AddressToTheUncoGuid,OrTheRigidlyRighteous

addresstotheuncoguid,ortherigidlyrighteous

myson,thesemaximsmakearule,

an'lumpthemayethegither;

therigidrighteousisafool,

therigidwiseanither:

thecleanestcornthaterewasdight

mayhaesomepyleso'caffin;

sone'erafellow-creatureslight

forrandomfitso'daffin.

(solomon.—eccles.ch.vii.verse16.)

oyewhaaresaeguidyoursel',

saepiousandsaeholy,

ye'venoughttodobutmarkandtell

yourneibours'fautsandfolly!

whaselifeislikeaweel-gaunmill,

suppliedwi'storeo'water;

theheapedhapper'sebbingstill,

an'stilltheclapplaysclatter.

hearme,yevenerablecore,

ascounselforpoormortals

thatfrequentpassdoucewisdom'sdoor

forglaikitfolly'sportals:

i,fortheirthoughtless,carelesssakes,

wouldhereproponedefences—

theirdonsietricks,theirblackmistakes,

theirfailingsandmischances.

yeseeyourstatewi'theirscompared,

andshudderattheniffer;

butcastamoment'sfairregard,

whatmaksthemightydiffer;

discountwhatscantoccasiongave,

thatpurityyepridein;

and(what'saftmairthana'thelave),

yourbetterarto'hidin.

think,whenyourcastigatedpulse

giesnowandthenawallop!

whatragingsmusthisveinsconvulse,

thatstilleternalgallop!

wi'windandtidefairi'yourtail,

rightonyescudyoursea-way;

butintheteetho'baithtosail,

itmaksauncolee-way.

seesociallifeandgleesitdown,

alljoyousandunthinking,

till,quitetransmugrified,they'regrown

debaucheryanddrinking:

owouldtheystaytocalculate

th'eternalconsequences;

oryourmoredreadedhelltostate,

damnationofexpenses!