INSCRIPTION

Written on the blank leaf of a copy of the last edition of my poems, presented to the Lady whom, in so many fictitious reveries of passion, but with the most ardent sentiments of real friendship, I have so often sung under the name of “Chloris.”1

'Tis Friendship's pledge, my young, fair Friend,
Nor thou the gift refuse,

Nor with unwilling ear attend
The moralising Muse.

Since thou, in all thy youth and charms,

Must bid the world adieu,

(A world 'gainst Peace in constant arms)
To join the Friendly Few.

Since, thy gay morn of life o'ercast,
Chill came the tempest's lour;

(And ne'er Misfortune's eastern blast

Did nip a fairer flower.)

Since life's gay scenes must charm no more,

Still much is left behind,

Still nobler wealth hast thou in store-
The comforts of the mind!

Thine is the self-approving glow,
Of conscious Honour's part;
And (dearest gift of Heaven below)
Thine Friendship's truest heart.

The joys refin'd of Sense and Taste,
With every Muse to rove:

And doubly were the Poet blest,
These joys could he improve.

1 Miss Lorimer.

R.B.

FRAGMENT.-LEEZIE LINDSAY

WILL ye go to the Hielands, Leezie Lindsay,
Will ye go to the Hielands wi' me?

Will ye go to the Hielands, Leezie Lindsay,
My pride and my darling to be.

FRAGMENT.-THE WREN'S NEST

THE Robin to the Wren's nest
Cam keekin in, cam keekin in;
O weel's me on your auld pow,
Wad ye be in, wad ye be in?
Thou's ne'er get leave to lie without,
And I within, and I within,
Sae lang's I hae an auld clout
To rowe ye in, to rowe ye in.

NEWS, LASSIES, NEWS
THERE'S news, lassies, news,

Gude news I've to tell!
There's a boat fu' o' lads
Come to our town to sell.

Chorus-The wean wants a cradle,

And the cradle wants a cod:
I'll no gang to my bed,
Until I get a nod.

Father, quo' she, Mither, quo she,

Do what you can,

I'll no gang to my bed,

Until I get a man.

The wean, &c.

HC VI

Chorus-Ance crowdie, twice crowdie,
Three times crowdie in a day
Gin ye crowdie ony mair,

Ye'll crowdie a' my meal away.

Waefu' Want and Hunger fley me,
Glowrin by the hallan en';

Sair I fecht them at the door,

But aye I'm eerie they come ben.
Ance crowdie, &c.

MALLY'S MEEK, MALLY'S SWEET

Chorus-Mally's meek, Mally's sweet,
Mally's modest and discreet;
Mally's rare, Mally's fair,
Mally's every way complete.

As I was walking up the street,
A barefit maid I chanc'd to meet;
But O the road was very hard
For that fair maiden's tender feet.
Mally's meek, &c.

KK

It were mair meet that those fine feet
Were weel laced up in silken shoon;
An' 'twere more fit that she should sit
Within yon chariot gilt aboon,
Mally's meek, &c.

Her yellow hair, beyond compare,
Comes trinklin down her swan-like neck,
And her two eyes, like stars in skies,
Would keep a sinking ship frae wreck,
Mally's meek, &c.

JOCKEY'S TAEN THE PARTING KISS

Air-" Bonie lass tak a man."

JOCKEY'S taen the parting kiss,
O'er the mountains he is gane,
And with him is a' my bliss,

Nought but griefs with me remain,
Spare my Love, ye winds that blaw,
Plashy sleets and beating rain!
Spare my Love, thou feath'ry snaw,
Drifting o'er the frozen plain!

When the shades of evening creep
O'er the day's fair, gladsome e'e,
Sound and safely may he sleep,
Sweetly blythe his waukening be.
He will think on her he loves,
Fondly he'll repeat her name;
For where'er he distant roves,
Jockey's heart is still the same.

VERSES TO COLLECTOR MITCHELL

FRIEND of the Poet, tried and leal,
Wha, wanting thee, might beg or steal;

Alake, alake, the meikle deil

Wi' a' his witches

Are at it skelpin jig and reel,
In my poor pouches?

I modestly fu' fain wad hint it,
That One-pound-one, I sairly want it;
If wi' the hizzie down ye sent it,
It would be kind;

And while my heart wi' life-blood dunted,
I'd bear't in mind.

So may the Auld year gang out moanin
To see the New come laden, groanin,
Wi' double plenty o'er the loanin,
To thee and thine:

Domestic peace and comforts crownin
The hale design.

POSTSCRIPT

Ye've heard this while how I've been lickit,
And by fell Death was nearly nickit;
Grim loon! he got me by the fecket,
And sair me sheuk;

But by gude luck I lap a wicket,
And turn'd a neuk.

But by that health, I've got a share o't,
But by that life, I'm promis'd mair o't,
My hale and weel, I'll tak a care o't,
A tentier way;

Then farewell folly, hide and hair o't,
For ance and aye!