Horace in Homespun by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] A New Edition with Illustrations by A. S. Boyd |
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Hughie Flatters Saunders with an Ironical
Description of Himself. |
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 | Horace in Homespun by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] |  |
85
Hughie Flatters Saunders with an Ironical Description of Himself.
“Nec si quid olim lusit Anacreon,
Delevit ætas.”
—Car. iv. 9.
Delevit ætas.”
—Car. iv. 9.
I tune my pipe to Doric strains
Wi' great gudewill, an' meikle pains,
Altho' my skill be like my gains—
Baith unco sma';
An' yet a something too remains
Ahint the blaw.
Wi' great gudewill, an' meikle pains,
Altho' my skill be like my gains—
Baith unco sma';
An' yet a something too remains
Ahint the blaw.
It's no' for a' the pipin' crew
To blaw sic strains as Robbie blew;
It's no' for ilka bard to pu'
A branch sae green
As cleeds wi' laurel Robbie's broo
Doun to the een.
To blaw sic strains as Robbie blew;
It's no' for ilka bard to pu'
A branch sae green
As cleeds wi' laurel Robbie's broo
Doun to the een.
86
Yet humbler menstrils hae their meed;
There's Allan wi' his rural reed,
An' Fergusson, sae fain to lead,
Sae sune to fa',
An' Jamie Hogg, a border breed,
An' Paisley's twa.
There's Allan wi' his rural reed,
An' Fergusson, sae fain to lead,
Sae sune to fa',
An' Jamie Hogg, a border breed,
An' Paisley's twa.
Forbye the bards that aulder are,
Like Barbour, an' the bauld Dunbar,
An' Lyndsay—wha in Fife wad daur
His name forget?
A' haill, an' scarce a hair the waur,
An' pipin' yet!
Like Barbour, an' the bauld Dunbar,
An' Lyndsay—wha in Fife wad daur
His name forget?
A' haill, an' scarce a hair the waur,
An' pipin' yet!
Such recompense the Muses gie
The Makkars a' in their degree,
That neither they themsels' can dee,
Nor what they notice;
While what they slicht, or dinna see,
Quickly forgot is.
The Makkars a' in their degree,
That neither they themsels' can dee,
Nor what they notice;
While what they slicht, or dinna see,
Quickly forgot is.
87
Brave men were born before the Bruce;
An' mony an auld heroic Hoose
Has slippit past Oblivion's sluice,
An' ne'er a wird o't!
They did braw things to little use—
We never heard o't!
An' mony an auld heroic Hoose
Has slippit past Oblivion's sluice,
An' ne'er a wird o't!
They did braw things to little use—
We never heard o't!
An', therefore, Saunders, when ye gang,—
But late may that day be, an' lang!—
I promise ye a bur'al sang
As sune's we've tint ye,
To keep your name amon' the thrang
That comes ahint ye.
But late may that day be, an' lang!—
I promise ye a bur'al sang
As sune's we've tint ye,
To keep your name amon' the thrang
That comes ahint ye.
I'll tell them o' your noble heart,
An' hoo ye took the puir man's pairt,
An' garr'd a greedy rascal smairt,
A graspin' cratur';
I'll spread abroad wi' a' my airt
Your generous natur'.
An' hoo ye took the puir man's pairt,
An' garr'd a greedy rascal smairt,
A graspin' cratur';
I'll spread abroad wi' a' my airt
Your generous natur'.
88
I'll sing your noble confidence
An' trust in man; your common-sense,
That lat ye see thro' a' pretence,
And smile to see't;
I'll sing the virtues that gaed hence
When Saunders dee'd.
An' trust in man; your common-sense,
That lat ye see thro' a' pretence,
And smile to see't;
I'll sing the virtues that gaed hence
When Saunders dee'd.
Per Contra.—
[Rin, little postscripp, rin an' tell
That Saunders as he's drawn's a sell,
For Saunders crams into a shell
His sordid natur',
Cheats, an' distrusts, an' is himsel'
The graspin' cratur'!]
That Saunders as he's drawn's a sell,
For Saunders crams into a shell
His sordid natur',
Cheats, an' distrusts, an' is himsel'
The graspin' cratur'!]
| Horace in Homespun by Hugh Haliburton [i.e. J. L. Robertson] | |