The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson ... for the first time fully collected and compared with the original and early editions ... edited ... by the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart ... with portrait, illustrations, &c |
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EPITAPH ON AULD JANET. |
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 | The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson |  |
EPITAPH ON AULD JANET.
A whore's a pitfal, and a scold's a rod;
An honest wife's a noble work of God!
An honest wife's a noble work of God!
Clean dead an' gane—beneath this stane
Auld Janet lies, o' Torry;
Life warm'd her blude, an' hale she stood,
Till Time saw her right hoary.
Auld Janet lies, o' Torry;
Life warm'd her blude, an' hale she stood,
Till Time saw her right hoary.
Weel lo'ed by a', she gaed fu' braw,
Clean, snod, an' wondrous gawsey;
A sonsier dame, or sappier wame,
Ne'er hotcht alangst the cawsey.
Clean, snod, an' wondrous gawsey;
A sonsier dame, or sappier wame,
Ne'er hotcht alangst the cawsey.
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Her blythsome bield, to ilka chield
Wha bare a pack, was fenny;
Whare safe an' soun', they might lie down,
Syne rise an' pay their penny;
Wha bare a pack, was fenny;
Whare safe an' soun', they might lie down,
Syne rise an' pay their penny;
Till spitefu' Death clos'd up her breath,
An' a' our daffin hum'elt;
For, thro' the head he shot her dead,
An' down poor Janet tum'elt.
An' a' our daffin hum'elt;
For, thro' the head he shot her dead,
An' down poor Janet tum'elt.
Ye pedlars now, O mournfu' view
This stane rear'd by a brither;
And as ye pass, greet owre the grass
That co'ers your auld kind mither;
This stane rear'd by a brither;
And as ye pass, greet owre the grass
That co'ers your auld kind mither;
For me—Oh deer! the waefu' tear
Starts at the dismal story;—
I'll gar ilk vale sad echoing wail,
That Janet's dead o' Torry.
Starts at the dismal story;—
I'll gar ilk vale sad echoing wail,
That Janet's dead o' Torry.
| The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson | |