an' a' that:

But there it streams, and richly reams,
My Helicon I ca' that.

For a' that, &c.

Great love I bear to a' the fair,

Their humble slave, an' a' that;

But lordly will, I hold it still

A mortal sin to thraw that.
For a' that, &c.

1 Trick.

2 Crept.

3 Threatened. 4 Staring crowd.

5 Pool.

In raptures sweet, this hour we meet,
Wi' mutual love, an' a' that;
But for how lang the flie may stang,

Let inclination law that.

For a' that, &c.

Their tricks and craft hae put me daft,
They've ta'en me in, and a' that;
But clear your decks, and "Here's the Sex!"
I like the jads for a' that.

For a' that, and a' that,

And twice as meikle's a' that,
My dearest bluid, to do them guid,
They're welcome till't, for a' that.

RECITATIVO.

So sung the bard-and Nansie's' wa's
Shook with a thunder of applause,
Re-echo'd from each mouth;

They toom'd2 their pocks, an' pawn'd their duds,3
They scarcely left to co'er their fuds,4

To quench their lowan3 drought.

Then owre again, the jovial thrang
The poet did request,

To loose his pack, an' wale a sang,
A ballad of the best;

He, rising, rejoicing,

Between his twa Deborahs,
Looks round him, and found them
Impatient for the chorus.

AIR.

TUNE "JOLLY MORTALS, FILL YOUR GLASSES."

SEE! the smoking bowl before us,
Mark our jovial ragged ring ;
Round and round take up the chorus,

And in raptures let us sing:

1 Poosie Nansie, otherwise Agnes Gibson, kept a sort of cadger's house, nearly opposite to the church-yard gate in Mauchline. We are told by the biographers of Burns, that passing by the house, one night, in the company of James Smith, he was allured by the mirthful uproar to go in and join the crew. The Cantata gives the poetical experience of the night. 4 Tails.

2 Emptied.

5 Flaming.

3 Rags.

6 Choose.

CHORUS.

A fig for those by law protected!
Liberty's a glorious feast!
Courts for cowards were erected,
Churches built to please the priest.

What is title ? what is treasure ?
What is reputation's care?
If we lead a life of pleasure,
'Tis no matter how or where!

Here's to budgets, bags, and wallets!
Here's to all the wandering train!
Here's our ragged brats and callets!
One and all cry out, Amen!

A fig, &c.

THE AULD FARMER'S NEW-YEAR MORNING SALUTA-
TION TO HIS AULD MARE, MAGGIE, ON GIVING
HER THE ACCUSTOMED RIPP OF CORN TO HANSEL
IN THE NEW YEAR.

A GUID New-Year I wish thee, Maggie!
Hae, there's a ripp' to thy auld baggie:
Tho' thou's howe-backit2 now, an' knaggie,3
I've seen the day,

Thou could hae gane like onie staggie

Out-owre the lay.

1 Handful.

2 Sunk in the back.

3 Sharp-pointed.

Tho' now thou's dowie,1 stiff, an' crazy,
An' thy auld hide's as white's a daisie,
I've seen thee dappl't, sleek, an' glaizie,
A bonnie gray:

He should been tight that daur't to raize thee,
Ance in a day.

Thou ance was i' the foremost rank,
A filly buirdly,2 steeve, an' swank,*
An' set weel down a shapely shank,
As e'er tread yird;

An' could hae flown out owre a stank,"
Like onie bird.

It's now some nine-an'-twenty year,
Sin' thou was my guid-father's meere;
He gied me thee, o' tocher clear,
An' fifty mark;

Tho' it was sma', 'twas weel won gear,
An' thou was stark."

When first I gaed to woo my Jenny,
Ye then was trottin wi'
your minnie:
Tho' ye was trickie, slee, an' funnie,
Ye ne'er was donsie ;8

But hamely, tawie, quiet, cannie,
An' unco sonsie."

That day, ye pranc'd wi' muckle pride,
When ye bure1o hame my bonnie bride ;
An' sweet an' gracefu' she did ride,
Wi' maiden air!

Kyle Stewart I could bragged wide,
For sic a pair.

Tho' now ye dow" but hoyte and hobble,
An' wintle like a saumont-coble,12
That day ye was a.jinker noble,

For heels an' win'!

An' ran them till they a' did wauble,13
Far, far behin'.

When thou an' I were young and skeigh,14
An' stable-meals at fairs were dreigh,15
How thou wad prance, an' snore, an skreigh
An' tak the road!

Town's bodies ran, and stood abeigh,16

2 Stout-made.

An' ca't thee mad.

5 Morass.

6 Marriage portion. 7 Stout. 8 Unlucky. 9 Easily handled.

1 Worn out.

3 Strong-set. 4 Stately.

10 Did bear.

14 High-mettled.

11 Can.

12 Salmon fishing boat. 13 Reel. 15 Tedious. 16 At a safe distance.

G