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Alexander Nicol's Answer to the foregoing Epistle, February 6th 1749.
Sir,
The next day after Candlemas,
I yours receiv'd in a Scots dress;
A hantle war's gane to the press,
As witness mine;
On whilk ye'd little wit to stress
Your twa good een.
I yours receiv'd in a Scots dress;
A hantle war's gane to the press,
As witness mine;
On whilk ye'd little wit to stress
Your twa good een.
103
Anes in a day, when I was young,
If ony chiel my praise had sung,
I'd like a travel'd tailor flung,
And been right vain;
But now wi' eild, alas! I'm dung,
And blunt's my pen.
If ony chiel my praise had sung,
I'd like a travel'd tailor flung,
And been right vain;
But now wi' eild, alas! I'm dung,
And blunt's my pen.
Whereas you say, You dinnae knaw
Nae further up than Sunnie ha';
I think ye've a Scots tongue to ca'
At towns and speer;
And some good body wou'd you shaw
The hie gait here.
Nae further up than Sunnie ha';
I think ye've a Scots tongue to ca'
At towns and speer;
And some good body wou'd you shaw
The hie gait here.
Besides, you say, Your verse is trash;
To praise them here I sanna fash:
But I's be whipped wi' a lash,
Twice ilka day,
If Allan Ramsay made nae cash
O' war' nae they.
To praise them here I sanna fash:
But I's be whipped wi' a lash,
Twice ilka day,
If Allan Ramsay made nae cash
O' war' nae they.
Now, sin' my answer ye expect,
I've ventur'd on't for manners sake.
Excuse my muse, now auld and weak
And rusty grown;
Tho', to say truth, she in effect
Was ne'er high flown:
I've ventur'd on't for manners sake.
Excuse my muse, now auld and weak
And rusty grown;
Tho', to say truth, she in effect
Was ne'er high flown:
For latin, logic, greek, nor grammar,
I dinna hae: and tho' I stammer,
Against me ye need raise nae clamor,
But e'en forbear;
For my dull Muse would need a hammer
To gar her steer.
I dinna hae: and tho' I stammer,
Against me ye need raise nae clamor,
But e'en forbear;
For my dull Muse would need a hammer
To gar her steer.
But yet I wou'dnae for a colt,
Say, or hae't said, I were a dult:
I'd lend my Muse a hearty scult,
And gar her trot;
Let right or wrang be the result,
I'd valu't not.
Say, or hae't said, I were a dult:
I'd lend my Muse a hearty scult,
And gar her trot;
Let right or wrang be the result,
I'd valu't not.
104
As custom is my compliment,
I send to you tho' unacquaint;
Wi' you I wou'd be well content
To spend a gill,
When I come shortly, after Lent,
Down the Bought-hill.
I send to you tho' unacquaint;
Wi' you I wou'd be well content
To spend a gill,
When I come shortly, after Lent,
Down the Bought-hill.
In verse acrostic ye intendit
To write your name, and to me send it:
May be I might had quite miskend it,
And smoor'd your wit;
Our correspondence then had endit.
E're it took foot.
To write your name, and to me send it:
May be I might had quite miskend it,
And smoor'd your wit;
Our correspondence then had endit.
E're it took foot.
Now take the hair out of your pen,
And anes mair try the rhyming strain;
For I right fickle was and fain,
To be sae rous'd,
By ane wha never did me ken,
Sae seldom us'd.
And anes mair try the rhyming strain;
For I right fickle was and fain,
To be sae rous'd,
By ane wha never did me ken,
Sae seldom us'd.
Your second essay I expect;
For if I had it to inspect,
It would revive my intellect,
That's dull and heavy;
And that wou'd gar me hae respect,
For dainty Deavy,
For if I had it to inspect,
It would revive my intellect,
That's dull and heavy;
And that wou'd gar me hae respect,
For dainty Deavy,
While Alex. Nicol.
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