A gleib o' lan', a claut o' gear,
Was left me by my auntie, Tam;
At kith or kin I needna spier,

An' I saw ane-and-twenty, Tam.

They'll hae me wed a wealthy coof,
Though I mysel' hae plenty, Tam;
But hear❜st thou, laddie there's my loof —
I'm thine at ane-and-twenty, Tam.

lump

ask

fool

palm

BESS AND HER SPINNING-WHEEL.

TUNE-The Sweet Lass that lo'es me.

O LEEZE me on my spinning-wheel,
O leeze me on my rock and reel;
Frae tap to tae that cleeds me bien,
And haps me fiel and warm at e'en!
I'll set me down and sing and spin,
While laigh descends the simmer sun,
Blest wi' content, and milk and meal
O leeze me on my spinning-wheel!

dear to me

comfortably wraps — soft

low

On ilka hand the burnies trot,

And meet below my theekit cot;

thatched

The scented birk and hawthorn white,

Across the pool their arms unite,
Alike to screen the birdie's nest,
And little fishes' caller rest:

The sun blinks kindly in the biel',
Where blithe I turn my spinning-wheel.

On lofty aiks the cushats wail,
And echo cons the doolfu' tale;
The lintwhites in the hazel braes,
Delighted, rival ither's lays:
The craik amang the clover hay,
The paitrick whirrin' o'er the ley,

cool

shed

wood-pigeons

linnets

landrail

partridge

The swallow jinkin' round my shiel, dodging-shed

Amuse me at my spinning-wheel.

Wi' sma' to sell, and less to buy,
Aboon distress, below envy,

O wha wad leave this humble state,
For a' the pride of a' the great?
Amid their flaring, idle toys,
Amid their cumbrous, dinsome joys,
Can they the peace and pleasure feel
Of Bessy at her spinning-wheel?

NITHSDALE'S WELCOME HAME.

Written when Lady Winifred Maxwell, the descendant of the forfeited Earl of Nithsdale, returned to Scotland and rebuilt Terregles House, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Captain Riddel of Glenriddel furnished the air to which Burns composed the

verses.

THE noble Maxwells and their powers
Are coming o'er the Border,

And they'll gae bigg Terregles towers, build
And set them a' in order.

And they declare Terregles fair,

For their abode they choose it;
There's no a heart in a' the land
But's lighter at the news o't.

Though stars in skies may disappear,
And angry tempests gather,
The happy hour may soon be near
That brings us pleasant weather.
The weary night o' care and grief
May hae a joyful morrow;

So dawning day has brought relief

Fareweel our night of sorrow!

COUNTRY LASSIE.

TUNE-The Country Lass.

IN simmer, when the hay was mawn,
And corn waved green in ilka field,
While claver blooms white o'er the lea,
And roses blaw in ilka bield;
Blithe Bessie in the milking shiel,

sheltered place

Says, "I'll be wed, come o't what will;' Out spak a dame in wrinkled eild,

"O guid advisement comes nae ill.

"It's ye hae wooers monie ane,

And, lassie, ye're but young, ye ken; Then wait a wee, and cannie wale

shed

age

calmly

A routhie butt, a routhie ben: well-stored house There's Johnnie o' the Buskie Glen,

Fu' is his barn, fu' is his byre; Tak this frae me, my bonny hen,

It's plenty beets the luver's fire."

"For Johnnie o' the Buskie Glen, I dinna care a single flie;

cow-house

keeps up

He lo'es sae weel his craps and kye,
He has nae luve to spare for me.
But blithe's the blink o' Robbie's e'e,

And weel I wat he lo'es me dear:
Ae blink o' him I wadna gie

For Buskie Glen and a' his gear."

money

fight

wisest way

"O thoughtless lassie, life's a faught; The canniest gate, the strife is sair; But aye fou han't is fechtin' best, full-handed-fighting

A hungry care's an unco care.

But some will spend, and some will spare,

And wilfu' folk maun hae their will;

Syne as ye brew, my maiden fair,

Then

Keep mind that ye maun drink the yill." ale

"O gear will buy me rigs o' land,

And gear will buy me sheep and kye; But the tender heart o' leesome luve

pleasant

The gowd and siller canna buy.
We may be poor Robbie and I,
Light is the burden luve lays on;
Content and luve brings peace and joy.
What mair hae queens upon a throne?"