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ELEGY, ETC.

THE SELKIRK GRACE.'

SOME hae meat, and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

237

ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF PEG NICHOLSON.

PEG NICHOLSON was a gude bay mare,

As ever trode on airn;

But now she's floating down the Nith,
An' past the mouth o' Cairn.

Peg Nicholson was a gude bay mare,
An' rode thro' thick an' thin;
But now she's floating down the Nith,
An' wanting ev'n the skin.

Peg Nicholson was a gude bay mare,
An' ance she bare a priest;

But now she 's floating down the Nith,
For Solway fish a feast.

Peg Nicholson was a gude bay mare,

An' the priest he rode her sair;

An' meikle oppress'd an' bruised she was,
As priest-rid cattle are.

ON SEEING MISS FONTENELLE IN A FAVOURITE CHARACTER.

SWEET naïveté of feature,

Simple, wild, enchanting elf,
Not to thee, but thanks to Nature,
Thou art acting but thyself.

Wert thou awkward, stiff, affected,
Spurning nature, torturing art;
Loves and graces all rejected,

Then indeed thou'd'st act a part.

Baid by Burns, at the request of the Earl of Selkirk.

THE LEAGUE AND COVENANT.'
THE solemn League and Covenant

Cost Scotland blood-cost Scotland tears;
But it seal'd Freedom's sacred cause-
If thou'rt a slave, indulge thy sneers.

ON MISS JESSY LEWARS.

TALK not to me of savages
From Afric's burning sun,

No savage e'er could rend my heart,
As, Jessy, thou hast done.

But Jessy's lovely hand in mine,

A mutual faith to plight,

Not ev'n to view the Heavenly choir,

Would be so blest a sight.

EPITAPH ON MISS JESSY LEWARS."

SAY, Sages, what's the charm on earth

Can turn Death's dart aside?

It is not purity and worth,

Else Jessy had not died.

THE RECOVERY OF JESSY LEWARS.

BUT rarely seen since Nature's birth,

The natives of the sky,

Yet still one Seraph's left on earth,

For Jessy did not die.

THE TOAST.

FILL me with the rosy wine,
Call a toast, a toast divine;
Give the Poet's darling flame,
Lovely Jessy be the name;
Then thou mayest freely boast,
Thou hast given a peerless toast.

In reply to a gentleman who undervalued the sufferings of Scotland for conscience sake."

2 Playfully written, when she was indisposed.

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TO MISS C.-WRITTEN ON A BLANK LEAF OF ONE OF MISS HANNAH MORE'S WORKS.

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THOU flattering mark of friendship kind,
Still may thy pages call to mind

The dear, the beauteous donor:

Though sweetly female every part,
Yet such a head, and more the heart,
Does both the sexes honour.

She showed her taste refined and just
When she selected thee,

Yet deviating, own I must,

For so approving me.

But kind still, I'll mind still

The giver in the gift;

I'll bless her and wiss her

A Friend above the Lift."

INSCRIPTION ON A GOBLET.

THERE's death in the cup-sae beware!
Nay, more-there is danger in touching;
But wha can avoid the fell snare?

The man and his wine sae bewitching!

THE BOOK-WORMS.3

THROUGH and through the inspired leaves,
Ye maggots, make your windings;
But, oh! respect his Lordship's taste,
And spare his golden bindings.

1 Hot.

Sky.

'Suggested by a splendidly bound, but worm-eaten copy of Shaks

peare.

ON ROBERT RIDDEL.

To Riddel, much-lamented man,
This ivied cot was dear;

Reader, dost value matchless worth?
The ivied cot revere.

WILLIE CHALMERS.'

Wr' braw new branks in mickle pride,
And eke a braw new brechan,
My Pegasus I'm got astride,

And up Parnassus pechin;'

Whiles owre a bush wi' downward crush
The doited beastie stammers;
Then up he gets, and off he sets,
For sake o' Willie Chalmers.

I doubt na, lass, that weel-kenn'd name
May cost a pair o' blushes;

I am nae stranger to your fame,
Nor his warm-urged wishes.
Your bonnie face sae mild and sweet,

His honest heart enamours,

And, faith, ye'll no be lost a whit,
Tho' waired on Willie Chalmers.

Auld Truth hersel' might swear ye're fair,
And Honour safely back her,
And Modesty assume your air,
And ne'er a ane mistak her:
And sic twa love-inspiring een
Might fire even holy Palmers;
Nae wonder then they've fatal been
To honest Willie Chalmers.

I doubt nae fortune may you shore
Some mim-mou'd' pouthered priestie;
Fu' lifted up wi' Hebrew lore,

And hand upon his breastie:

1 Mr. Chalmers, a gentleman in Ayrshire, a particular friend of mine, asked me to write a poetic epistle to a young lady, his Dulcinea. I had seen her, but was scarcely acquainted with her. and wrote as follows.-R. B.

With new bridle and collar. 9 Panting. Gentle-mouthed,

TO JOHN TAYLOR.

But oh! what signifies to you,
His lexicons and grammars;
The feeling heart's the royal blue,
And that's wi' Willie Chalmers.

Some gapin' glowrin' countra laird
May warsle for your favour;
May claw his lug, and straik his beard,
And hoast up some palaver;
My bonny maid, before ye wed
Sic clumsy-witted hammers,

Seek Heaven for help, and barefit skelp
Awa' wi' Willie Chalmers.

Forgive the Bard! my fond regard,
For ane that shares my bosom,
Inspires my muse to gie 'm his dues,
For deil a hair I roose1 him.
May powers aboon unite you sɔon,
And fructify your amours,
And every year come in mair dear
To you and Willie Chalmers.

TO JOHN TAYLOR.

WITH Pegasus upon a day,
Apollo, weary flying,-

Through frosty hills the journey lay,
On foot the way was plying.

Poor slip-shod giddy Pegasus
Was but a sorry walker;
To Vulcan then Apollo goes,
To get a frosty calker.

Obliging Vulcan fell to work,
Threw by his coat and bonnet,
And did Sol's business in a crack;
Sol paid him with a sonnet.

Ye Vulcan's sons of Wanlockhead,
Pity my sad disaster;

My Pegasus is poorly shod

I'll pay you like my master.

1 Praise.

243

* Burns, during one of his excise journeys, on a winter day, found it necessary to get his horse's shoes "roughed." The blacksmith was very busy; and the Poet sought Mr. Taylor's influence in obtaining his aid.-R.

K

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