tleman of Nithsdale. The landlady being very wroth at what she considered the disfigurement of her glass, a gentleman present appeased her by paying down a shilling, and carried off the relic." Lockhart.

YOU'RE welcome, Willie Stewart;
You're welcome, Willie Stewart ;
There's ne'er a flower that blooms in May,
That's half sae welcome's thou art.

Come, bumpers high, express your joy,
The bowl we maun renew it;

The tappit-hen, gae bring her ben,
To welcome Willie Stewart.

May foes be strang, and friends be slack,

Ilk action may he rue it,

May woman on him turn her back,
That wrangs thee, Willie Stewart!

in

ANDREW TURNER.

Being called impertinently one evening from a party of friends at the King's Arms, Dumfries, to see a vain coxcomb in the form of an English commercial traveller, who, having a bottle of wine on his

1"A cant phrase denoting a tin measure, containing a quart, so called from the knob on the lid, supposed to resemble a crested hen." -JAMIESON.

table, thought he might patronize the Ayrshire Ploughman, Burns entered into conversation with the creature, and soon saw what sort of person he had to deal with. About to leave the room, Burns was urged to give a taste of his powers of impromptu versifying before he went; when, having asked the stranger's name and age, he instantly penned and handed to him the stanza which follows which, he abruptly departed.

IN seventeen hundred forty-nine,
Satan took stuff to make a swine,

And cuist it in a corner;

But wilily he changed his plan,
And shaped it something like a man,
And ca'd it Andrew Turner!

after

cast

VERSES TO JOHN M'MURDO, Esq.,

WITH A PRESENT OF BOOKS.

Mr. M'Murdo resided at Drumlanrig, as chamberlain to the Duke of Queensberry. He and his wife and daughters are alluded to in the election piece, entitled Second Epistle to Mr. Graham of Fintry. They were kind and hospitable friends of Burns, who celebrated several of the young ladies in his songs.

Он, could I give thee India's wealth,
As I this trifle send,

Because thy joy in both would be
To share them with a friend!

But golden sands did never grace
The Heliconean stream;

Then take what gold could never buy
An honest bard's esteem.

ON MR. M.MURDO.

INSCRIBED ON A PANE OF GLASS IN HIS HOUSE.

BLEST be M'Murdo to his latest day!
No envious cloud o'ercast his evening ray;
No wrinkle furrowed by the hand of care,
Nor ever sorrow add one silver hair!
Oh, may no son the father's honour stain,
Nor ever daughter give the mother pain!

WRITTEN ON A WINDOW OF THE
GLOBE TAVERN, DUMFRIES.

THE graybeard, old Wisdom, may boast of his treasures,

Give me with gay Folly to live;

I grant him his calm-blooded, time-settled pleas

ures,

But Folly has raptures to give.

EXCISEMEN UNIVERSAL.

WRITTEN ON A WINDOW.1

YE men of wit and wealth, why all this sneer

ing

'Gainst poor excisemen? give the cause a hear

ing.

What are your landlords' rent-rolls? teasing ledgers:

What premiers-what? even monarchs' mighty gaugers:

Nay, what are priests, those seeming godly wise men?

What are they, pray, but spiritual excisemen?

ON A GROTTO IN FRIARS' CARSE
GROUNDS.

To Riddel, much-lamented man,

This ivied cot was dear;

Reader, dost value matchless worth?

This ivied cot revere.

1 In the King's Arms Inn, Dumfries, in consequence of overhearing a gentleman speak despitefully of the officers of excise.

ON A NOTED COXCOMB.

LIGHT lay the earth on Billy's breast,
His chicken heart's so tender;

But build a castle on his head,
His skull will prop it under.

ON COMMISSARY GOLDIE'S BRAINS.

LORD, to account who dares thee call,
Or e'er dispute thy pleasure?
Else why within so thick a wall
Enclose so poor a treasure?

PITAPH ON MR. GABRIEL RICHARDSON, BREWER, DUMFRIES.

HERE brewer Gabriel's fire's extinct,

And empty all his barrels;

He's blest if as he brewed he drink,
In upright honest morals.