by Robert Burns
For me may sink or swim;
For fools will prate o’ right or wrang,
While knaves laugh them to scorn; 70
But the Soger’s friends hae blawn the best,
So he shall bear the horn.”
Then whisky Jean spak owre her drink,
“Ye weel ken, kimmers a’,
The auld gudeman o’ London court, 75
His back’s been at the wa’;
“And mony a friend that kiss’d his caup
Is now a fremit wight;
But it’s ne’er be said o’ whisky Jean —
We’ll send the Border Knight.” 80
Then slow raise Marjory o’ the Lochs,
And wrinkled was her brow,
Her ancient weed was russet gray,
Her auld Scots bluid was true;
“There’s some great folk set light by me, 85
I set as light by them;
But I will send to London town
Wham I like best at hame.”
Sae how this mighty plea may end,
Nae mortal wight can tell; 90
God grant the King and ilka man
May look weel to himsel.
Chronological List of Poems
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297.
Election Ballad for Westerha’
Tune— “Up and waur them a’, Willie.”
THE LADDIES by the banks o’ Nith
Wad trust his Grace wi a’, Jamie;
But he’ll sair them, as he sair’d the King —
Turn tail and rin awa’, Jamie.
Chorus. — Up and waur them a’, Jamie, 5
Up and waur them a’;
The Johnstones hae the guidin o’t,
Ye turncoat Whigs, awa’!
The day he stude his country’s friend,
Or gied her faes a claw, Jamie, 10
Or frae puir man a blessin wan,
That day the Duke ne’er saw, Jamie.
Up and waur them, &c.
But wha is he, his country’s boast?
Like him there is na twa, Jamie; 15
There’s no a callent tents the kye,
But kens o’ Westerha’, Jamie.
Up and waur them, &c.
To end the wark, here’s Whistlebirk,
Lang may his whistle blaw, Jamie; 20
And Maxwell true, o’ sterling blue;
And we’ll be Johnstones a’, Jamie.
Up and waur them, &c.
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298.
Prologue spoken at the Theatre of Dumfries
On New Year’s Day Evening, 1790.
NO song nor dance I bring from yon great city,
That queens it o’er our taste — the more’s the pity:
Tho’ by the bye, abroad why will you roam?
Good sense and taste are natives here at home:
But not for panegyric I appear, 5
I come to wish you all a good New Year!
Old Father Time deputes me here before ye,
Not for to preach, but tell his simple story:
The sage, grave Ancient cough’d, and bade me say,
“You’re one year older this important day,” 10
If wiser too — he hinted some suggestion,
But ‘twould be rude, you know, to ask the question;
And with a would-be roguish leer and wink,
Said— “Sutherland, in one word, bid them Think!”
Ye sprightly youths, quite flush with hope and spirit, 15
Who think to storm the world by dint of merit,
To you the dotard has a deal to say,
In his sly, dry, sententious, proverb way!
He bids you mind, amid your thoughtless rattle,
That the first blow is ever half the battle; 20
That tho’ some by the skirt may try to snatch him,
Yet by the foreclock is the hold to catch him;
That whether doing, suffering, or forbearing,
You may do miracles by persevering.
Last, tho’ not least in love, ye youthful fair, 25
Angelic forms, high Heaven’s peculiar care!
To you old Bald-pate smoothes his wrinkled brow,
And humbly begs you’ll mind the important-Now!
To crown your happiness he asks your leave,
And offers, bliss to give and to receive. 30
For our sincere, tho’ haply weak endeavours,
With grateful pride we own your many favours;
And howsoe’er our tongues may ill reveal it,
Believe our glowing bosoms truly feel it.
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1790
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299.
Sketch — New Year’s Day, 1790
To Mrs. Dunlop.
THIS day, Time winds th’ exhausted chain;
To run the twelvemonth’s length again:
I see, the old bald-pated fellow,
With ardent eyes, complexion sallow,
Adjust the unimpair’d machine, 5
To wheel the equal, dull routine.
The absent lover, minor heir,
In vain assail him with their prayer;
Deaf as my friend, he sees them press,
Nor makes the hour one moment less, 10
Will you (the Major’s with the hounds,
The happy tenants share his rounds;
Coila’s fair Rachel’s care to-day,
And blooming Keith’s engaged with Gray)
From housewife cares a minute borrow, 15
(That grandchild’s cap will do to-morrow,)
And join with me a-moralizing;
This day’s propitious to be wise in.
First, what did yesternight deliver?
“Another year has gone for ever.” 20
And what is this day’s strong suggestion?
“The passing moment’s all we rest on!”
Rest on — for what? what do we here?
Or why regard the passing year?
Will Time, amus’d with proverb’d lore, 25
Add to our date one minute more?
A few days may — a few years must —
Repose us in the silent dust.
Then, is it wise to damp our bliss?
Yes — all such reasonings are amiss! 30
The voice of Nature loudly cries,
And many a message from the skies,
That something in us never dies:
That on his frail, uncertain state,
Hang matters of eternal weight: 35
That future life in worlds unknown
Must take its hue from this alone;
Whether as heavenly glory bright,
Or dark as Misery’s woeful night.
Since then, my honour’d first of friends, 40
On this poor being all depends,
Let us th’ important now employ,
And live as those who never die.
Tho’ you, with days and honours crown’d,
Witness that filial circle round, 45
(A sight life’s sorrows to repulse,
A sight pale Envy to convulse),
Others now claim your chief regard;
Yourself, you wait your bright reward.
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300.
Scots Prologue for Mr. Sutherland
On his Benefit-Night, at the Theatre, Dumfries.
WHAT needs this din about the town o’ Lon’on,
How this new play an’ that new sang is comin?
Why is outlandish stuff sae meikle courted?
Does nonsense mend, like brandy, when imported?
Is there nae poet, burning keen for fame, 5
Will try to gie us sangs and plays at hame?
/> For Comedy abroad he need to toil,
A fool and knave are plants of every soil;
Nor need he hunt as far as Rome or Greece,
To gather matter for a serious piece; 10
There’s themes enow in Caledonian story,
Would shew the Tragic Muse in a’ her glory. —
Is there no daring Bard will rise and tell
How glorious Wallace stood, how hapless fell?
Where are the Muses fled that could produce 15
A drama worthy o’ the name o’ Bruce?
How here, even here, he first unsheath’d the sword
‘Gainst mighty England and her guilty Lord;
And after mony a bloody, deathless doing,
Wrench’d his dear country from the jaws of Ruin! 20
O for a Shakespeare, or an Otway scene,
To draw the lovely, hapless Scottish Queen!
Vain all th’ omnipotence of female charms
‘Gainst headlong, ruthless, mad Rebellion’s arms:
She fell, but fell with spirit truly Roman, 25
To glut that direst foe — a vengeful woman;
A woman, (tho’ the phrase may seem uncivil,)
As able and as wicked as the Devil!
One Douglas lives in Home’s immortal page,
But Douglasses were heroes every age: 30
And tho’ your fathers, prodigal of life,
A Douglas followed to the martial strife,
Perhaps, if bowls row right, and Right succeeds,
Ye yet may follow where a Douglas leads!
As ye hae generous done, if a’ the land 35
Would take the Muses’ servants by the hand;
Not only hear, but patronize, befriend them,
And where he justly can commend, commend them;
And aiblins when they winna stand the test,
Wink hard, and say The folks hae done their best! 40
Would a’ the land do this, then I’ll be caition,
Ye’ll soon hae Poets o’ the Scottish nation
Will gar Fame blaw until her trumpet crack,
And warsle Time, an’ lay him on his back!
For us and for our Stage, should ony spier, 45
“Whase aught thae chiels maks a’ this bustle here?”
My best leg foremost, I’ll set up my brow —
We have the honour to belong to you!
We’re your ain bairns, e’en guide us as ye like,
But like good mithers shore before ye strike; 50
And gratefu’ still, I trust ye’ll ever find us,
For gen’rous patronage, and meikle kindness
We’ve got frae a’ professions, sets and ranks:
God help us! we’re but poor — ye’se get but thanks.
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301.
Lines to a Gentleman who sent a Newspaper
Who had sent the Poet a Newspaper, and offered to continue it free of Expense.
KIND Sir, I’ve read your paper through,
And faith, to me, ‘twas really new!
How guessed ye, Sir, what maist I wanted?
This mony a day I’ve grain’d and gaunted,
To ken what French mischief was brewin; 5
Or what the drumlie Dutch were doin;
That vile doup-skelper, Emperor Joseph,
If Venus yet had got his nose off;
Or how the collieshangie works
Atween the Russians and the Turks, 10
Or if the Swede, before he halt,
Would play anither Charles the twalt;
If Denmark, any body spak o’t;
Or Poland, wha had now the tack o’t:
How cut-throat Prussian blades were hingin; 15
How libbet Italy was singin;
If Spaniard, Portuguese, or Swiss,
Were sayin’ or takin’ aught amiss;
Or how our merry lads at hame,
In Britain’s court kept up the game; 20
How royal George, the Lord leuk o’er him!
Was managing St. Stephen’s quorum;
If sleekit Chatham Will was livin,
Or glaikit Charlie got his nieve in;
How daddie Burke the plea was cookin, 25
If Warren Hasting’s neck was yeukin;
How cesses, stents, and fees were rax’d.
Or if bare a —— yet were tax’d;
The news o’ princes, dukes, and earls,
Pimps, sharpers, bawds, and opera-girls; 30
If that daft buckie, Geordie Wales,
Was threshing still at hizzies’ tails;
Or if he was grown oughtlins douser,
And no a perfect kintra cooser:
A’ this and mair I never heard of; 35
And, but for you, I might despair’d of.
So, gratefu’, back your news I send you,
And pray a’ gude things may attend you.
ELLISLAND, Monday Morning, 1790.
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302.
Elegy on Willie Nicol’s Mare
PEG NICHOLSON was a good bay mare,
As ever trod on airn;
But now she’s floating down the Nith,
And past the mouth o’ Cairn.
Peg Nicholson was a good bay mare, 5
An’ rode thro’ thick and thin;
But now she’s floating down the Nith,
And wanting even the skin.
Peg Nicholson was a good bay mare,
And ance she bore a priest; 10
But now she’s floating down the Nith,
For Solway fish a feast.
Peg Nicholson was a good bay mare,
An’ the priest he rode her sair;
And much oppress’d and bruis’d she was, 15
As priest-rid cattle are, — &c. &c.
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303.
The Gowden Locks of Anna (Song)
YESTREEN I had a pint o’ wine,
A place where body saw na;
Yestreen lay on this breast o’ mine
The gowden locks of Anna.
The hungry Jew in wilderness, 5
Rejoicing o’er his manna,
Was naething to my hinny bliss
Upon the lips of Anna.
Ye monarchs, take the East and West
Frae Indus to Savannah; 10
Gie me, within my straining grasp,
The melting form of Anna:
There I’ll despise Imperial charms,
An Empress or Sultana,
While dying raptures in her arms 15
I give and take wi’ Anna!
Awa, thou flaunting God of Day!
Awa, thou pale Diana!
Ilk Star, gae hide thy twinkling ray,
When I’m to meet my Anna! 20
Come, in thy raven plumage, Night,
(Sun, Moon, and Stars, withdrawn a’;)
And bring an angel-pen to write
My transports with my Anna!
POSTSCRIPT
The Kirk an’ State may join an’ tell, 25
To do sic things I maunna:
The Kirk an’ State may gae to hell,
And I’ll gae to my Anna.
She is the sunshine o’ my e’e,
To live but her I canna; 30
Had I on earth but wishes three,
The first should be my Anna.
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304.
I Murder hate (Song)
I MURDER hate by flood or field,
Tho’ glory’s name may screen us;
In wars at home I’ll spend my blood —
Life-giving wars of Venus.
The deities that I adore 5
Are social Peace and Plenty;
I’m better pleas’d to make one more,
Than be the death of twenty.
I would not die like Socrates,
For all the fuss of Plato; 10
Nor would I with Leonidas,
Nor yet would I with Cato:
The zealots of the Church and State
Shall ne’er my mortal foes be;
But let me have bold Zimri’s fate, 15
Within the arms of Cozbi!
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305.
Gudewife, count the lawin (Song)
GANE is the day, and mirk’s the night,
But we’ll ne’er stray for faut o’ light;
Gude ale and bratdy’s stars and moon,
And blue-red wine’s the risin’ sun.
Chorus. — Then gudewife, count the lawin, 5
The lawin, the lawin,
Then gudewife, count the lawin,
And bring a coggie mair.
There’s wealth and ease for gentlemen,
And simple folk maun fecht and fen’; 10
But here we’re a’ in ae accord,
For ilka man that’s drunk’s a lord.
Then gudewife, &c.
My coggie is a haly pool
That heals the wounds o’ care and dool; 15
And Pleasure is a wanton trout,
An ye drink it a’, ye’ll find him out.
Then gudewife, &c.
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