"The night was still, and o'er the hill The moon shone on the castle wa'; The mavissang, while dew-drops hang Around her on the castle wa'; Saemerrily they danced the ring Fraeeenin' tillthe cockdid craw; And aye the o'erwordo'the spring Was ""Irvine's bairns are boniea'."""
Kilmarnock wabsters, fidgean' claw, An' pour your creeshienations; An' ye whaleather raxan' draw, Of a' denominations; Swithto the Ligh Kirk, ane an' a' An' there takup your stations; Then aff to Begbie's in a raw, An' pour divine libations For joy this day. Curst Common-sense, that imp o' hell, Camin wi' Maggie Lauder;^1 But Oliphant^2aftmade
'Twas in that place o' Scotland's isle, That bears the name o' auld King Coil, Upon a bonie day in June, When wearin' thro' the afternoon, Twadogs, that were na thrangat hame, Forgather'd anceupon a time. The first I'll name, they ca'd him Caesar, Was keepit for His Honor's pleasure: His hair, his size, his
Duan First^1 The sun had clos'd the winter day, The curless quattheir roarin play, And hunger'd maukintaenher way, To kail-yards green, While faithless snaws ilkstep betray Whare she has been. The thresher's weary flingin-tree, The lee-langday had tired me; And when the day had clos'd his e'e, Far i' the west, Beni'the spence, right pensivelie,
Farewell, old Scotia's bleak domains, Far dearer than the torrid plains, Where rich ananas blow! Farewell, a mother's blessing dear! A borther's sigh! a sister's tear! My Jean's heart-rending throe! Farewell, my Bess! tho' thou'rt bereft Of my paternal care. A faithful brother I have left, My part in him thou'lt share! Adieu, too, to
Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlinferlie? Your impudence protects you sairly; I cannasay but ye struntrarely, Owregauze and lace; Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely On sic a place. Ye ugly, creepin, blastitwonner, Detested, shunn'd bysauntan' sinner, How daur ye set your fitupon her- Saefine a lady? Gaesomewhere else and seek your dinner
Wee, modest crimson-tipped flow'r, Thou's met me in anevil hour; For I maun crush amangthe stoure Thy slender stem: To spare thee now is past my pow'r, Thou bonie gem. Alas! it's nothy neiborsweet, The bonielark, companion meet, Bending thee 'mang the dewy weet, Wi'spreckl'd breast! When upward-springing, blythe, to greet The purpling east. Cauldblew
I hold it, sir, my bounden duty To warn you how that Master Tootie, Alias, LairdM'Gaun, Was here to hire yonlad away 'Bout whom ye spakthe titherday, An' wadhae don't affhan'; But lest he learn the callantricks- An' faith I muckledoubt him- Like scrapin out auldCrummie's nicks, An' tellin lies about them; As lievethen, I'd
Now, Kennedy, if foot orhorse E'erbring you in by Mauchlin corse, (Lord, man, there's lasses there wadforce A hermit's fancy; An' down the gatein faith they're worse, An' mairunchancy). But as I'm sayin, please step to Dow's, An' taste sicgearas Johnie brews, Tillsome bitcallanbring me news That ye are there; An' if we dinnahaea bouze,