Frae this, lat gentler gabs' a lesson lear:

Wad they to labouring lend an eident hand,
They'd rax fell strang upo' the simplest fare,
Nor find their stamacks ever at a stand.
Fu' hale an' healthy wad they pass the day;

At night, in calmest slumbers dose fu' sound;
Nor doctor need their weary life to spae3,

Nor drogs their noddle and their sense confound, Till death slip sleely on, an' gie the hindmost wound.

Qn sicken food has mony a doughty deed
... By Caledonia's ancestors been done;
By this did mony a wight fu' weirlike bleed

In brulzies frae the dawn to set o' sun. 'Twas this that braced their gardies stiff an' strang;

That bent the deadly yew in ancient days; Laid Denmark's daring sons on yirdR alang;

Gar'd Scotish thristles bang the Roman bays; For near our crest their heads they dought na raise.

The couthy cracks? begin whan supper's owre;
The cheering bickers gars them glibly gash9
O' Simmer's showery blinks, an' Winter's sour,

Whase floods did erst their mailin's produce hash 10. 'Bout kirk an' market eke their tales gae on;

How Jock woo'd Jenny here to be his bride; An' there, how Marion, for a bastard son,

Palates.

Assiduous.-3 Foretell.- -4 In contests.-5 Arms. Earth.-7 Pleasant talk. The cup.-9 Chat.-10 Destroy the produce of their farms.

Upo' the cutty-stool was forced to ride;
The waefu' scauld o' our Mess John to bide.

The fient a cheep''s amang the bairnies now ;
For a' their anger 's wi' their hunger gane:
Ay maun the childer, wi' a fastin' mou,

Grumble an' greet, an' mak an unco maen2.
In rangles' round, before the ingle's low,

Frae gudame's mouth auld warld tales they hear, O' warlocks loupin round the wirrikow 5:

O' ghaists, that win in glen an kirkyard drear, Whilk touzles a' their tap, an' gars them shake wi' fear!

For weel she trows, that fiends an' fairies be
Sent frae the deil to fleetch us to our ill;
That ky hae tint & their milk wi' evil ee;

An' corn been scowder'd on the glowin' kiln.
O mock nae this, my friends! but rather mourn,
Ye in life's brawest spring wi' reason clear;
Wi' eild 10 our idle fancies a' return,

And dim our dolefu' days wi' bairnly 11 fear;
The mind's ay cradled whan the grave is near.

Yet Thrift, industrious, bides her latest days, Though Age her sair-dow'd front wi'runcles wave;

Not a whimper. 5 Scare-crow.6 Abide. 10 Age

Childish.

Moan.-3 Circles.-4 Grandame.
Entice. -8 Lost.-9 Scorched.

1

Yet frae the russet lap the spindle plays;

Her e'enin stent' reels she as weel's the laveo. On some feast-day, the wee things buskit braw, Shall heese her heart up wi' a silent joy, Fu' cadgie that her head was up an' saw Her ain spun cleedin' on a darlin' øy3; Careless though death shou'd mak the feast her foy.

In its auld lerroch' yet the deas remains,
Where the gudeman aft streeks' him at his ease;
A warm and canny lean for weary banes

O' labourers doylt upo' the wintry leas.
Round him will baudrins an' the collie come,

Το wag their tail, and cast a thankfu' ee, To him wha kindly flings them móny a crum O'kebbuck? whang'd, an' dainty fadge 10 to prie11; This a' the boon they crave, an' a' the fee.

Frae him the lads their mornin' counsel tak:

What stacks he wants to thrash; what rigs to till; How big a birn 12 maun lie on bassie's back,

For meal an' mu'ter to the thirlin' mill. Niest, the gudewife her hirelin' damsels bids Glowr through the byre, an' see the hawkies 15 bound;

1 Task. The rest.—3 Grandchild.-4 Her farewell entertainment.-5 Corner.-6 Bench.-7 Stretches.-8 The cat.-9 Young cheese.- -10 Loaf-11 To taste.-19 Burthen.-13 The horse.14 The miller's perquisite.-15 Cows.

Tak tent, case Crummy tak her wonted tids',
An' ca' the laiglen's treasure on the ground;
Whilk spills a kebbuck nice, or yellow pound.

Then a' the house for sleep begin to green3,

Their joins to slack frae industry a while; The leaden god fa's heavy on their een,

An' hafflins steeks them frae their daily toil: The cruizy, too, can only blink and bleer;

The restit ingle 's done the maist it dow; Tacksman an' cottar eke to bed maun steer,

Upo' the cod' to clear their drumly pow6,
Till wauken'd by the dawnin's ruddy glow.

Peace to the husbandman, an' a' his tribe,

Whase care fells a' our wants frae year to year! Lang may his sock and cou'ter turn the gleyb®, An' banks o' corn bend down wi' laded ear! May Scotia's simmers ay look gay an' green;

Her yellow ha'rsts frae scowry blasts decreed! May a' her tenants sit fu' snug an' bien9,

Frae the hard grip o' ails, and poortith freed;
An' a lang lasting train o' peacefu' hours succeed!

Fits. The milk-pail.-3 To long. The lamp.- Pillow.

• Thick heads.-7 Ploughshare.—8 Soil,-9 Comfortable.

THOMAS SCOTT.

BORN 17-. DIED 17-.

FROM LYRIC POEMS, DEVOTIONAL AND MORAL. LONDON, 1.. 1773.

GOVERNMENT OF THE MIND.

IMPERIAL Reason, hold thy throne,

Conscience to censure and approve
Belongs to thee. Ye Passions, own

Subjection, and in order move.

Enchanting order! Peace how sweet!
Delicious harmony within;
Blest self-command, thy power I greet,
Ah! when shall I such empire win!

The hero's laurel fades; the fame

For boundless science is but wind;
And Samson's strength a brutal name,
Without dominion of the mind.