EpistleToTheRev.JohnM'math

epistletotherev.johnm'math

sept.13,1785.

inclosingacopyof“holywillie'sprayer,”

whichhehadrequested,sept.17,1785

whileatthestooktheshearerscow'r

toshunthebitterblaudin'show'r,

oringulravagerinninscowr

topassthetime,

toyouidedicatethehour

inidlerhyme.

mymusie,tir'dwi'monyasonnet

ongown,an'ban',an'douseblackbonnet,

isgrownrighteerienowshe'sdoneit,

lesttheyshouldblameher,

an'rousetheirholythunderonit

ananathemher.

iown'twasrash,an'ratherhardy,

thati,asimple,countrybardie,

shouldmeddlewi'apacksaesturdy,

wha,iftheykenme,

caneasy,wi'asinglewordie,

lowsehelluponme.

butigaemadattheirgrimaces,

theirsighin,cantin,grace-proudfaces,

theirthree-mileprayers,an'half-milegraces,

theirraxinconscience,

whasegreed,revenge,an'pridedisgraces

waurnortheirnonsense.

there'sgaw'n,misca'dwaurthanabeast,

whahasmairhonourinhisbreast

thanmonyscoresasguid'sthepriest

whasaeabus'dhim:

andmayabardnocrackhisjest

whatwaythey'veus'dhim?

seehim,thepoorman'sfriendinneed,

thegentlemaninwordan'deed—

an'shallhisfamean'honourbleed

byworthless,skellums,

an'notamuseerectherhead

tocowetheblellums?

opope,hadithysatire'sdarts

togietherascalstheirdeserts,

i'driptheirrotten,hollowhearts,

an'tellaloud

theirlinhocus-pocusarts

tocheatthecrowd.

godknows,i'mnothethingishouldbe,

noramieventhethingicouldbe,

buttwentytimesiratherwouldbe

anatheistclean,