EpistleToWilliamSimson

epistletowilliamsimson

schoolmaster,ochiltree.—may,1785

igatyourletter,winsomewillie;

wi'gratefu'heartithankyoubrawlie;

tho'imaunsay't,iwadbesilly,

anduncovain,

shouldibelieve,mycoaxinbillie

yourflatterinstrain.

buti'sebelieveyekindlymeantit:

isudbelaithtothinkyehinted

ironicsatire,sidelinssklented

onmypoormusie;

tho'insicphraisintermsye'vepenn'dit,

iscarceexcuseye.

mysenseswadbeinacreel,

shouldibutdareahopetospeel

wi'allan,orwi'gilbertfield,

thebraeso'fame;

orfergusson,thewriter-chiel,

adeathlessname.

(ofergusson!thygloriousparts

illsuitedlaw'sdry,mustyarts!

mycurseuponyourwhunstanehearts,

yee'nbrughgentry!

thetitheo'whatyewasteatcartes

wadstow'dhispantry!)

yetwhenatalecomesi'myhead,

orlassiesgiemyheartascreed—

aswhilesthey'reliketobemydead,

(osaddisease!)

ikittleupmyrusticreed;

itgiesmeease.

auldcoilanowmayfidgefu'fain,

she'sgottenpoetso'herain;

chielswhatheirchanterswinnahain,

buttunetheirlays,

tillechoesa'resoundagain

herweel-sungpraise.

naepoetthoughtherworthhiswhile,

tosethernameinmeasur'dstyle;

shelaylikesomeunkenn'd-of-isle

besidenewholland,

orwharewild-meetingoceansboil

besouthmagellan.

ramsayan'famousfergusson

giedforthan'tayaliftaboon;

yarrowan'tweed,tomonieatune,

owrescotlandrings;

whileirwin,lugar,ayr,an'doon

naebodysings.