But what wad ye think? in a fortnight or less—­
  The Deil tak his taste to gae near her!—­
  He up the Gate Slack to my black cousin Bess: 
  Guess ye how, the jad, I could bear her, could bear her! 
  Guess ye how, the jad, I could bear her!

  But a’ the niest week as I petted wi’ care,
  I gaed to the tryste o’ Dalgarnock,
  And wha but my fine fickle lover was there? 
  I glowered as I’d seen a warlock, a warlock,
  I glowered as I’d seen a warlock.

  But owre my left shouther I gae him a blink,
  Lest neebours might say I was saucy: 
  My wooer he capered as he’d been in drink,
  And vowed I was his dear lassie, dear lassie,
  And vowed I was his dear lassie!

  I spiered for my cousin fu’ couthy and sweet,
  Gin she had recovered her hearin,
  And how her new shoon fit her auld shachled feet—­
  But, heavens, how he fell a swearin, a swearin! 
  But, heavens, how he fell a swearin!

  He begged, for Gudesake, I wad be his wife,
  Or else I wad kill him wi’ sorrow;
  So, e’en to preserve the poor body in life,
  I think I maun wed him to-morrow, to-morrow,
  I think I maun wed him to-morrow!

  O, WERT THOU IN THE CAULD BLAST

  O, wert thou in the cauld blast,
  On yonder lea, on yonder lea,
  My plaidie to the angry airt,
  I’d shelter thee, I’d shelter thee;

  Or did misfortune’s bitter storms
  Around thee blaw, around thee blaw,
  Thy bield should be my bosom,
  To share it a’, to share it a’.

  Or were I in the wildest waste,
  Sae black and bare, sae black and bare,
  The desert were a paradise
  If thou wert there, if thou wert there;
  Or were I monarch of the globe,
  Wi’ thee to reign, wi’ thee to reign,
  The brightest jewel in my crown
  Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.

  ERASMUS DARWIN

  FROM THE BOTANIC GARDEN

  [PROCUL ESTE, PROFANI]

  Stay your rude steps! whose throbbing breasts infold
  The legion-fiends of glory or of gold! 
  Stay! whose false lips seductive simpers part,
  While cunning nestles in the harlot-heart!—­
  For you no Dryads dress the roseate bower,
  For you no Nymphs their sparkling vases pour;
  Unmarked by you, light Graces swim the green,
  And hovering Cupids aim their shafts, unseen.

  But thou! whose mind the well-attempered ray
  Of taste and virtue lights with purer day;
  Whose finer sense each soft vibration owns
  With sweet responsive sympathy of tones;
  (So the fair flower expands its lucid form
  To meet the sun, and shuts it to the storm);
  For thee my borders nurse the fragrant wreath,
  My fountains murmur, and my zephyrs breathe;

  Slow slides the painted snail, the gilded fly
  Smooths his fine down, to charm thy curious eye;
  On twinkling fins my pearly nations play,
  Or win with sinuous train their trackless way;
  My plumy pairs, in gay embroidery dressed,
  Form with ingenious bill the pensile nest,
  To love’s sweet notes attune the listening dell,
  And Echo sounds her soft symphonious shell.