EXTEMPORE IN THE COURT OF SESSION.

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TCNE-Killiecrankie.

LORD ADVOCATE.

E clenched his pamphlets in his fist,
He quoted and he hinted,

Till in a declamation-mist,
His argument he tint it:

He gaped for 't, he graipèd for 't,

He fand it was awa', man;
But what his common-sense came short,
He eked out wi' law, man.

MR. ERSKINE.

Collected Harry stood a wee,

Then opened out his arm, man;
His lordship sat wi' ruefu' e'e,

And eyed the gathering storm, man;
Like wind-driven hail, it did assail,

Or torrents owre a linn, man;
The Bench sae wise lift up their eyes,
Half-wauken'd wi' the din, man.

PROLOGUE SPOKEN BY MR. WOODS ON HIS BENEFIT-NIGHT.

WHEN by a generous Public's kind acclaim,

That dearest meed is granted

Fame;

When here your favour is the actor's lot,

honest

Nor even the man in private life forgot;
What breast so dead to heavenly Virtue's glow,
But heaves impassioned with the grateful throe?

Poor is the task to please a barbarous throng, It needs no Siddons' powers in Southern's song; But here an ancient nation famed afar, For genius, learning high, as great in war Hail, CALEDONIA, name for ever dear! Before whose sons I'm honoured to appear! Where every science every nobler art That can inform the mind, or mend the heart, Is known; as grateful nations oft have found Far as the rude barbarian marks the bound. Philosophy, no idle pedant dream,

Here holds her search by heaven-taught Reason's beam;

Here History paints with elegance and force
The tide of Empire's fluctuating course;
Here Douglas forms wild Shakspeare into plan,
And Harley rouses all the god in man.
When well-formed taste and sparkling wit unite
With manly lore, or female beauty bright
(Beauty, where faultless symmetry and grace,
Can only charm us in the second place)
Witness my heart, how oft with panting fear,
As on this night, I've met these judges here!
But still the hope Experience taught to live,
Equal to judge — you're candid to forgive.
No hundred-headed Riot here we meet,
With Decency and Law beneath his feet;
Nor Insolence assumes fair Freedom's name;
Like CALEDONIANS, you applaud or blame.

Oh thou dread Power! whose empire-giving hand Has oft been stretched to shield the honoured land!

Strong may she glow with all her ancient fire!
May every son be worthy of his sire !
Firm may she rise with generous disdain
At Tyranny's or direr Pleasure's chain!
Still self-dependent in her native shore,

Bold may she brave grim Danger's loudest roar, Till Fate the curtain drops on worlds to be no more !

A

WILLIE'S AWA'.

ULD chuckie Reekie 's sair distrest,
Down droops her ance weel-burnished crest,

Nae joy her bonny buskit nest

Can yield ava,

Her darling bird that she lo'es best

Willie's awa'!

Oh Willie was a witty wight,
And had o' things an unco slight ;
Auld Reekie aye he keepit tight,
And trig and braw :

But now they'll busk her like a fright –
Willie's awa'!

The stiffest o' them a' he bowed;
The bauldest o' them a' he cowed;
They durst nae mair than he allowed,
That was a law:

We've lost a birkie weel worth gowd
Willie's awa'!

Now gawkies, tawpies, gowks, and fools,
Frae colleges and boarding-schools,
May sprout like simmer puddock-stools
In glen or shaw;

He wha could brush them down to mools
Willie's awa'!

The brethren o' the Commerce-Chaumer
May mourn their loss wi' doolfu' clamour;
He was a dictionar and grammar

Amang them a';

I fear they'll now mak monie a stammer
Willie's awa'!

Nae mair we see his levee door
Philosophers and poets pour,
And toothy critics by the score,
In bloody raw !

The adjutant o' a' the core
Willie's awa'!

Now worthy Gregory's Latin face,
Tytler's and Greenfield's modest grace,
Mackenzie, Stewart, sic a brace

As Rome ne'er saw;

They a' maun meet some ither place —
Willie's awa'!

Poor Burns e'en Scotch drink canna quicken; He cheeps like some bewildered chicken,

Scared frae its minnie and the cleckin'

By hoodie-craw ;

Grief's gien his heart an unco kickin'
Willie's awa'!

Now every sour-mou'd girnin' blellum
And Calvin's folk, are fit to fell him ;
And self-conceited critic skellum

His quill may draw ;

He wha could brawlie ward their bellum Willie's awa'!

Up wimpling stately Tweed I've sped,
And Eden scenes on crystal Jed,
And Ettrick banks now roaring red,
While tempests blaw;

But every joy and pleasure's fled
Willie's awa'!

May I be Slander's common speech,
A text for infamy to preach,
And lastly, streekit out to bleach
In winter snaw,

When I forget thee, Willie Creech,
Though far awa'!

May never wicked Fortune touzle him!
May never wicked men bamboozle him!
Until a pow as auld's Methusalem
He canty claw!

Then to the blessèd New Jerusalem
Fleet wing awa' !