'Life's cares, they are comforts' a maxim laid down By the bard, what d'ye call him, that wore the black gown; And, faith, I agree with th' old prig to a hair; ADDED IN A MASON LODGE. THEN fill up a bumper, and make it o’erflow, "THOUGH CRUEL FATE SHOULD BID US PART." THOUGH cruel Fate should bid us part, Her dear idea round my heart Though mountains frown and deserts howl, ONE night as I did wander, I sat me down to ponder, Auld Ayr ran by before me, That echoed through the braes. ROBIN. TUNE- Dainty Davie. THERE was a lad was born in Kyle, But whatna day o' whatna style, I doubt it's hardly worth my while To be sae nice wi' Robin. Robin was a rovin' boy, Rantin' rovin', rantin' rovin'; Robin was a rovin' boy, Rantin' rovin' Robin! Our monarch's hindmost year but ane The gossip keekit in his loof, Quo' scho, wha lives will see the proof, This waly boy will be nae coof; I think we'll ca' him Robin. He'll hae misfortunes great and sma', But aye a heart aboon them a’; He'll be a credit till us a'; But sure as three times three mak nine, ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF ROBERT OW Robin lies in his last lair, NOW He'll gabble rhyme nor sing nae mair, Cauld poverty, wi' hungry stare, Nae mair shall fear him; Nor anxious fear, nor cankert care, E'er mair come near him. To tell the truth, they seldom fash't him, Then wi' a rhyme or sang he lash't 'em, Though he was bred to kintra wark, To mak a man; But tell him, he was learned and clark, THE BELLES OF MAUCHLINE. IN Mauchline there. dwells six proper young belles, The pride of the place and its neighbourhood a', Their carriage and dress, a stranger would guess, In Lon'on or Paris, they'd gotten it a'. Miss Miller is fine, Miss Markland's divine, Miss Smith she has wit, and Miss Betty is braw, There's beauty and fortune to get wi' Miss Morton; But Armour's the jewel for me o' them a'. WHEN FIRST I CAME TO STEWART KYLE. WE TUNE-I had a Horse, I had nae mair. WHEN first I came to Stewart Kyle, Where'er I gaed, where'er I rade, A mistress still I had aye. But when I came roun' by Mauchline toun, Not dreadin' anybody, My heart was caught before I thought, VOL. I. THOUGH FICKLE FORTUNE HAS DECEIVED THOUGH fickle fortune has deceived me, I'll act with prudence as far 's I'm able, OH RAGING FORTUNE'S WITHERING BLAST. OH raging fortune's withering blast Has laid my leaf full low, O! Oh raging fortune's withering blast My stem was fair, my bud was green, 1 "The above was an extempore, under the pressure of a heavy train of misfortunes, which indeed threatened to undo me altogether."-B. |