Songwriters From Scotland

"The halesome parritch, chief o Scotia's food."

"The sire turns o'er, wi patriarchal grace, The big ha'-Bible, ance his father's pride."

"He wales a portion with judicious care; And "Let us worship God" he says, with solemn air."

"Perhaps Dundee's wild-warbling measures rise, Or plaintive Martyrs, worthy of the name."

"Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry?"

"The fear o' hell 's a hangman's whip To haud the wretch in order; But where ye feel your honour grip, Let that aye be your border."

"And may you better reck the rede, Than ever did the adviser!"

"A gaudy dress and gentle air May slightly touch the heart; But it's innocence and modesty that polished the dart."

"Oh, my Luve is like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June. O, my Luve is like the melodie, That's sweetly played in tune."

"Contented wi' little and cantie wi' mair."

"Ye banks and braes o' bonny Doon, How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair? How can ye chant, ye little birds, And I sae weary fu' o' care! Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird, That wantons thro' the flowering thorn! Thou minds me o' departed joys, Departed never to return."

"But my fause luver staw my rose, And left the thorn wi' me."

"Chords that vibrate sweetest pleasure Thrill the deepest notes of woe."

"Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae farewell, alas, forever!"

"From scenes like these, old Scotia's grandeur springs, That makes her loved at home, revered abroad: Princes and lords are but the breath of kings, "An honest man's the noblest work of God.""

"Wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie, O what a panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi' bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, Wi' murd'ring pattle!"

"I'm truly sorry Man's dominion Has broken Nature's social union, An' justifies that ill opinion Which makes thee startle, At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, An' fellow-mortal!"

"The best laid schemes o' mice and men Gang aft a-gley; And leave us naught but grief and pain For promised joy."

"O L--d thou kens what zeal I bear, When drinkers drink, and swearers swear, And singin' there, and dancin' here, Wi' great an' sma'; For I am keepet by thy fear, Free frae them a'. But yet—O L--d—confess I must— At times I'm fash'd wi' fleshly lust... O L--d—yestreen thou kens—wi' Meg— Thy pardon I sincerely beg! O may 't ne'er be a living plague, To my dishonour! And I'll ne'er lift a lawless leg Again upon her."

"All in this mottie, misty clime, I backward mus'd on wasted time, How I had spent my youthfu' prime An' done nae-thing, But stringing blethers up to rhyme For fools to sing."

"When chill November's surly blast Made fields and forests bare."

"Nature's law, That man was made to mourn."

"Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn."

"O Death! the poor man's dearest friend, The kindest and the best!"

"Gie me ae spark o' Nature's fire, That's a' the learning I desire."

"For thus the royal mandate ran, When first the human race began, "The social, friendly, honest man, Whate'er he be, 'Tis he fulfills great Nature's plan, And none but he!""

"On ev'ry hand it will allowed be, He's just—nae better than he should be."

"It's hardly in a body's pow'r, To keep, at times, frae being sour."

"Misled by fancy's meteor ray, By passion driven; But yet the light that led astray Was light from heaven."

"And like a passing thought, she fled In light away."

"His lockèd, lettered, braw brass collar Showed him the gentleman an' scholar."

"An' there began a lang digression About the lords o' the creation."

"Rejoiced they were na men, but dogs."

"O, wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us, An' foolish notion. What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us An' ev'n Devotion"

"Wee, modest, crimson-tippèd flow'r, Thou's met me in an evil hour; For I maun crush amang the stoure Thy slender stem: To spare thee now is past my pow'r, Thou bonie gem."

"Stern Ruin's plowshare drives elate, Full on thy bloom."

"O thou! whatever title suit thee, Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie."

"Freedom and Whisky gang thegither."

"Perhaps it may turn out a sang: Perhaps turn out a sermon."

"I waive the quantum o' the sin, The hazard of concealing; But, Och! it hardens a' within, And petrifies the feeling!"

"An atheist-laugh's a poor exchange For Deity offended!"

"What's done we partly may compute, But know not what's resisted."

"O Life! how pleasant is thy morning, Young Fancy's rays the hills adorning! Cold-pausing Caution's lesson scorning, We frisk away, Like schoolboys at th' expected warning, To joy and play."

"O life! thou art a galling load, Along a rough, a weary road, To wretches such as I!"

"Here, some are thinkin' on their sins, An' some upo' their claes."

"Leeze me on drink! it gi'es us mair Than either school or college."

"There's some are fou o' love divine; There's some are fou o' brandy."

"Just now I've taen the fit o' rhyme, My barmie noddle's working prime."

"Some rhyme a neebor's name to lash; Some rhyme (vain thought!) for needfu' cash; Some rhyme to court the countra clash, An' raise a din; For me, an aim I never fash; I rhyme for fun."

"An' fareweel dear, deluding woman, The joy of joys!"