35 Is once again with Eden blest, 'Twas thus, as under shade I stood, Oh! by yonder mossy seat, 50 In my hours of sweet retreat, With sense of gratitude and joy! In heavenly vision, praise, and prayer; The sun, that walks his airy way, To light the world, and give the day; 65 The moon, that shines with borrow'd light; The stars, that gild the gloomy night; The seas, that roll unnumber'd waves; The wood, that spreads its shady leaves; The field, whose ears conceal the grain, 70 The yellow treasure of the plain; All of these, and all I see, 75 Go search among your idle dreams, ALLAN RAMSAY (1686-1758) THE HIGHLAND LADDIE The Lawland lads think they are fine, 1 charm; bewitch Chorus 50 my bonny, bonny Highland laddie! My handsome, charming Highland laddie! May Heaven still guard and love reward Our Lawland lass and her Highland laddie! If I were free at will to chuse 10 To be the wealthiest Lawland lady, I'd take young Donald without trews,1 With bonnet blew and belted plaidy. 15 20 3 The brawest beau in borrows town, O'er benty hill with him I'll run, And leave my Lawland kin and dady; Frae winter's cauld and summer's sun He'll screen me with his Highland plaidy. A painted room and silken bed May please a Lawland laird and lady, But I can kiss and be as glad Behind a bush in 's Highland plaidy. 25 Few compliments between us pass: 30 5 10 Than that his love prove true and steady, Like mine to him, which ne'er shall end ' While Heaven preserve my Highland laddie. 1 Patie. Were thou a giglet gawky3 like the lave,1 That little better than our nowt behave; 80 At naught they'll ferly; senseless tales believe; Be blythe for silly heghts, for trifles grieve: Sic ne'er cou'd win my heart, that kenna how Either to keep a prize, or yet prove true; But thou, in better sense without a flaw, 85 As in thy beauty, far excels them a': Continue kind, an' a' my care shall be, How to contrive what pleasing is for thee. 90 95 Peggy. Agreed.-But hearken! yon's auld aunty's cry, 110 I ken they'll wonder what can mak us 115 stay. Patie. An' let them ferly.-Now a Or five-score guid anes wadna be amiss; 120 The maiden that o'er quickly tines1 her power, Like unripe fruit, will taste but hard an' Patie sings. sour. But gin they hing o'er lang upon the Their sweetness they may tine; an' sae tree, may ye. Red-cheeked ye completely ripe appear, An' I hae thol'd2 and woo'd a lang halfyear. PREFACE TO THE EVERGREEN I have observed that readers of the best and most exquisite discernment frequently complain of our modern writings as filled with affected delicacies and studied re5 finements, which they would gladly exchange for that natural strength thought and simplicity of style our forefathers practiced. To such, I hope, the following collection of poems will not be 10 displeasing. of When these good old bards wrote, we had not yet made use of imported trimming upon our clothes, nor of foreign embroidery in our writings. Their poetry 15 is the product of their own country, not $ attempt 1 loses have suffered 3 |