40

We will get famous laughin

At them this day."

45

My Muse, though hamely in attire,

May touch the heart.

Quoth I, "With a' my heart, I'll do't:

4

I'll get my Sunday's sark on, An' meet you on the holy spot;

5

Faith, we'se hae fine remarkin!" Then I gaed hame at crowdie-time, An' soon I made me ready; For roads were clad frae side to side Wi' mony a wearie body

50

In droves that day.

55

9

in braw" braid-claith

Gaed hoddin by their cotters,

10

There swankies young

Are springin owre the gutters.

The lasses, skelpin 12 barefit, thrang,

In silks an' scarlets glitter,

Wi' sweet-milk cheese in mony a whang,13
An' farls bak'd wi' butter,
Fu' crump

60

15 that day.

5

25

30

14 clothes 18 substance

summer 10 stared

15 sloes

11

6 fresh women

16 hop

Here some are thinkin on their sins,
An' some upo' their claes;
Ane curses feet that fyl'd 18 his shins,
Anither sighs and prays:

On this hand sits a chosen swatch,19

Wi' screw'd-up grace-proud faces; On that a set o' chaps at watch, Thrang winkin on the lasses

To chairs that day.

O happy is that man and blest!
(Nae wonder that it pride him!)

"An' O! be sure to fear the Lord alway, 50 An' mind your duty, duly, morn an' night! Lest in temptation's path ye gang astray, Implore His counsel and assisting might: They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright!"

But hark! a rap comes gently to the door. 55 Jenny, wha kens the meaning o' the same, Tells how a neibor lad cam o'er the moor,

To do some errands, and convoy her hame. The wily mother sees the conscious flame Sparkle in Jenny's ee, and flush her cheek; 60 Wi' heart-struck, anxious care, inquires his

name,

While Jenny hafflins 10 is afraid to speak; Weel pleas'd the mother hears it's nae wild worthless rake.

Wi' kindly welcome Jenny brings him ben,"
A strappin youth; he takes the mother's

eye;

Blythe Jenny sees the visit's no ill taen; 66 The father cracks of horses, pleughs, and kye.12

1 presently 2 drive 3 careful asks 7 odds and ends makes 12 COWS

B stagger fluttering

11 within

fine hard-won diligent 10 partly

The youngster's artless heart o'erflows wi' joy, But, blate and laithfu', scarce can weel behave;

The mother wi' a woman's wiles can spy 70 What maks the youth sae bashfu' an' sae grave, Weel-pleas'd to think her bairn's respected like the lave.3

O happy love! where love like this is found! O heart-felt raptures! bliss beyond compare! I've pacèd much this weary, mortal round, 75 And sage experience bids me this declare "If Heaven a draught of heavenly pleasure spare,

One cordial in this melancholy vale,

'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair, In other's arms breathe out the tender tale, 80 Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the ev'ning gale."

Is there, in human form, that bears a heart,
A wretch! a villain! lost to love and truth!

That can with studied, sly, ensnaring art

Betray sweet Jenny's unsuspecting youth? 85 Curse on his perjur'd arts! dissembling smooth!

Are honour, virtue, conscience, all exil'd? Is there no pity, no relenting ruth, Points to the parents fondling o'er their child, Then paints the ruin'd maid, and their distraction wild?

5

90

But now the supper crowns their simple board, The halesome parritch,1 chief of Scotia's food; The sowpe their only hawkie" does afford, That yont the hallan snugly chows her cud. The dame brings forth, in complimental

mood,

7

8

95

To grace the lad, her weel-hain'd' kebbuck fell,10

An' aft" he's prest, an' aft he ca's it guid; The frugal wifie, garrulous, will tell, How 'twas a towmond 12 auld, sin' lint bell.

13

was i' the

317

Together hymning their Creator's praise,
In such society, yet still more dear,
While circling Time moves round in an eternal
sphere.

Compar'd with this, how poor Religion's pride
In all the pomp of method and of art, 146
When men display to congregations wide
Devotion's ev'ry grace except the heart!
The Pow'r, incens'd, the pageant will desert,
The pompous strain, the sacerdotal stole; 150
But haply in some cottage far apart