THE EPITAPH. HERE lies, now a prey to insulting neglect, ODE, SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MRS. OF DWELLER in yon dungeon dark, STROPHE. VIEW the wither'd beldam's face; Can thy keen inspection trace Aught of humanity's sweet, melting grace? Note that eye, 'tis rheum o'erflows, Pity's flood there never rose. See those hands, ne'er stretch'd to save, Hands that took - but never gave. Keeper of Mammon's iron chest, Lo! there she goes, unpitied and unblest! She goes, but not to realms of everlasting rest! ANTISTROPHE. PLUND'RER of armies, lift thine eyes, (Awhile forbear, ye tott'ring fiends!) Seest thou whose step unwilling hither bends? No fallen angel, hurl'd from upper skies; "Tis thy trusty quondam mate, Doom'd to share thy fiery fate, She, tardy, hellward plies. EPODE. AND are they of no more avail, O, bitter mock'ry of the pompous bier, 30* THE HEN-PECKED HUSBAND. CURS'D be the man, the poorest wretch in life, ELEGY ON THE YEAR 1788 FOR lords or kings I dinna mourn, E'en let them die - for that they're born! The Spanish empire's tint a head, The toolzie's teugh 'tween Pitt and Fox, The ane is game, a bluidy devil, The tither's dour, has nae sic breedin', Ye ministers, come, mount the pulpit' Ye bonie lasses, dight your een, Observe the very nowt an' sheep, O Eighty-nine! thou's but a bairn, As muckle better as you can. January 1, 1789. Or R -‡ again grown weel, To preach an' read? "Na, waur than a'!" cries like a chiel, K lang may grunt an' grane, An' sigh, an' sab, an' greet her lane, An' cleed her bairns, man, wife, an' wean, To death she's dearly paid the kane: The brethren of the mystic level, While by the nose the tears will revel, Death's gien the lodge an unco devel: When this worthy old sportsman went out last muir-fowl season, he supposed it was to be, in Ossian's phrase, "the last of his fields;" and expressed an ardent wish to die and be buried in the muirs. On this hint, the author composed his Elegy and Epitaph. A certain preacher, a great favorite with the million. Vide the Or dination, stanza ii. Another preacher, an equal favorite with the few, who was at that time ailing. For him, see also the Ordination, stanza ix. |