 | Poems on several subjects |  |
On seeing Smith and Craig's bantering Poems, anent the building of a School-house at Glenshie.
Long time I sought, at last did see,
Smith's poems he made in Glenshie,
Anent the building a school-house,
And fondly them I did peruse.
Smith's poems he made in Glenshie,
Anent the building a school-house,
And fondly them I did peruse.
I found a whig call'd Jasper Craig,
Who with the lairds had made a league
To banter Smith out of his right,
And so with paper-balls they fight.
Who with the lairds had made a league
To banter Smith out of his right,
And so with paper-balls they fight.
But Craig the Presbyterian clerk,
He has made very smutty wark;
For his expressions, so profane,
A Puritan's profession stain.
He has made very smutty wark;
For his expressions, so profane,
A Puritan's profession stain.
But the Episcopal's more modest,
And plainly tells him he's the oddest
For filthy words as one can hear;
They would offend a strumpet's ear.
Indeed the Black-Smith, as he names him,
With ridicule and banter shames him;
And proves him but a poetaster,
Although he be a Craig of Jasper;
And teaches him in poetry,
Where capitals should used be.
And plainly tells him he's the oddest
For filthy words as one can hear;
They would offend a strumpet's ear.
Indeed the Black-Smith, as he names him,
With ridicule and banter shames him;
And proves him but a poetaster,
Although he be a Craig of Jasper;
And teaches him in poetry,
Where capitals should used be.
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Shame to be thus reprov'd and taught
By one whom he had reckon'd naught.
By one whom he had reckon'd naught.
But o'er the craigs and Highland hills,
Smith skips triumphing o'er their quills.
In satire no man dares come near him,
In Lyric strains they all admire him:
His panegyrics are so just,
That ev'ry reader praise them must:
And for an answer to a letter,
None of them all could give a better:
For ready wit and easy verse,
Craig like to Smith could ne'er rehearse:
So that for modesty and wit,
The Whig to Tory must submit.
Smith skips triumphing o'er their quills.
In satire no man dares come near him,
In Lyric strains they all admire him:
His panegyrics are so just,
That ev'ry reader praise them must:
And for an answer to a letter,
None of them all could give a better:
For ready wit and easy verse,
Craig like to Smith could ne'er rehearse:
So that for modesty and wit,
The Whig to Tory must submit.
Yet they had been both poets good,
Had not their subjects been so rude:
But true it is, for all their biting,
There never came fair words in flyting.
Had not their subjects been so rude:
But true it is, for all their biting,
There never came fair words in flyting.
| Poems on several subjects | |