V.

Far be't frae me that I afpire
To blame your legislation,
Or fay, ye wisdom want, or fire
To rule this mighty nation;

But, faith! I muckle doubt, my Sire;
Ye've trufted Ministration

To chaps, wha, in a barn or byre,

Wad better fill'd their station

Than courts yon day.

VI.

And now ye've gien auld Britain peace,,

Her broken fhins to plaifter,

Your fair taxation does her fleece,

Till he has fcarce a tefter:

For me, thank God! my life's a leafe, ›
Nae bargain wearing fafter,

Or, faith! I fear that wi' the geefe,

I fhortly boost to pature

I' the craft fome day.

VII.

I'm no miftrufting Willie Pitt,

When taxes he enlarges,

(An' Will's a true good fallow's get,

A name not Envy spairges),,
That he intends to pay your debt,
And leffen a' your charges;
But, G-d fake! let nae faving-fit
Abridge your bonny Barges

An' Boats this day.

VIII.

Adieu, my Liege! may Freedom geck
Beneath your high protection;
An' may ye rax Corruption's neck,
And gie her for diffection!

But fin' I'm here, Ill no neglect,,

In royal, true affection,

To pay your Queen, with due respect,

My fealty an' fubjection.

This great Birth-day..

IX.

Hail, Majefty mof Excellent!

While Nobles ftrive to please Ye,.

Will Ye accept a compliment

A fimple Bardie gies Ye?

Thae bonny Bairntime Heav'n has lent,
Still higher may they heeze Ye
In blifs, till Fate fome day is fent

For ever to release Ye

Frae care that day.

X.

For you, young Potentate o' W

I tell your Highness fairly,

Down Pleafure's stream, wi' fwelling fails,

Im tauld ye're driving rarely !
But fome day ye may kna your nails,

An' curfe your folly fairly,

That e'er ye brak Diana's pales,

Or rattl'd dice wi' Charlie

By night or day..

XI.

Yet aft a ragged Cowt's been known
To make a nobler Aiver;

Sae ye may doucely fill a throne,

For a' their clish-ma-claver:

There Him at Agincourt wha fhone,.
Few better were or braver ;

And yet, wi' funny, queer Sir John ↑
He was an unco shaver,

For monie a day,

XII.

-Ç,

For you, right rev'red 0.

Nane fets the lawn fleeve sweeter,

Altho' a ribban at your lug

Wad been a drefs completer: As ye difown yon paughty dog That bears the keys o' Peter,

Then, fwith! an get a

ife to hug,

Or, troth! yell itain the Mitre

Some lucklefs day.

XIII.

Young, royal Tarry-Breeks, I learn,

Ye've lately come athwart her;
A glorious Galley§, ftem and ftern,.
Weel rigg'd for Venus' barter;

But first hang out, that fhe'll difcern,

*King Henry.

Sir John Falstaff. See Shakespeare.

Alluding to the News-paper account of a ce:tain Royal Sailor's amour.

Your hymeneal charter,

Then heave aboard your grapple airn,

An' large upo' her quarter

Come full that day

XIV.

Ye, laftly, bonny blossoms a'

Ye royal laffes dainty,

Heav'n mak you guid as weel as braw,

An' gie you lads ä-plenty
But fneer na British boys awa',.

For Kings are unco fcant ay;
An' German Gentles are but sma',...

They're better just than want ay

On onie day..

XV.

God blefs you a'! confider now

Ye're unco muckle dautet;

But 'ere the courfe o' life be through,,

It may be better sauted:

An' I hae feen their cogie fou,

That yet hae tarrow't at it;

But or the day was done, I trow,
The laggen they hae clautet.

Fu' clean that day..

THE

VISION.

DUAN FIRST*.

THE Sun had clos'd the winter day,

The Curlers quat their roaring play,.
An' hunger'd Maukin, ta en her way

To kail-yards green,

While faithlefs fnaws ilk ftep betray

Whare the has been..

The Thresher's weary flinging-tree-
The lee-lang day had tired me;
And when the day had clos'd his e'e

Far i' the Weft,

Ben i' the Spence, right penfivelie,

I gaed to reft.

There, lanely, by the ingle cheek,

I fat and ey'd the spewing reck,

That fill'd, wi hoaft provoking fmeek,

And heard the reflefs rattons fqueak

The auld clay biggin,

About the riggin.

*Duan, a term of Ofian's for the different divifions of a

digreffive Poem. See his Cath- Leda, vol. 2, of M

Tra..ilation.

Pherfon's