See, how she peels the skin an' fell,

As ane were peelin onions!

Now there, they're packèd aff to hell,

An' banish'd our dominions,

Henceforth this day.

flesh under the skin

XIII

O happy day! rejoice, rejoice!
Come bouse about the porter !
Morality's demure decoys

Shall here nae mair find quarter :
Mackinlay, Russell, are the boys
That Heresy can torture;

They'll gie her on a rape a hoyse,

And cowe her measure shorter

By th' head some day.

XIV

rope; hoist

crop

Come, bring the tither mutchkin in,
And here's-for a conclusion-
To ev'ry New Light mother's son,
From this time forth, confusion!
If mair they deave us wi' their din
Or patronage intrusion,
We'll light a spunk, and ev'ry skin
We'll run them aff in fusion,
Like oil some day.

pint

[Notes]

deafen

match

THE CALF

To the Rev. James Steven, on his text, MALACHI iv. 2:'And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.'

uncommon

RIGHT, sir! your text I'll prove it true,
Tho' heretics may laugh;

For instance, there's yoursel just now,
God knows, an unco calf.

And, in your lug, most reverend James,

To hear you roar and rowte, Few men o' sense will doubt

To rank among the nowte.

ear

low

your

claims

cattle

VI

And when ye're number'd wi' the dead

Below a grassy hillock,

With justice they may mark your head :'Here lies a famous bullock!'

O YE, wha are sae guid yoursel,

Sae pious and sae holy,

Ye've nought to do but mark and tell

Your neebours' fauts and folly;

well-going

hopper clapper

company

sober giddy

put forward

restive

exchange

rest

Whase life is like a weel-gaun mill,

Supplied wi' store o' water;

The heapet happer's ebbing still,

An' still the clap plays clatter!

II

Hear me, ye venerable core,
As counsel for poor mortals
That frequent pass douce Wisdom's door
For glaikit Folly's portals:

I for their thoughtless, careless sakes
Would here propone defences-

Their donsie tricks, their black mistakes,
Their failings and mischances.

III

Ye see your state wi' theirs compared,
And shudder at the niffer;
But cast a moment's fair regard,

What makes the mighty differ?
Discount what scant occasion gave;
That purity ye pride in ;

And (what's aft mair than a' the lave)
Your better art o' hidin.

IV

Think, when your castigated pulse

Gies now and then a wallop,

What ragings must his veins convulse,
That still eternal gallop!

Wi' wind and tide fair i' your tail,
Right on ye scud your sea-way ;
But in the teeth o' baith to sail,

It maks an unco lee-way.

V

See Social-life and Glee sit down
All joyous and unthinking,

Till, quite transmugrify'd, they're grown
Debauchery and Drinking:

O, would they stay to calculate,

Th' eternal consequences,
Or-your more dreaded hell to state-
Damnation of expenses!

VI

Ye high, exalted, virtuous dames,

Tied up in godly laces,

Before ye gie poor Frailty names,
Suppose a change o' cases:

A dear-lov'd lad, convenience snug,
A treach'rous inclination-
But, let me whisper i' your lug,

Ye're aiblins nae temptation.

VII

Then gently scan your brother man,

Still gentler sister woman;

uncommon

ear

maybe

Tho' they may gang a kennin wrang,
To step aside is human:

[Notes]