The dominie's disaster and other poems. By a member of the Musomanik Society of Anstruther |
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THE SPINNIN' WHEEL. |
 | The dominie's disaster |  |
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THE SPINNIN' WHEEL.
HUMBLY DEDICATED TO THE SPINSTERS OF A---.
Aid me my Muse to screw my chanter weel,
That I may loudly sing the Spinnin' Wheel.
The Wheel, by fickle fashion's dire decree,
Lang banish'd to the haunts o' poverty.
But now, (for not unchangeable the doom)
Again exalted to the dining-room;
Allow'd alike to humbly feed the poor
An' gaily gallop in a parlour floor.
That I may loudly sing the Spinnin' Wheel.
The Wheel, by fickle fashion's dire decree,
Lang banish'd to the haunts o' poverty.
But now, (for not unchangeable the doom)
Again exalted to the dining-room;
Allow'd alike to humbly feed the poor
An' gaily gallop in a parlour floor.
Ye courtly dames, despise not the machine,
Which aft has tenant o' a palace been.
Whan Grecian Princesses, wi' muckle pride,
Did oure the wheel an' weavin'-loom preside,
Whan splendid scarfs, which knightly shoulders grac'd,
Shew'd a Penelopé's, or Helen's taste:
For at the loom Penelopé could drill,
An' Helen trottet on a spinnin' wheel.
Which aft has tenant o' a palace been.
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Did oure the wheel an' weavin'-loom preside,
Whan splendid scarfs, which knightly shoulders grac'd,
Shew'd a Penelopé's, or Helen's taste:
For at the loom Penelopé could drill,
An' Helen trottet on a spinnin' wheel.
In after times, ere lighter arts began,
Fair Scotia's Royal dames baith wove an' span.
Princesses than ne'er deem'd it ought unfittin'
At stockins to be seen, or garters knittin';
But ither arts, to please the Fair, beginnin',
To lower ranks were banish'd looms an' spinnin.
An' thus, frae mair to less, the wheel descendet,
Till in entire neglect at last it endet.
An' scarce was spinnin' wheel in house beheld
Till dire necessity compell'd them till't.
Fair Scotia's Royal dames baith wove an' span.
Princesses than ne'er deem'd it ought unfittin'
At stockins to be seen, or garters knittin';
But ither arts, to please the Fair, beginnin',
To lower ranks were banish'd looms an' spinnin.
An' thus, frae mair to less, the wheel descendet,
Till in entire neglect at last it endet.
An' scarce was spinnin' wheel in house beheld
Till dire necessity compell'd them till't.
A Cottar-wife had anes an only daughter,
An' like hersel to live by spinnin' taught her:
Meg didna like the wheel, but yet confest
'Tween wark an' want the former was the best.
Sae drave awa, an' own'd 'twas weel she had it,
Till by a neeb'rin' farmer woo'd an' weddet,
Syne was the spinnin' wheel flung by unheedet;
Proud Meg expectin' ne'er again to need it.
But things as wonderfu' hae happ'd ere now,
Sic things there are as rents an' gettin' fou;
Whyles markets fa', and sometimes Bills come due:
Sic happ'd to Meg's gudeman, by ills ouretaen,
Waes me! “misfortunes seldom come alane.”
His credit brak', alas! what mair could he do,
His heart brak' too, an' Meg was left a widow.
For rent the landlord seiz'd the farmin' things;
Au' Meg again becam' as poor's the taings.
Friends she had haen enow whan fortune smil'd,
Friends Meg believ'd them still, but was beguil'd.
Friendship may stand 'mang savages in India;
Here, “poortith entrin', it flies thro' the window.”
Meg ca'd her rounds amang them in a breath;
A' flang her past misconduct in her teeth,
Some, tauntin', offered pence, some gib'd wi' meal.
Sae aff she cam' an sought her spinnin' wheel:
IT prov'd, in spite o' a', a friend in need,
An' that's (the byword says) a friend indeed.
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Meg didna like the wheel, but yet confest
'Tween wark an' want the former was the best.
Sae drave awa, an' own'd 'twas weel she had it,
Till by a neeb'rin' farmer woo'd an' weddet,
Syne was the spinnin' wheel flung by unheedet;
Proud Meg expectin' ne'er again to need it.
But things as wonderfu' hae happ'd ere now,
Sic things there are as rents an' gettin' fou;
Whyles markets fa', and sometimes Bills come due:
Sic happ'd to Meg's gudeman, by ills ouretaen,
Waes me! “misfortunes seldom come alane.”
His credit brak', alas! what mair could he do,
His heart brak' too, an' Meg was left a widow.
For rent the landlord seiz'd the farmin' things;
Au' Meg again becam' as poor's the taings.
Friends she had haen enow whan fortune smil'd,
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Friendship may stand 'mang savages in India;
Here, “poortith entrin', it flies thro' the window.”
Meg ca'd her rounds amang them in a breath;
A' flang her past misconduct in her teeth,
Some, tauntin', offered pence, some gib'd wi' meal.
Sae aff she cam' an sought her spinnin' wheel:
IT prov'd, in spite o' a', a friend in need,
An' that's (the byword says) a friend indeed.
Read this, ye maids, wha spinnin' wheels despise;
Learn frae your neebor's follies to be wise:
See A---r ladies set the bright example,
An' ilka dinin' room become a temple,
Whase Priestesses the busy spindle ply,
An' dedicate their time to Industry.
Read, credit, and digest this maxim weel,
“The Maidens' truest friend's her spinnin' wheel.”
Learn frae your neebor's follies to be wise:
See A---r ladies set the bright example,
An' ilka dinin' room become a temple,
Whase Priestesses the busy spindle ply,
An' dedicate their time to Industry.
Read, credit, and digest this maxim weel,
“The Maidens' truest friend's her spinnin' wheel.”
| The dominie's disaster | |