The works of Allan Ramsay edited by Burns Martin ... and John W. Oliver [... and Alexander M. Kinghorn ... and Alexander Law] |
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JUPITER's Lottery.
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 | The works of Allan Ramsay |  |
JUPITER's Lottery.
Anes
JOVE, by ae great Act of Grace,
Wad gratify his humane Race,
And order'd Hermes, in his Name,
With Tout of Trumpets to proclaim
A Royal Lott'ry frae the Skies,
Where ilka Ticket was a Prize.
Nor was there Need for Ten per Cent,
To pay Advance for Money lent:
Nor Brokers nor Stockjobbers here
Were thol'd to cheat Fowk of their Gear.
The first-rate Benefits were, Health,
Pleasures, Honours, Empire and Wealth;
But happy he to whom wad fa'
Wisdom, the highest Prize of a':
Hopes of attaining Things the best,
Made up the maist feck of the rest.
Now ilka Ticket sald with Ease,
At Altars for a Sacrifice;
JOVE a' receiv'd, Ky, Gates and Ews,
Moor-cocks, Lambs, Dows or Bawby-rows;
Nor wad debar e'en a poor Droll,
Wha nought cou'd gi'e but his Parol.
Sae kind was he no to exclude
Poor Wights for want of Wealth or Blood;
Even whiles the Gods, as Record tells,
Bought several Tickets for themsells.
When Fou and Lots put in the Wheel,
Aft were they turn'd, to mix them well;
Blind Chance to draw JOVE order'd syne,
That nane with Reason might repine:
He drew, and Mercury was Clark,
The Number, Prize and Name to mark.
Now Hopes by Millions fast came forth,
But seldom Prizes of mair Worth,
Sic as Dominion, wealth and State,
True Friends, and Lovers fortunate.
Wisdom, at last, the greatest Prize,
Comes up:—Aloud Clark Hermes crys,—
Number Ten Thousand,—Come, let's see
The Person blest.—Quoth Pallas, ME.—
Then a' the Gods for Blythness sang,
Throw Heaven glad Acclamations rang;
While Mankind grumbling laid the wyte
On them, and ca'd the hale a Byte.
Yes! cry'd ilk ane, with sobing Heart,
Kind JOVE has play'd a Parent's Part,
Wha did this Prize to Pallas send,
While we're sneg'd off at the Wob End.
Wad gratify his humane Race,
And order'd Hermes, in his Name,
With Tout of Trumpets to proclaim
A Royal Lott'ry frae the Skies,
Where ilka Ticket was a Prize.
37
To pay Advance for Money lent:
Nor Brokers nor Stockjobbers here
Were thol'd to cheat Fowk of their Gear.
The first-rate Benefits were, Health,
Pleasures, Honours, Empire and Wealth;
But happy he to whom wad fa'
Wisdom, the highest Prize of a':
Hopes of attaining Things the best,
Made up the maist feck of the rest.
Now ilka Ticket sald with Ease,
At Altars for a Sacrifice;
JOVE a' receiv'd, Ky, Gates and Ews,
Moor-cocks, Lambs, Dows or Bawby-rows;
Nor wad debar e'en a poor Droll,
Wha nought cou'd gi'e but his Parol.
Sae kind was he no to exclude
Poor Wights for want of Wealth or Blood;
Even whiles the Gods, as Record tells,
Bought several Tickets for themsells.
When Fou and Lots put in the Wheel,
Aft were they turn'd, to mix them well;
Blind Chance to draw JOVE order'd syne,
That nane with Reason might repine:
He drew, and Mercury was Clark,
The Number, Prize and Name to mark.
Now Hopes by Millions fast came forth,
But seldom Prizes of mair Worth,
Sic as Dominion, wealth and State,
True Friends, and Lovers fortunate.
Wisdom, at last, the greatest Prize,
Comes up:—Aloud Clark Hermes crys,—
Number Ten Thousand,—Come, let's see
The Person blest.—Quoth Pallas, ME.—
Then a' the Gods for Blythness sang,
Throw Heaven glad Acclamations rang;
While Mankind grumbling laid the wyte
On them, and ca'd the hale a Byte.
38
Kind JOVE has play'd a Parent's Part,
Wha did this Prize to Pallas send,
While we're sneg'd off at the Wob End.
Soon to their Clamours JOVE took tent,
To punish which, to wark he went,
He straight with Follies fill'd the Wheel,
In Wisdom's Place they did as well;
For ilka ane wha Folly drew,
In their Conceit, a' Sages grew:
Sae thus contented, a' retir'd,
And ilka Fool himself admir'd.
To punish which, to wark he went,
He straight with Follies fill'd the Wheel,
In Wisdom's Place they did as well;
For ilka ane wha Folly drew,
In their Conceit, a' Sages grew:
Sae thus contented, a' retir'd,
And ilka Fool himself admir'd.
| The works of Allan Ramsay | |