XCVII.
Reading edition
ELEGY
ON THE YEAR 1788
A SKETCH.
[This Poem was first printed by Stewart, in 1801. The poet loved to indulge in such sarcastic sallies: it is full of character, and reflects a distinct image of those yeasty times.]
For Lords or Kings I dinna mourn, E’en let them die—for that they’re born, But oh! prodigious to reflec’! A Towmont, Sirs, is gane to wreck! O Eighty-eight, in thy sma’ space What dire events ha’e taken place! Of what enjoyments thou hast reft us! In what a pickle thou hast left us! The Spanish empire’s tint a-head, An’ my auld toothless Bawtie’s dead; The tulzie’s sair ’tween Pitt and Fox, And our guid wife’s wee birdie cocks; The tane is game, a bluidie devil, But to the hen-birds unco civil: The tither’s something dour o’ treadin’, But better stuff ne’er claw’d a midden— Ye ministers, come mount the pu’pit, An’ cry till ye be hearse an’ roupet, For Eighty-eight he wish’d you weel, An’ gied you a’ baith gear an’ meal; E’en mony a plack, and mony a peck, Ye ken yoursels, for little feck! Ye bonnie lasses, dight your e’en, For some o’ you ha’e tint a frien’; In Eighty-eight, ye ken, was ta’en, What ye’ll ne’er ha’e to gie again. Observe the very nowt an’ sheep, How dowf and dowie now they creep; Nay, even the yirth itsel’ does cry, For Embro’ wells are grutten dry. O Eighty-nine, thou’s but a bairn, An’ no owre auld, I hope, to learn! Thou beardless boy, I pray tak’ care, Thou now has got thy daddy’s chair, Nae hand-cuff’d, mizl’d, hap-shackl’d Regent, But, like himsel’ a full free agent. Be sure ye follow out the plan Nae waur than he did, honest man! As muckle better as ye can.
January 1, 1789.
“THE TOOTHACHE.”
