ADedication

adedication

togavinhamilton,esq.

expectna,sir,inthisnarration,

afleechin,fleth'rindedication,

torooseyouup,an'ca'youguid,

an'sprungo'greatan'noblebluid,

becauseye'resurnam'dlikehisgrace—

perhapsrelatedtotherace:

then,wheni'mtir'd—andsaeareye,

wi'monyafulsome,sinfu'lie,

setupafacehowistopshort,

forfearyourmodestybehurt.

thismaydo—maundo,sir,wi'themwha

maunpleasethegreatfolkforawamefou;

forme!saelaighineednabow,

for,lordbethankit,icanplough;

andwhenidownayokeanaig,

then,lordbethankit,icanbeg;

saeishallsay—an'that'snaeflatt'rin—

it'sjustsicpoetan'sicpatron.

thepoet,someguidangelhelphim,

orelse,ifear,someillaneskelphim!

hemaydoweelfora'he'sdoneyet,

butonly—he'snojustbegunyet.

thepatron(sir,yemaunforgieme;

iwinnalie,comewhatwillo'me),

onev'ryhanditwillallow'dbe,

he'sjust—naebetterthanheshouldbe.

ireadilyandfreelygrant,

hedownaseeapoormanwant;

what'snohisain,hewinnatakit;

whatancehesays,hewinnabreakit;

oughthecanlendhe'llnorefus't,

tillafthisguidnessisabus'd;

andrascalswhilesthatdohimwrang,

ev'nthat,hedoesnaminditlang;

asmaster,landlord,husband,father,

hedoesnafailhispartineither.

butthen,naethankstohimfora'that;

naegodlysymptomyecanca'that;

it'snaethingbutamilderfeature

ofourpoor,sinfu'corruptnature:

ye'llgetthebesto'moralworks,

'mangblackgentoos,andpaganturks,

orhunterswildonponotaxi,

whaneverheardoforthodoxy.

thathe'sthepoorman'sfriendinneed,

thegentlemaninwordanddeed,

it'snothro'terrorofdamnation;

it'sjustacarnalinclination.