O mony a knight, and mony a laird, But nae ane could their fancy please, The first ane was a belted knight, And he wad gae to London town, And he wad do their errands weel, The neist cam in a sotlger youth, He wad na hecht them courtly gifts, Then wham to chuse, and wham refuse, At strife thir carlins fell; For some had gentlefolks to please, Then out spak mim-mou'd Meg o' Nith, And she spak up wi' pride, And she wad send the sodger youth, Whatever might betide. For the auld gudeman o' London court She didna care a pin; But she wad send the sodger youth To greet his eldest son. Then slow raise Marjory o' the Lochs, And wrinkled was her brow; Her ancient weed was russet gray, Her auld Scotch heart was true. "The London court set light by me- To shaw that court the same." Then up sprang Bess of Annandale, "For far-off fowls hae feathers fair, Then whiskey Jean spak o'er her drink, "Ye weel ken, kimmers a', The auld gudeman o' London court, "And mony a friend that kiss'd his caup, Is now a fremit wight; But it's ne'er be sae wi' whiskey Jean,- Says black Joan o' Crichton-peel, A carlin stoor and grim, "The auld guidan, or the young guidman, For me may sink or swim. "For fools will prate o' right and wrang, While knaves laugh in their sleeve; But wha blaws best the horn shall win, So how this mighty plea may end THE LADDIES BY THE BANKS O' NITH. [This short Poem was first published by Robert Chambers. It intimates pretty strongly, how much the poet disapproved of the change which came over the Duke of Queensberry's opinions, when he supported the right of the Prince of Wales to assume the government, without consent of Parliament, during the king's alarming illness, in 1788.] THE laddies by the banks o' Nith, Wad trust his Grace wi' a', Jamie, Turn tail and rin awa', Jamie. Up and waur them a', Jamie, Up and waur them a'; The Johnstones hae the guidin' o't, Ye turncoat Whigs, awa'. The day he stude his country's friend, Or frae puir man a blessin' wan, That day the Duke ne'er saw, Jamie. But wha is he, his country's boast? To end the wark here's Whistlebirk,1 1 Birkwhistle: a Galloway laird, and elector. EPISTLE TO ROBERT GRAHAM, ESQ., OF FINTRAY: ON THE CLOSE OF THE DISPUTED ELECTION BETWEEN SIR JAMES JOHNSTONE AND CAPTAIN MILLER, FOR THE DUMFRIES DISTRICT OF BOROUGHS. ["I am too little a man," said Burns, in the note to Fintray, which accompanied this pem, "to have any political attachment: I am deeply indebted to, and have the warmest ▼eneration for individuals of both parties: but a man who has it in his power to be the father of a country, and who acts like his Grace of Queensberry, is a character that one cannot speak of with patience." This Epistle was first printed in my edition of Burns in 1834: I had the use of the Macmurdo and the Afton manuscripts for that purpose: to both families the poet was much indebted for many acts of courtesy and kindness.] FINTRAY, my stay in worldly strife, Come then, wi' uncouth, kintra fleg, O'er Pegasus I'll fling my leg, And ye shall see me try him. I'll sing the zeal Drumlanrig bears, Of princes and their darlins; And, bent on winning borough towns, Came shaking hands wi' wabster lowns, And kissing barefit carlins. Combustion thro' our boroughs rode, Of mad unmuzzled lions; But cautious Queensberry left the war, Th' unmanner'd dust might soil his star; Besides, he hated bleeding. But left behind him heroes bright, Heroes in Cæsarean fight, Or Ciceronian pleading. O! for a throat like huge Mons-meg, To muster o'er each ardent Whig Beneath Drumlanrig's banner; Heroes and heroines commix, All in the field of politics, To win immortal honour. M'Murdo' and his lovely spouse, (Th' enamour'd laurels kiss her brows!) She won each gaping burgess' heart, While he, all-conquering, play'd his part Among their wives and lasses. Craigdarroch led a light-arm'd corps, Tropes, metaphors, and figures pour, 3 Like Hecla streaming thunde:: Glenriddel, skill'd in rusty coins, And bar'd the treason under. In either wing two champions fought, The wildest savage Tory: And Welsh, who ne'er yet flinch'd his ground, With Cyclopean fury. Miller brought up th' artillery ranks, While Maxwelton, that baron bold, 'Mid Lawson's port intrench'd his hold, To these what Tory hosts oppos'd, With these what Tory warriors clos'd, Squadrons extended long and large, With furious speed rush to the charge, 1 John M'Murdo, Esq., of Drumlanrig. 3 Riddel of Friars-Carse. Sheriff Welsh. 2 Fergusson of Craigdarroch. 4 Provost Staig of Dumfries, 6 A wine-merchant in Dumfries |