EpistleToJamesTennantOfGlenconner

epistletojamestennantofglenconner

auldcomradedear,andbrithersinner,

how'sa'thefolkaboutglenconner?

howdoyouthisblaeeastlinwind,

that'sliketoblawabodyblind?

forme,myfacultiesarefrozen,

mydearestmembernearlydozen'd.

i'vesentyouhere,byjohniesimson,

twasagephilosopherstoglimpseon;

smith,wi'hissympatheticfeeling,

an'reid,tocommonsenseappealing.

philosophershavefoughtandwrangled,

an'meiklegreekan'latinmangled,

tillwi'theirlogic-jargontir'd,

andinthedepthofsciencemir'd,

tocommonsensetheynowappeal,

whatwivesandwabstersseeandfeel.

but,harkye,friend!ichargeyoustrictly,

perusethem,an'returnthemquickly:

fornowi'mgrownsaecurseddouce

iprayandponderbuttthehouse;

myshins,mylane,itheresitroastin',

perusingbunyan,brown,an'boston,

tillbyan'by,ifihaudon,

i'llgruntarealgospel-groan:

alreadyibegintotryit,

tocastmye'enuplikeapyet,

whenbythegunshetumbleso'er

flutt'ringan'gaspinginhergore:

saeshortlyyoushallseemebright,

aburningan'ashininglight.

myheart-warmlovetoguidauldglen,

theacean'waleofhonestmen:

whenbendingdownwi'auldgreyhairs

beneaththeloadofyearsandcares,

mayhewhomadehimstillsupporthim,

an'viewsbeyondthegravecomforthim;

hisworthyfam'lyfarandnear,

godblessthema'wi'graceandgear!

myauldschoolfellow,preacherwillie,

themanlytar,mymason-billie,

andauchenbay,iwishhimjoy,

ifhe'saparent,lassorboy,

mayhebedad,andmegthemither,

justfive-and-fortyyearsthegither!

andnoforgettingwabstercharlie,

i'mtauldheoffersveryfairly.

an'lord,remembersingingsannock,

wi'halebreeks,saxpence,an'abannock!

andnext,myauldacquaintance,nancy,