The friend thou valued'st, I the Patron lov'd; And tread the shadowy path to that dark world unknown. TO MISS CRUIKSHANK, A VERY YOUNG LADY, WRITTEN ON THE BLANK LEAF OF A BOOK, PRESENTED TO HER BY THE AUTHOR. BEAUTEOUS rose-bud, young and gay, Never may'st thou, lovely flow'r, Never Boreas' hoary path, Never Eurus' pois'nous breath, Never baleful stellar lights, Taint thee with untimely blights! Never, never reptile thief Riot on thy virgin leaf! Nor even Sol too fiercely view Thy bosom blushing still with dew! May'st thou long, sweet crimson gem, Richly deck thy native stem; Till some evening, sober, calm, And resign to parent earth The loveliest form she e'er gave birth. ΤΟ 20 VERSES TO A YOUNG LADY, MISS GRAHAM OF FINTRY, WITH A PRESENT OF SONGS. HERE, where the Scottish Muse immortal lives, So may no ruffian-feeling in thy breast Or Pity's notes, in luxury of tears, As modest Want the tale of woe reveals; ΙΟ WRITTEN ON THE BLANK LEAF OF THE LAST EDITION OF HIS POEMS, PRESENTED TO THE LADY WHOM HE HAD OFTEN CELEBRATED UNDER THE NAME OF CHLORIS. "TIs Friendship's pledge, my young, fair friend, Nor with unwilling ear attend The moralizing Muse. Since thou, in all thy youth and charms, Must bid the world adieu (A world 'gainst peace in constant arms) Since, thy gay morn of life o'ercast, Since life's gay scenes must charm no more,- Still nobler wealth hast thou in store- Thine is the self-approving glow, The joys refin'd of sense and taste, TO A YOUNG LADY, MISS JESSY LEWARS, DUMFRIES, WITH BOOKS WHICH THE BARD PRESENTED HER. THINE be the volumes, Jessy fair, 10 20 ΙΟ To a Gentleman who had sent Him a Newspaper. 269 THE FOLLOWING POEM WAS WRITTEN TO A GENTLEMAN WHO HAD SENT HIM A NEWSPAPER, AND OFFERED TO CONTINUE IT FREE OF EXPENSE. KIND Sir, I've read your paper through, Or Poland, wha had now the tack o't; How cut-throat Prussian blades were hingin'; If Spaniard, Portuguese or Swiss, In Britain's court, kept up the game: ΙΟ 20 30 A' this and mair I never heard of; Remonstrance to the Gentleman to whom the foregoing Poem was addressed. Dear Peter, dear Peter, Are often negleckit, ye ken; For instance, your sheet, man, (Though glad I'm to see't, man,) I get it no ae day in ten. SENT TO A GENTLEMAN WHOM HE HAD OFFENDED. THE friend whom wild from wisdom's way The fumes of wine infuriate send (Not moony madness more astray) Who but deplores that hapless friend? Mine was th' insensate frenzied part, Ah! why should I such scenes out-live? Scenes so abhorrent to my heart! 40 |