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THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

THE Solemn League and Covenant

Cost Scotland blood-cost Scotland tears;
But it sealed freedom's sacred cause-

If thou'rt a slave, indulge thy sneers.

ON A CERTAIN PARSON'S LOOKS.

THAT there is falsehood in his looks
I must and will deny ;

They say their master is a knave--
And sure they do not lie.

ON MR M'MURDO,

INSCRIBED ON A PANE OF GLASS IN HIS HOUSE.

BLEST be M'Murdo to his latest day

No envious cloud o'ercast his evening ray;
No wrinkle furrowed by the hand of care,
Nor ever sorrow add one silver hair!
Oh, may no son the father's honour stain,
Nor ever daughter give the mother pain!

WRITTEN ON A WINDOW OF THE GLOBE TAVERN
DUMFRIES.

THE graybeard, old Wisdom, may boast of his treasures,
Give me with gay Folly to live;

I grant him his calm-blooded, time-settled pleasures,
But Folly has raptures to give.

EXCISEMEN UNIVERSAL.

WRITTEN ON A WINDOW IN THE KING'S ARMS, DUMFRIES.

YE men of wit and wealth, why all this sneering
'Gainst poor excisemen? give the cause a hearing.
What are your landlords' rent-rolls? teasing ledgers:

What premiers-what? even monarchs' mighty gaugers: excisemen
Nay, what are priests, those seeming godly wise men?
What are they, pray, but spiritual excisemen?

ON A GROTTO IN FRIARS' CARSE GROUNDS.

To Riddel, much-lamented man,

This ivied cot was dear;

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

ON A NOTED COXCOMB.

LIGHT lay the earth on Billy's breast,
His chicken heart's so tender;

But build a castle on his head,
His skull will prop it under.

ON A PERSON

BORING A COMPANY WITH REFERENCES TO THE MANY GREAT
PEOPLE HE HAD BEEN VISITING.

No more of your titled acquaintances boast,
And in what lordly circles you've been :
An insect is still but an insect at most,
Though it crawl on the head of a queen.

ON SEEING THE BEAUTIFUL SEAT OF THE
EARL OF GALLOWAY.

WHAT dost thou in that mansion fair?

Flit, Galloway, and find

Some narrow, dirty, dungeon cave,

The picture of thy mind!

ON THE SAME

No Stewart art thou, Galloway,
The Stewarts all were brave;
Besides, the Stewarts were but fools
Not one of them a кnave.

Bright ran thy line, O Galloway,
Through many a far-famed sire
So ran the far-famed Roman way.
So ended in a mire.

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TO THE SAME,

ON THE AUTHOR BEING THREATENED WITH HIS RESENTMENT

SPARE me thy vengeance, Galloway:

In quiet let me live:

I ask no kindness at thy hand,

For thou hast none to give.

TO MISS JESSY LEWARS:

ON A MENAGERIE OF WILD BEASTS.

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 even to view the heavenly choir
Would be so blest a sight.

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A bonnie lass, I will confess,

The like I never saw.

Is pleasant to the ee,

But without some better qualities,

She's no the lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blithe and sweet,

And, what is best of a',

Her reputation is complete,

And fair without a flaw.

She dresses aye sae clean and neat,

Both decent and genteel:

And then there's something in her gait
Gars ony dress look weel.

A gaudy dress and gentle air
May slightly touch the heart;
But it's innocence and modesty
That polishes the dart.

"Tis this in Nelly pleases me,
"Tis this enchants my soul;
For absolutely in my breast
She reigns without control.

eye

60

makes any

I DREAMED I LAY.

1 DREAMED I lay where flowers were springing
Gaily in the sunny beam;
Listening to the wild birds singing,

By a falling, crystal stream:

Straight the sky grew black and daring;
Through the woods the whirlwinds rave;
Trees with aged arms were warring,
O'er the swelling drumlie wave.

Such was my life's deceitful morning,
Such the pleasure I enjoyed;

But lang or noon, loud tempests storming,
A' my flowery bliss destroyed.
Though fickle fortune has deceived me,

She promised fair, and performed but ill;

Of mony a joy and hope bereaved me,
I bear a heart shali support me still.

troubled

long ere

many

MY NANIE, O.

TUNE-My Nanie, O.

BEHIND yon hills where Lugar flows,
'Mang moors and mosses many, 0,
The wintry sun the day has closed,
And I'll awa to Nanie, O.

The westlin wind blaws loud and shill;

The night's baith mirk and rainy, O; But I'll get my plaid, and out I'll steal, And owre the hills to Nanie, O.

among

away

westerly, blows, shrill both dark

My Nanie's charming, sweet, and young;
Nae artfu' wiles to win ye, 0:

May ill befa' the flattering tongue

That wad beguile my Nanie, O!

Her face is fair, her heart is true,
As spotless as she's bonnie, 0:
The opening gowan, wet wi' dew,
Nae purer is than Nanie. O.

A country lad is my degree,

And few there be that ken me, 0; But what care I how few they be? I'm welcome aye to Nanie, O.

My riches a's my penny-fee,

And I maun guide it cannie, O; But warl's gear ne'er troubles me, My thoughts are a'-my Nanie,

over

DO

would

daisy

know

all is, wages must, carefully world's wealth

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