POEMS.

POEMS.

PAGE

Winter. A Dirge 61

The Death and dying Words of poor Mailie 61

Poor Mailie’s Elegy 62

First Epistle to Davie, a brother Poet 63

Second 65

Address to the Deil 65

The auld Farmer’s New-year Morning Salutation to his auld Mare Maggie 67

To a Haggis 68

A Prayer under the pressure of violent Anguish 69

A Prayer in the prospect of Death 69

Stanzas on the same occasion 69

A Winter Night 70

Remorse. A Fragment 71

The Jolly Beggars. A Cantata 71

Death and Dr. Hornbook. A True Story 76

The Twa Herds; or, the Holy Tulzie 78

Holy Willie’s Prayer 79

Epitaph to Holy Willie 80

The Inventory; in answer to a mandate by the surveyor of taxes 81

The Holy Fair 82

The Ordination 84

The Calf 86

To James Smith 86

The Vision 88

Halloween 92

Man was made to Mourn. A Dirge 95

To Ruin 96

To John Goudie of Kilmarnock, on the publication of his Essays 97

To J. Lapraik, an old Scottish Bard. First Epistle 97

To J. Lapraik. Second Epistle 99

To J. Lapraik. Third Epistle 100

To William Simpson, Ochiltree 101

Address to an illegitimate Child 103

Nature’s Law. A Poem humbly inscribed to G.H., Esq. 103

To the Rev. John M’Math 104

To a Mouse 105

Scotch Drink 106

The Author’s earnest Cry and Prayer to the Scotch Representatives of the House of Commons 107

Address to the unco Guid, or the rigidly Righteous 110

Tam Samson’s Elegy 111

Lament, occasioned by the unfortunate issue of a Friend’s Amour 112

Despondency. An Ode 113

The Cotter’s Saturday Night 114

The first Psalm 117

The first six Verses of the ninetieth Psalm 118

To a Mountain Daisy 118

Epistle to a young Friend 119

To a Louse, on seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church 120

Epistle to J. Rankine, enclosing some Poems 121

On a Scotch Bard, gone to the West Indies 122

The Farewell 123

Written on the blank leaf of my Poems, presented to an old Sweetheart then married 123

A Dedication to Gavin Hamilton, Esq. 123

Elegy on the Death of Robert Ruisseaux 125

Letter to James Tennant of Glenconner 125

On the Birth of a posthumous Child 126

To Miss Cruikshank 126

Willie Chalmers 127

Verses left in the room where he slept 128

To Gavin Hamilton, Esq., recommending a boy 128

To Mr. M’Adam, of Craigen-gillan 129

Answer to a Poetical Epistle sent to the Author by a Tailor 129

To J. Rankine. “I am a keeper of the law.” 130

Lines written on a Bank-note 130

A Dream 130

A Bard’s Epitaph 132

The Twa Dogs. A Tale 132

Lines on meeting with Lord Daer 135

Address to Edinburgh 136

Epistle to Major Logan 137

The Brigs of Ayr 138

On the Death of Robert Dundas, Esq., of Arniston, late Lord President of the Court of Session 141

On reading in a Newspaper the Death of John M’Leod, Esq. 141

To Miss Logan, with Beattie’s Poems 142

The American War, A fragment 142

The Dean of Faculty. A new Ballad 143

To a Lady, with a Present of a Pair of Drinking-glasses 144

To Clarinda 144

Verses written under the Portrait of the Poet Fergusson 144

Prologue spoken by Mr. Woods, on his Benefit-night, Monday, April 16, 1787 145

Sketch. A Character 145

To Mr. Scott, of Wauchope 145

Epistle to William Creech 146

The humble Petition of Bruar-Water, to the noble Duke of Athole 147

On scaring some Water-fowl in Loch Turit 148

Written with a pencil, over the chimney-piece, in the parlour of the Inn at Kenmore, Taymouth 149

Written with a pencil, standing by the Fall of Fyers, near Loch Ness 149

To Mr. William Tytler, with the present of the Bard’s picture 150

Written in Friars-Carse Hermitage, on the banks of Nith, June, 1780. First Copy 150

The same. December, 1788. Second Copy 151

To Captain Riddel, of Glenriddel. Extempore lines on returning a Newspaper 152

A Mother’s Lament for the Death of her Son 152

First Epistle to Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray 152

On the Death of Sir James Hunter Blair 153

Epistle to Hugh Parker 154

Lines, intended to be written under a Noble Earl’s Picture 155

Elegy on the year 1788. A Sketch 155

Address to the Toothache 155

Ode. Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Oswald, of Auchencruive 156

Fragment inscribed to the Right Hon. C.J. Fox 156

On seeing a wounded Hare limp by me, which a Fellow had just shot 157

To Dr. Blacklock. In answer to a Letter 158

Delia. An Ode 159

To John M’Murdo, Esq. 159

Prologue, spoken at the Theatre, Dumfries, 1st January, 1790 159

Scots Prologue, for Mr. Sutherland’s Benefit-night, Dumfries 160

Sketch. New-year’s Day. To Mrs. Dunlop 160

To a Gentleman who had sent him a Newspaper, and offered to continue it free of expense 161

The Kirk’s Alarm. A Satire. First Version 162

The Kirk’s Alarm. A Ballad. Second Version 163

Peg Nicholson 165

On Captain Matthew Henderson, a gentleman who held the patent for his honours immediately from Almighty God 165

The Five Carlins. A Scots Ballad 167

The Laddies by the Banks o’ Nith 168

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 169

On Captain Grose’s Peregrination through Scotland, collecting the Antiquities of that kingdom 170

Written in a wrapper, enclosing a letter to Captain Grose 171

Tam O’ Shanter. A Tale 171

Address of Beelzebub to the President of the Highland Society 174

To John Taylor 175

Lament of Mary Queen of Scots, on the approach of Spring 175

The Whistle 176

Elegy on Miss Burnet of Monboddo 178

Lament for James, Earl of Glencairn 178

Lines sent to Sir John Whitefoord, Bart., of Whitefoord, with the foregoing Poem 179

Address to the Shade of Thomson, on crowning his Bust at Ednam with bays 179

To Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray 180

To Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray, on receiving a favour 181

A Vision 181

To John Maxwell, of Terraughty, on his birthday 182

The Rights of Women, an occasional Address spoken by Miss Fontenelle, on her benefit-night, Nov. 26, 1792 182

Monody on a Lady famed for her caprice 183

Epistle from Esopus to Maria 184

Poem on Pastoral Poetry 185

Sonnet, written on the 25th January, 1793, the birthday of the Author, on hearing a thrush sing in a morning walk 185

Sonnet on the death of Robert Riddel, Esq., of Glenriddel, April, 1794 186

Impromptu on Mrs. Riddel’s birthday 186

Liberty. A Fragment 186

Verses to a young Lady 186

The Vowels. A Tale 187

Verses to John Rankine 187

On Sensibility. To my dear and much-honoured friend, Mrs. Dunlop, of Dunlop 188

Lines sent to a Gentleman whom he had offended 188

Address spoken by Miss Fontenelle on her Benefit-night 188

On seeing Miss Fontenelle in a favourite character 189

To Chloris 189

Poetical Inscription for an Altar to Independence 189

The Heron Ballads. Balled First 190

The Heron Ballads. Ballad Second 190

The Heron Ballads. Ballad Third 192

Poem addressed to Mr. Mitchell, Collector of Excise, Dumfries, 1796 193

To Miss Jessy Lewars, Dumfries, with Johnson’s Musical Museum 193

Poem on Life, addressed to Colonel de Peyster, Dumfries, 1796 193