The works of Allan Ramsay edited by Burns Martin ... and John W. Oliver [... and Alexander M. Kinghorn ... and Alexander Law] |
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 | The works of Allan Ramsay |  |
To Dr John Theophilus Desaguliers, on presenting him with my book.
Is then, the famous Desagulier's son
To learn the dialect of our Calidon?
Wiel, Doctor, since you think it worth your while
Sometimes on my laigh landart shrine to smile,
Accept the haleware, and, when ye gae hame,
Stand by your poet, and haud up his fame.
Gin ill-haird buckys girn and shaw their spite,
Your good word will gang far, and put them hyt.
'Tis sport to see a critick fuf and fling,
And, like a dron-bee, daftly tine his sting;
But the industrious whid frae flower to flower
Suck frae the sweet, and trip out o'er the sour.
While Arthur's Seat shall my Parnassus be,
And frae its twaesome tap my nag can flee
Around this nether-warld, its be my care
To gather images handwal'd and rare,
And gin I be sae kanny aft to please
The best—my mind will be at muckle ease,
Then, with a willing heart and fancy keen,
Its be my study still to strike at spleen
To learn the dialect of our Calidon?
Wiel, Doctor, since you think it worth your while
Sometimes on my laigh landart shrine to smile,
Accept the haleware, and, when ye gae hame,
Stand by your poet, and haud up his fame.
Gin ill-haird buckys girn and shaw their spite,
Your good word will gang far, and put them hyt.
'Tis sport to see a critick fuf and fling,
And, like a dron-bee, daftly tine his sting;
But the industrious whid frae flower to flower
Suck frae the sweet, and trip out o'er the sour.
While Arthur's Seat shall my Parnassus be,
And frae its twaesome tap my nag can flee
Around this nether-warld, its be my care
To gather images handwal'd and rare,
And gin I be sae kanny aft to please
The best—my mind will be at muckle ease,
Then, with a willing heart and fancy keen,
Its be my study still to strike at spleen
O worthy wight, whase genius great refines,
And puts in practice Euclid's unko lines,
Be ever blyth, and keeps a saul in heel,
Sae beneficial to the common weal.
And puts in practice Euclid's unko lines,
Be ever blyth, and keeps a saul in heel,
Sae beneficial to the common weal.
Aug. 25th, 1721. Allan Ramsay.
| The works of Allan Ramsay | |