But hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys, and recís, At winnock-bunker' in the east, There sat auld Nick, in shape o' beast; He screw'd the pipes and gart3 them skirl,* Coffins stood round, like open presses, A murderer's banes in gibbet airns; Which ev'n to name wad be unlawfu', As Tammie glowr'd, amaz'd, and curious, The piper loud and louder blew; The dancers quick and quicker flew; They reel'd, they set, they cross'd, they cleekit, And coost her duddies' to the wark, And linket at it in her sark! Now Tam, O Tam! had thae been queans 1 Window-seat. • Irons. 4 Scream. Tripped along. 2 Shaggy. $ Forced. 7 Clothes. 11 These. 12 • Magic. • Greasy. 10 The manufacturing term for a fine linen, woven in a reed of 1700 divisions.--Cromek. 12 Loins. TAM O'SHANTER. But wither'd beldams, auld and droll, Rigwoodie hags, wad spean a foal, Lowping and flinging on a crummock,' I wonder didna turn thy stomach. But Tam kend what was what fu' brawlie, "There was ae winsome wench and walie," That night enlisted in the core, (Lang after kend on Carrick shore; But here my muse her wing maun cour; And roars out, "Weel done, Cutty-sark!" And in an instant all was dark; And scarcely had he Maggie rallied, When plundering herds assail their byke;" When, pop! she starts before their nose; When, "Catch the thief!" resounds aloud; So Maggie runs, the witches follow, 153 In vain thy Kate awaits thy comin! Now, wha this tale o' truth shall read, ON THE LATE CAPTAIN GROSE'S PEREGRINA- HEAR, Land o' Cakes, and brither Scots, If there's a hole in a' your coats, 3 I rede you tent it;3 A chield's amang you, taking notes, And, faith, he'll prent it. If in your bounds ye chance to light That's he, mark weel And wow! he has an unco slight O' cauk and keel.' 1 It is a well-known fact, that witches, or any evil spirits, have no power to follow a poor wight any farther than the middle of the next running stream. It may be proper likewise to mention to the benighted traveller, that when he falls in with bogles, whatever danger may be in his going forward, there is much more hazard in turning back.-R. B. I advise you to look to it. 2 Effort. 4 Plump. 5 Chalk and red clay. CAPTAIN GROSE'S PEREGRINATIONS. 155 By some auld, houlet-haunted biggin,' It's ten to ane ye'll find him snug in Some eldritch part, Wi' deils, they say, Lord safe's! colleaguin Ilk ghaist that haunts auld ha' or chamer, And you deep read in hell's black grammar, Ye'll quake at his conjuring hammer, Ye midnight bitches. It's tauld he was a sodger bred, And dog-skin wallet, And ta'en the-Antiquarian trade, I think they call it. He has a fouth" o' auld nick-nackets; And parritch-pats, and auld saut-backets, Of Eve's first fire he has a cinder; A broom-stick o' the witch of Endor, Forbye, he'll shape you aff, fu' gleg, The knife that nicket Abel's craig He'll prove you fully, Or lang-kail gullie." It was a faulding jocteleg," 1 Building Has quitted. A twelvemonth. 3 Plenty. 1 Clasp-knife. • Vide his "Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons."-R. B. Nails. Large knife But wad ye see him in his glee— Gude fellows wi' him; And port, O port! shine thou a wee, And then ye'll see him' Now, by the Pow'rs o' verse and prose! They sair misca' thee; I'd take the rascal by the nose, Wad say, Shame fa' thee! ON SEEING A WOUNDED HARE LIMP BY ME WHICH A FELLOW HAD JUST SHOT AT.1 INHUMAN man! curse on thy barb'rous art, April, 1789. Go, live, poor wanderer of the wood and field, No more the thickening brakes and verdant plains Seek, mangled wretch, some place of wonted rest, Oft as by winding Nith, I, musing, wait The sober eve, or hail the cheerful dawn, I have just put the last hand to a little poem, which I think will te something to your taste. One morning lately as I was out pretty early in the fields sowing some grass seeds, I heard the burst of a shot from a neighbouring plantation, and presently a poor little wounded hare came crippling by me.-R. B. |