To watch, while for the barn she sets,1
In hopes to see Tam Kipples
That vera night.

She turns the key wi' cannie thraw,
And owre the threshold ventures;
But first on Sawnie gies a ca',
Syne2 bauldly in she enters;
A ratton3 rattled up the wa',
An' she cried, L-d preserve her!
An' ran thro' midden-hole* an' a',
An' pray'd wi' zeal an' fervor,
Fu' fast that night.

1

They hoy't out Will, wi' sair advice:
They hechtR him some fine braw ane;"
It chanced the stack he faddom'd thrice,"
Was timmer-propt for thrawin':10
He taks a swirlie," auld moss oak,

For some black, grousome carlin;'
An' loot a winze,13 an' drew a stroke,
Till skin in blypes1 came haurlin'15
Aff's nieves that night.

A wanton widow Leezie was,

As canty as a kittlen;"

But, och! that night, amang the shaws,
She got a fearfu' settlin'!

She thro' the whins,18 an' by the cairn,"

An' owre the hill gaed scrievin',"

20

21

Whare three lairds' lands meet at a burn‚a

To dip her left sark-sleeve in,

Was bent that night.

1 Sets off-2 Then.-3 A rat.-4 A dung-hole.-5 Urged.- Promised to foretell something that is to be got or given.-7 A fine handsome sweetheart.— 8 Fathomed.

• Take an opportunity of going, unnoticed, to a bean-stack, and fathom it three times round. The last fathom of the last time, you will catch in your arms the appearance of your future conjugal yoke-fellow.

10 Twisting, or inclining to fall, therefore propt with timber.-11 Knotty.12 Grim-looking, ugly old woman.-13 Swore an oath.-14 Shreds.-15 PeelIng.-16 Off his knuckles.-17 Frisky as a kitten.-18 Furze, or gorse.-19 A heap of stones.-20 Swiftly.

21 You go out, one or more, for this is a social spell, to a south-running spring or rivulet, where three lairds' lands meet, and dip your left shirt-sleeve.

.3

Whyles' owre a linn2 the burnie plays,
As thro' the glen it wimpl't;3
Whyles round a rocky scaur it strays;
Whyles in a wiel' it dimpl't;
Whyles glitter'd to the nightly rays,
Wi' bickering, dancing dazzle;
Whyles cookit underneath the braes,
Below the spreading hazel,

Unseen that night.

Amang the brachens," on the brae
Between her an' the moon,
The Deil, or else an outler quey,
Gat up an' gae a croon:*

Poor Leezie's heart maist lap the hool;10
Near lav'rock" height she jumpit,
But mist a fit,12 an' in the pool
Out-owre the lugs she plumpit,1

19

Wi' a plunge that night.

In order, on the clean hearth-stane,
The luggies three1 are ranged,
And every time great care is ta'en
To see them duly changed:
Auld uncle John, wha wedlock's joys
Sin' Mar's-year1 did desire,

Because he got the toomdish1 thrice,
He heaved them on the fire

In wrath that night.

Go to bed in sight of a fire, and hang your wet sleeve before it to dry. Lie awake; and some time near midnight, an apparition, having the exact figure of the grand object in question, will come and turn the sleeve, as if to dry the other side of it.

1 Sometimes.-2 A waterfall.-3 Waved. 4 Whirlpool.-5 Appeared and disappeared by fits.-6 Declivity or precipice.-7 Fern.-8 A young cow running at large, not housed. To roar, or bellow.-10 Leaped out of her skin. —11 Lark.—12 Missed a foot.-13 Over head and ears.

14 Take three dishes: put clean water in one, foul water in another, leave the third empty: blindfold a person, and lead him to the hearth where the dishes are ranged: he (or she) dips the left hand: if by chance in the clean water, the future husband or wife will come to the bar of matrimony a maid: if in the foul, a widow: if in the empty dish, it foretells with equal certainty no marriage at all. It is repeated three times; and every time the arrangement of the dishes is altered.

15 The year 1715.-16 Empty dish.

Wi' meriy sangs, an' friendly cracks,'
I wat they did na weary;
An' unco2 tales, an' funny jokes, •

4

Their sports were cheap an' cheery,
'Till butter'd so'ns3 wi' fragrant lunt,"
Set a' their gabs" a-steerin';"
Syne' wi' a social glass o' strunt,®
They parted aff careerin'

Fu' blythe that night.

SCOTCH DRINK,

Gie him strong drink until he wink,
That's sinking in despair;

An' liquor guid to fire his bluid,

That's prest wi' grief an' care;
There let him bouse an' deep carouse,
Wi' bumpers flowing o'er,

Till he forgets his loves or debts,

An' minds his griefs no more.

Solomon's Proverbs, xxxi. 6, 7.

LET other poets raise a fracas

'Bout vines, an' wines, an' drunken Bacchus,
An' crabbit names an' stories wrack us,
An' grate our lug,

I sing the juice Scots bear can mak us,
In glass or jug.

Ọ thou, my Muse! guid auld Scotch drink,
Whether thro' wimplin' worms thou jink,
Or, richly brown, ream o'er the brink,
In glorious faem,
Inspire me, till I lisp and wink,

To sing thy name!

Let husky Wheat the haughs adorn;
An' Aits set up their awnie horn,
An' Peas an' Beans, at e'en or morn,.
Perfume the plain,

Leeze me on thee, John Barleycorn,

Thou king o' grain!

1 To converse.-2 Strange, marvellous.

3 Sowens-oatmeal made into a kind of pudding. This is always the Halloween supper.

4 Smoke of tobacco-5 Mouths.-6 Stirring.-7 Then.-8 Spirituous liquor.

On thee aft Scotland chows her cood,
In souple scones,' the wale' o' food!
Or tumblin' in the boiling flood,

Wi' kail an' beef;

But when thou pours thy strong heart's blood,
There thou shines chief.

3

Food fills the wame, an' keeps us livin';
Tho' life's a gift no worth receivin',
When heavy dragg'd wi' pine an' grievin' ;*
But, oil'd by thee,

The wheels o' life gae down hill, scrievin',"
Wi' rattlin' glee.

Thou clears the head o' doited" Lear;"
Thou cheers the heart o' drooping Care;
Thou strings the nerves o' Labor sair,
At's weary toil;

Thou even brightens dark Despair
Wi' gloomy smile.

Aft clad in massy siller weed,
Wi' gentles thou erects thy head;
Yet humbly kind in time o' need,

The poor man's wine,'

His wee drap parritch, or his bread,
Thou kitchens10 fine.

Thou art the life o' public haunts;

But" thee, what were our fairs and rants?
Even godly meetings o' the saunts,

By thee inspired,

When gaping they besiege the tents,
Are doubly fired.

That merry night we get the corn in,
O sweetly then thou reams1 the horn in!

1 Flexible bread; i. e. Bannocks made of barley meal, &c., which when baked are so flexible as to admit of being easily rolled together.

2 The choice.

with study.

The belly.-4 Grieving.-5 Swiftly.-6 Stupefied, fatigued Learning, knowledge.

8 Silver dress; alluding to the silver cups and tankards used at the tables

of the gentry.

9 Ale is here intended, a small portion of which is frequently mixed with the porridge of the poorer sort of people.

10 Gives a relish to.-11 Without.-12 Foams.

Or reeking on a New-year mornin'

In cog or bicker,1

An' just a wee drap sp'ritual burn in,2
An' gusty' sucker!a

When Vulcan gies his bellows breath,
An' ploughmen gather wi' their graith,"
O rare to see thee fizz an' freath"
I' th' lugget caup!*

Then Burnewin' comes on like death
At every chaup."

11

Nae mercy then for airn11 or steel;
The brawnie, bainie," ploughman chiel,
Brings hard owrehip, wi' sturdy wheel,

The strong fore-hammer,13
Till block an' studie" ring an' reel
Wi' dinsome clamor.

When skirlin' weanies15 see the light,
Thou maks the gossips clatter1 bright,
How fumblin' cuifs" their dearies slight;
Wae worth the name;

Nae howdie18 gets a social night,
Or plack frae them.

19

When neebors anger at a plea,
An' just as wud19 as wud can be,
How easy can the barley bree20

Cement the quarrel!

It's aye the cheapest lawyer's fee,
To taste the barrel.

21

Alake! that e'er my Muse has reason
To wyte"1 her countrymen wi' treason!
But monie daily weet their weason"
Wi' liquors nice,

An' hardly, in a winter's season

E'er spier23 her price.

1 A wooden cup or dish.-2 A small quantity of spirits burnt in a spoon, and put into the ale.-3 Tasteful.-4 Sugar.-5 Tackle, geer.- To make a hissing noise.-7 Froth.-8 A cup with a handle. 9 Burn-the-wind; the blacksmith.-10 Stroke.-11 Iron.-12 Bony.-13 The smith's large hammer. -14 Anvil.-15 Crying children.-16 Tell idle stories.-17 Ninnies.-18 A midwife.-19 Mad.-20 Juice.-21 To blame.-22 Weasand.-23 To ask, to inquire.