Farewell, Beggarly Scotland. RENDERED INTO LATIN.* 1. VALEDICO, Scotia, tibi, Mendica, egens, frigida gens Si unquam tibi sum rediens. Isque patibulus est decens, 2. Vale, vale, Scotia mendica, Avenæ, siliquæ, crambe, far! Salvete, at zythum cui nil est par! The original English song, as well as the above translation, was sung by Odoherty at THE NOCTES, and published in Blackwood, for November, 1824. As an attack on Scotland, it gave great offence to many readers of Maga. It appeared, however, that Odoherty was innocent of the authorship of the English original, which belonged to Allan Cunningham. In a tale of his, called Corporal Colville," published in the London Magazine, for February, 1823, this very "Farewell to Scotland" had first appeared. It is subjoined, to test the accuracy of Maginn's Latin translation. 1. FAREWELL, farewell, beggarly Scotland. Cold and beggarly poor countrie; The muckle deil must carry me. The very nowte look to the south, And wish that they had wings to flee. 2. Farewell, farewell, beggarly Scotland, Cum redirem Carlilam lætam Si unquam Sarcam rediens petam 3. Vale popellus tunicatus Crinibus crassis, et cum his 'Twas when I came to merry Carlisle, That out I laughed loud laughters three, And if I cross the Sark again, The muckle deil maun carry me. 3. Farewell, farewell, beggarly Scotland, And feast upon toasted cheese and leeks, French Slang Song_from_Vidocq.* As from ken to ken I was going,t Doing a bit on the prigging lay;2 Tol lol, lol lol, tol derol, ay; 1 Ken-shop, house. 2 Prigging lay-thieving busi ness. 3 Blowen-girl, strumpet, sweetheart. 4 Fly(contraction of flash) awake, up to, practised in. 5 Time o' day-knowledge of business, thieving, &c. Pattered in flash-spoke in slang. 7 Covey-man. 8 Bub, grub-drink, food. * Maginn prided himself upon this paraphrase, on a song in Vidocq's Memoirs, in which he had brought his intimate knowledge of London slang to interpret that of Paris. It was given in Blackwood for July, 1829, as sung at THE NOCTES.-M. Here is subjoined the original slang song, to show the fidelity and spirit of the translation. - M. En roulant de vergne en vergne.1 Pour apprendre a goupiner,2 J'ai rencontré la mercandière,3 J'ai rencontré la mercandière, Je lui jaspine en bigorne Lonfa malura dondé. 1 City to city. 2 To work. 3 The Shopkeeper. 4Sold wine. 5I ask him in slang. 6 To eat. "Good wine without water. 8 White bread. J'ai du chenu pivois sans lance Une lourde, une tournante J'enquille dans sa cambriole Je rembroque au coin du rifle13 Lonfa malura dondé.. Je rembroque au coin du rifle To his clies16 my hooks17 I throw in, And collar his dragons18 clear away. 16 Clies-pockets. 17 Hooks-fingers; in full, thieving hooks. 18 Collar his dragons—take his sovereigns; on the obverse of a sovereign is, or was, a figure of St. George and the dragon. The etymon of collar is obvious to all persons who know the taking-ways of Bow-street, and elsewhere. It is a whimsical coincidence, that the motto of the Marquis of Londonderry is "Metuenda coralla draconis." Ask the city of London, if " I fear I may not collar the dragons," would not be a fair translation. To his clies my hooks I throw in, And collar his dragons clear away; Then his ticker19 I set agoing, Tol lol, &c. And his onions,20 chain, and key. Then his ticker I set agoing, With his onions, chain, and key. Next slipt off his bottom clo'ing, Tol lol, &c. And his gingerbread topper gay. Next slipt off his bottom clo'ing, J'ai sondé dans ses vallades,15 J'ai sondé dans ses vallades, Son carle, aussi sa tocquante Son coulant et sa montante |