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A head for thought profound and clear un

matched;

Yet though his caustic wit was biting rude,
His heart was warm, benevolent, and good.

RATTLIN', ROARIN' WILLIE.

Willie Dunbar was commemorated in verses of a different strain. There was an old rough Border ditty referring to a certain Rattling, Roaring Willie, of great celebrity in his day as a wandering violer. To this Burns added a stanza, which we are to take as a picture of the Colonel in his place of command and moment of highest exaltation.

As I cam by Crochallan,

I cannilie keekit ben;

Rattlin', roarin' Willie

slyly peeped in

Was sitting at yon boord-en';

Sitting at yon boord-en',

And amang gude companie;
Rattlin', roarin' Willie,

Ye're welcome hame to me!

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INSCRIPTION FOR THE GRAVE OF
FERGUSSON.

HERE LIES ROBERT FERGUSSON, POET.

BORN, SEPTEMBER 5TH, 1751 — DIED, 16TH OCTOBER, 1774.

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No sculptured marble here, nor pompous lay,
"No storied urn, nor animated bust;
This simple stone directs pale Scotia's way
To pour her sorrows o'er her Poet's dust.

VERSES UNDER THE PORTRAIT OF
FERGUSSON.

The keen sympathy felt by Burns for Fergusson was expressed on many occasions. Very soon after making the arrangements for the tombstone (March 19, 1787), he presented a copy of the works of the Edinburgh poet to a young lady, and wrote the following lines under the portrait which served for a frontispiece.

CURSE on ungrateful man, that can be pleased, And yet can starve the author of the pleasure! Oh thou, my elder brother in misfortune,

By far my elder brother in the Muses,
With tears I pity thy unhappy fate!
Why is the bard unpitied by the world,
Yet has so keen a relish of its pleasures?

VERSES INTENDED TO BE WRITTEN BE-
LOW A NOBLE EARL'S PICTURE. [THE
EARL OF GLENCAIRN.]

WHOSE is that noble, dauntless brow?
And whose that eye of fire?

And whose that generous princely mien
Even rooted foes admire?

Stranger, to justly shew that brow,
And mark that eye of fire,

Would take His hand, whose vernal tints
His other works admire.

Bright as a cloudless summer sun,
With stately port he moves;
His guardian seraph eyes with awe
The noble ward he loves.

Among the illustrious Scottish sons
That chief thou may'st discern;
Mark Scotia's fond returning eye,
It dwells upon Glencairn.

THE AMERICAN WAR.

A FRAGMENT.

WHEN Guildford good our pilot stood,
And did our helm thraw, man,

Ae night, at tea, began a plea,
Within America, man:

Then up they gat the maskin'-pat,
And in the sea did jaw, man;
And did nae less, in full Congréss,

Than quite refuse our law, man.

turn

quarrel

tea-pot

Then through the lakes Montgomery1 takes,
I wat he was na slaw, man;

Down Lowrie's Burn 2 he took a turn,

And Carleton did ca', man ;
But yet, what-reck, he, at Quebec,
Montgomery-like3 did fa', man,

Wi' sword in hand, before his band,

Amang his en'mies a', man.

dash

drive before him

what matters

1 General Richard Montgomery invaded Canada, autumn 1775, and took Montreal, the British commander, Sir Guy Carleton, retiring before him. In an attack on Quebec he was less fortunate, being killed by a storm of grape-shot in leading on his men at Cape Diamond.

2 Lowrie's Burn, a pseudonyme for the St. Lawrence.

3 A passing compliment to the Montgomeries of Coilsfield, the patrons of the poet.

1

Poor Tammy Gage, within a cage,
Was kept at Boston ha', man ;
Till Willie Howe took o'er the knowe

For Philadelphia, man.
Wi' sword and gun he thought a sin
Guid Christian blood to draw, man:
But at New York, wi' knife and fork,
Sir-loin he hacked sma', man.

3

Burgoyne gaed up, like spur and whip,
Till Fraser brave did fa', man;

Then lost his way, ae misty day,

In Saratoga shaw, man.
Cornwallis fought as lang's he dought,

And did the buckskins claw, man;

But Clinton's glaive frae rust to save,
He hung it to the wa', man.

Then Montague, and Guildford too,
Began to fear a fa', man;

And Sackville dour, wha stood the

stoure,

knoll

wood

could

sword

obdurate

dust

1 General Gage, governor of Massachusetts, was cooped up in Boston by General Washington during the latter part of 1775 and early part of 1776. In consequence of his inefficiency, he was replaced in October of that year by General Howe.

2 General Howe removed his army from New York to Philadelphia in the summer of 1777.

8 Alluding to a razzia made by orders of Howe at Peekskill, March 1777, when a large quantity of cattle belonging to the Americans was destroyed.

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