University of Virginia Library

A PASTORAL between Colin, Willie, and Deavy, upon Baledgarno's Marriage.

Three canty shepherds met upon the plain,
Chearfu' as sunshine after show'rs of rain:
Ilk ane was blithe to see another out,
Free on the fields to laugh and loup about.
Kind Willie, he, in hamely laughing terms,
Claught Colin keenly in his rustic arms;
And furthy Deavy, seeing them, grew bauld,
His brawny arms soon did them baith infauld.
“Dear welcome lads, (the blythsome Deavy cry'd),
This is the day our pipes maun a' be try'd.”
“Wi' a' my heart, (quoth Colin), fetch them out,
And let us lilt ilk ane a spring about.”
Quoth Willie, “Then to take awa' a' grudge,
We twa will sing, and Colin he'll be judge:
And wha sings best sall be the prettiest man,
And a' the flutes sall fairly be his aun.
Deavy.
What, sall we sing of courts, or war's alarms;
Or love, the sweetest theme, and fastest charms?

Colin.
Naithing but love shall be your task to sing:
Love best befits us; 'tis the darling thing.
Ilk ane o' you the other's lass describe,
That partial love may not your fancies bribe.
But I could wish I shou'd na' judge, but hear,
I've nae mair skill save an impartial ear.
Now, Willie, ye maun first begin the lay,
And a' your sweets of vocal notes display:
If Babie's beauties can inspire your breast,
Sik sentiments will by you be express'd.
Deavy sall neist on Annie's charms advance:
And, when we've done, we'll tune our reeds and dance.

Willie.

Deavy.

Willie.
Na, Deavy, na; forsooth I canna' say
For compliments, but ye have won the day.

Deavy.
Na, Willie; you your hyperboles advance
Aboon a rustic shepherd's eloquence.

Willie.
Your Babie merits a' I said, and mair,
And has mae virtues than I can declare;
For, as I said, Apollo wi' his nine
Ae charm about her canna right define.

Deavy.
Your Annie merits mair nor I can say;
For, as I said, if night can vie wi' day,
Sae may her sex mint wi' her to compare;
Pan or Sylvanus may her worth declare.

Willie.
Babie frae Colin's ancestors descended;
They're much the same, for a' we have contended.

Deavy.
Your Annie's birth declare her worth and merit,
And in her shine our Colin's noble spirit:
Ay, Annie bears our worthy Colin's name,
That shines renowned in records of fame;
And ye yoursel' e'en sprang frae Colin's race:
And twice sinsyne the fam'lies did embrace:
By Hymen's ties, by him they friendship vow'd;
By Annie now that friendship is renew'd.

Willie.
Babie partakes of Colin's worth and fame,
And bears as well a worthy shepherd's name;
And ye yoursel' was ay to Colin dear,
And now by Babie in a tie mair near.

Deavy.
There's not a herd on a' the banks of Tay
Can tell sic tales as Colin's fel' can say;
For his forbears built twa' stately bowers,
To screen them frae the winter sleets and showers:
On a' our banks nane may them parallel,
They cast a dash that a' the lave excel.
Now wand'ring Sue the auldest ane possesses;
She's left it void, and now it fair decreases:
The other now is Colin's residence,
For bonnieness might lodge a king or prince.

Willie.
Well is he wordy o't; and may he lang
Possess the same, to judge the shepherd's sang.

Colin.

Deavy.
In reason Colin ought to be obey'd,
Sin for our pains baith you and me are paid:
How shall we sing? by turns, or even out?

Willie.
Lang tales I hate, let's e'en take turn about.

Deavy.
Then, to be short, a single life is best,
If we cou'd live but virtuous, good and chaste.

Willie.
What anger ail'd you then to take a wife,
If ye sae meikle prize a single life?
If ane had tald you sae when ye was single,
Your judgment to believe't wou'd had a pingle.

Deavy.
But stay, dear Willie, I've experience,
And that, ye ken, gi's fouk a hantle sense:
Youth-head is wild, and ill to manage aft,
Unless their tempers are but dead and saft:
Syne in that case man canna' act his part:
The lave befools him, says he has nae heart.

Willie.
Well, what o' that? youth maun be out, and then
We turn sedate, wise and judicious men;
Bless'd wi' a wife, get children to succeed
In our awn parts, when we are fail'd or dead.

Deavy.
Of graceless youths there's little hopes that they
Will e'er be good unto their dying day:
They may indeed get children and a wife;
But that ne'er mends their base and vicious life:
Their ill example spills baith wife and bairns,
And ev'n does ill to a' their near concerns;
But virtuous free men's void of houshold care,
And meikle lost in keeping house can spare.

Willie.
The best of a' have frolics in their youth;
Age and experience leads them up to truth:
A rackless youth may prove a man right wise,
And may like you the leats of youth despise.
But, to live single purposely to spare
For framet blood, sure is the warst o' care.

Deavy.
A family is no sae easy guided,
Nor yet are they sae easily provided;
Besides it adds still to our guilt the mair,
If we in virtue not exemplar are:
But to live single is a virtuous life,
And far mair canny than to wed a wife.

Willie.
Well Deavy lad, sin' virtue you commend,
Tell me whereto a virtuous life shou'd tend.

Deavy.
That question, Willie, is right easie kend,
To happiness a virtuous life will tend:
Thereby prolong we life, and please the gods,
Who take us when we die to bless'd abodes.

Willie.
Can oughtlins better please the gods than this;
Or oughtlins mair augment our happiness,
Than wed a virtuous charming lovely wife,
Wi' her to lead an honest frugal life;
And, as I said, get children to succeed
In our awn parts when we are fail'd or dead?

Deavy.
Ah! witty Willie, I maun awn indeed
Ye've fairly hit the nail upo' the head:
That's it I meant; a virtuous man and wife
May live a pleasant and a happy life;
By their examples a' their neibers may
Turn good and virtuous, ev'n as well as they.

Willie.
I trow sae, lad; 'twou'd be nae little strife
Wou'd gar ye now forsake a married life:
Ye wou'dnae quit your Babie good and fair,
For a' the pleasures of a batchelor.

Deavy.
Nor wou'd ye part wi' Annie's lovely eyes
For a' the wealth that in the Indies lyes.
But, Willie, see the sun goes out o' sight,
And easter shades now usher in the night:
On our young lambs the dew fa's wet and cauld;
Let's wear them saftly to the ev'ning fauld.
Adieu, dear Colin, Willie, baith adieu;
We'll meet the morn, and a' our sangs renew.

Willie.
What think ye, Colin? Deavy, lad, what cheer
Can we expect to hae around the year,
When the first day our flocks the fields adorn
Insensibly we to an end have worn?

Colin.
Adieu, dear Willie, Deavy lad adieu;
Babie and Annie will think lang for you:
Let's part the night; and meet again the morn,
And sing the blythsome spring and Sol's return.