ThirdEpistleToJ.Lapraik

thirdepistletoj.lapraik

guidspeedandfurdertoyou,johnie,

guidhealth,halehan's,an'weatherbonie;

now,whenye'renickindownfu'cannie

thestaffo'bread,

mayyene'erwantastoupo'bran'y

toclearyourhead.

mayboreasneverthreshyourrigs,

norkickyourricklesafftheirlegs,

sendinthestuffo'ermuirsan's

likedrivinwrack;

butmaythetapmostgrainthatwags

cometothesack.

i'mbizzie,too,an'skelpinatit,

butbitter,daudinshowershaewatit;

saemyauldstumpiepenigatit

wi'mucklewark,

an'tookmyjocteleganwhattit,

likeonyclark.

it'snowtwamonththati'myourdebtor,

foryourbraw,nameless,datelessletter,

abusinmeforharshill-nature

onholymen,

whiledeilahairyoursel'ye'rebetter,

butmairprofane.

butletthekirk-folkringtheirbells,

let'ssingaboutournoblesel's:

we'llcrynaejadsfraeheathenhills

tohelp,orrooseus;

butbrowsterwivesan'whiskystills,

theyarethemuses.

yourfriendship,sir,iwinnaquatit,

an'ifyemak'objectionsatit,

thenhandinneivesomedaywe'llknotit,

an'witnesstake,

an'whenwi'usquabaewe'vewatit

itwinnabreak.

butifthebeastan'branksbespar'd

tillkyebegaunwithouttheherd,

anda'thevittelintheyard,

an'theekitright,

imeanyouringle-sidetoguard

aewinternight.

thenmuse-inspirin'aqua-vitae

shallmakeusbaithsaeblytheandwitty,

tillyeforgetye'reauldan'gatty,

an'beascanty

asyewerenineyearslessthanthretty—

sweetanean'twenty!

butstooksarecowpitwi'theblast,