THE FIVE CARLINS.

And he wad doe their errands weel,
And meikle he wad say,
And ilka ane at Lon'on court

Wad bid to him guid day.

Then neist came in a sodger youth,'
And spak wi' modest grace,
An' he wad gae to Lon'on town,
If sae their pleasure was

He wad nae hecht' them courtly gift,
Nor meikle speech pretend;

But he wad hecht an honest heart
Wad ne'er desert his friend

Now, whom to choose, and whom refuse,
To strife thae Carlins fell;

For some had gentle folk to please,
And some wad please themsel.

Then out spak mim-mou'd Meg o' Nith,
An' she spak out wi' pride,

An' she wad send the scdger youth;
Whatever might betide.

For the auld guidman o' Lon'on court
She dinna care a pin,

But she wad send the sodger youth

To greet his eldest son.

Then up sprang Bess o' Annandale:

A deadly aith she's ta'en,

That she wad vote the border Knight,
Tho' she should vote her lane.

For far-aff fowls hae feathers fair,
An' fools o' change are fain:
But I hae tried this border Knight,

An' I'll trie him yet again.

Says auld black Joan frae Creighton poob
A Carlin stout and grim,

The auld guidman, or young guidman,

For me may sink or swim!

For fools may prate o' right and wrang,
While knaves laugh them to scorn:

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But the sodger's friends hae blawn the best Sae he shall bear the horn.

Captain Miller.

2 Offer.

Then whisky Jean spak owre her drink,
"Ye weel ken, kimmers a',

The auld guidman o' Lon'on court,
His back's been at the wa'.

And monie a friend that kiss'd his caup,
Is now a fremit wight;

But it's ne'er sae wi' whisky Jean,-
We'll send the border Knight."

Then slow raise Marjorie o' the Lochs,
And wrinkled was her brow;
Her ancient weed was russet gray,
Her auld Scots heart was true.

"There's some great folks set light by me,
I set as light by them;
But I will send to Lon'on town,

Wha I lo'e best at hame."

So how this weighty plea will end,
Nae mortal wight can tell;
God grant the King, and ilka man,
May look weel to himsel'!'

THE DEUKS DANG O'ER MY DADDIE.

THE bairns gat out wi' an unco shout,
The deuks dang o'er my daddie, O!
The fient ma care, quo' the feirie auld wife,
He was but a paidlin body, O!

He paidles out, and he paidles in,
An' he paidles late and early, O;

Thae seven lang years I hae lien by his side
An' he is but a fusionless carlie, O.

O haud your tongue, my feirie auld wife,
O haud your tongue now, Nansie, 0:
I've seen the day, and sae hae ye,

Ye wadna been sae donsie, 0:

I've seen the day ye butter'd my brose,
And cuddl'd me late and earlie, O;
But downa do's come o'er me now,
And, oh, I feel it sairly, O!

1 Miller was elected,

A BARD'S EPITAPH.

359

A BARD'S EPITAPH.

Is there a whim-inspir'd fool,

Owre fast for thought, owre hot for rule,
Owre blate' to seek, owre proud to snool,'
Let him draw near;

And owre this grassy heap sing dool,
And drap a tear.

Is there a Bard of rustic song,

Who, noteless, steals the crowds among,
That weekly this area throng,

O, pass not by!

But, with a frater-feeling strong,

Here, heave a sigh.

Is there a man whose judgment clear,
Can others teach the course to steer,
Yet runs, himself, life's mad career
Wild as the wave;

Here pause-and, thro' the starting tear,
Survey this grave.

The poor Inhabitant below

Was quick to learn, and wise to know,
And keenly felt the friendly glow,

And softer flame;

But thoughtless follies laid him low,
And stain'd his name!

Reader, attend-whether thy soul
Soars fancy's flights beyond the pole,
Or darkling grubs this earthly hole,
In low pursuit;

Know, prudent, cautious self-control
Is wisdom's root.

1 Bashful.

2 Submit tamely.

'Burns might have remembered Goldsmith's picture or un author:-A child of the public he is in all respects; for while he is so able to direct others, how incapable is he frequently found of guiding himself! His simplicity exposes him to all the insidious approaches of cunning; his sensibility to the slightest invasions of contempt. Though possessed of fortitude to stand unmoved the expected bursts of an earthquake, yet of feelings so exquisitely poignant, as to agonize under the slightest disappointment.-The Present State of Polite Learning, chapter X.

MY HARRY WAS A GALLANT GAY.

TUNE-" HIGHLANDER'S LAMENT.'

My Harry was a gallant gay,

Fu' stately strode he on the plain!
But now he's banish'd far away,
I'll never see him back again.

CHORUS.

O for him back again,
O for him back again,
I wad gie a' Knockhaspie's land,
For Highland Harry back again.

When a' the lave gae to their bed,
I wander dowie up the glen;
I sit me down and greet my fill,
And aye I wish him back again.

O for him, &c.

O were some villains hangit high,
And ilka body had their ain,
Then I might see the joyfu' sight,
My Highland Harry back again!
O for him, &c.

THE UNION.

TUNK-" SUCH A PARCEL OF ROGUES IN A NATION."

FAREWEEL to a' Scottish fame,

Fareweel our ancient glory!

Fareweel even to the Scottish name,

Sae fam'd in martial story!

THERE WAS A BONNIE LASS.

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Now Sark rins o'er the Solway sands,

And Tweed rins to the ocean,

To mark where England's province stands:-
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!

What guile or force could not subdue,
Through many warlike ages,
Is wrought now by a coward few,
For hireling traitors' wages.
The English steel we could disdain,
Secure in valour's station,

But English gold has been our bane:—
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!

O would, or had I seen the day
That Treason thus could sell us,
My auld grey head had lien in clay
Wi' Bruce and loyal Wallace!
But pith and power, till my last hour
I'll mak this declaration,

We're bought and sold for English gold:-
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!

THERE WAS A BONNIE LASS.

THERE was a bonnie lass, and a bonnie, bonnie lass, And she lo'ed her bonnie laddie, dear;

Till war's loud alarms tore her laddie frae her arms, Wi' monie a sigh and tear.

Over sea, over shore, where the cannons loudly roar,
He still was a stranger to fear:

And nocht could him quell, or his bosom assail,
But the bonnie lass he lo'ed sae dear.