ToGavinHamilton,Esq.,Mauchline,
togavinhamilton,esq.,mauchline,
recommendingaboy.
mossgaville,may3,1786.
iholdit,sir,myboundenduty
towarnyouhowthatmastertootie,
alias,lairdm'gaun,
washeretohireyonladaway
'boutwhomyespakthetitherday,
an'wadhaedon'taffhan';
butlesthelearnthecallantricks—
an'faithimuckledoubthim—
likescrapinoutauldcrummie'snicks,
an'tellinliesaboutthem;
aslievethen,i'dhavethen
yourclerkshipheshouldsair,
ifsaebeyemaybe
notfittedotherwhere.
altho'isay't,he'sglegenough,
an''boutahousethat'srudean'rough,
theboymightlearntoswear;
butthen,wi'you,he'llbesaetaught,
an'getsicfairexamplestraught,
ihaenaonyfear.
ye'llcatechisehim,everyquirk,
an'shorehimweelwi'hell;
an'garhimfollowtothekirk—
ayewhenyegangyoursel.
ifyethenmaunbethen
fraehamethiscomin'friday,
thenplease,sir,tolea'e,sir,
theorderswi'yourlady.
mywordofhonourihaegi'en,
inpaisleyjohn's,thatnightate'en,
tomeetthewarld'sworm;
totrytogetthetwatogree,
an'nametheairlesan'thefee,
inlegalmodean'form:
ikenheweelasnickcandraw,
whensimplebodieslethim:
an'ifadevilbeata',
infaithhe'ssuretogethim.
tophraseyouandpraiseyou,
yekenyourlaureatscorns:
thepray'rstillyousharestill
ofgratefulminstrelburns.