TheCotter'sSaturdayNight

thecotter'ssaturdaynight

inscribedtor.aiken,esq.,ofayr.

letnotambitionmocktheirusefultoil,

theirhomelyjoys,anddestinyobscure;

norgrandeurhear,withadisdainfulsmile,

theshortandsimpleannalsofthepoor.

gray.

mylov'd,myhonour'd,muchrespectedfriend!

nomercenarybardhishomagepays;

withhonestpride,iscorneachselfishend,

mydearestmeed,afriend'sesteemandpraise:

toyouising,insimplescottishlays,

thelowlytraininlife'ssequester'dscene,

thenativefeelingsstrong,theguilelessways,

whataikeninacottagewouldhavebeen;

ah!tho'hisworthunknown,farhappierthereiween!

novemberchillblawsloudwi'angrysugh;

theshort'ningwinter-dayisnearaclose;

themirybeastsretreatingfraethepleugh;

theblack'ningtrainso'crawstotheirrepose:

thetoil-worncotterfraehislabourgoes,—

thisnighthisweeklymoilisatanend,

collectshisspades,hismattocks,andhishoes,

hopingthemornineaseandresttospend,

andweary,o'erthemoor,hiscoursedoeshamewardbend.

atlengthhislonelycotappearsinview,

beneaththeshelterofanagedtree;

th'expectantwee-things,toddlin,stacherthrough

tomeettheirdead,wi'flichterinnoiseandglee.

hisweebitingle,blinkinbonilie,

hiscleanhearth-stane,histhriftywifie'ssmile,

thelispinginfant,prattlingonhisknee,

doesa'hiswearykiaughandcarebeguile,

andmakeshimquiteforgethislabourandhistoil.

belyve,theelderbairnscomedrappingin,

atserviceout,amangthefarmersroun';

someca'thepleugh,someherd,sometentierin

acannieerrandtoaneibortown:

theireldesthope,theirjenny,woman-grown,

inyouthfu'bloom-lovesparklinginhere'e—

comeshame,perhapstoshewabrawnewgown,

ordepositehersair-wonpenny-fee,

tohelpherparentsdear,iftheyinhardshipbe.

withjoyunfeign'd,brothersandsistersmeet,

andeachforother'sweelfarekindlyspeirs:

thesocialhours,swift-wing'd,unnotic'dfleet:

eachtellstheuncosthatheseesorhears.

theparents,partial,eyetheirhopefulyears;

anticipationforwardpointstheview;

themother,wi'herneedleandhershears,