IMPROMPTU-"I'LL GO AND BE A SODGER." O WHY the deuce should I repine, And be an ill foreboder? I'm twenty-three, and five feet nine, I gat some gear wi' mickle care, But now it's gane, and something mair- [This is the sequel to the poet's previous penitential bemoanings, and apostrophes to "Fickle Fortune." "Come, stubborn pride and unshrinking resolution!"—he wrote to a lady friend, on receipt of what he deemed ruinous intelligence-"accompany me through this, to me, miserable world! Your friendship I think I can count on, though I should date my letters from a marching regiment. Early in life, and all my life, I reckoned on a recruiting drum as my forlorn hope."] SONG "NO CHURCHMAN AM I.” Tune-"Prepare, my dear Brethren." No churchman am I for to rail and to write, The peer I don't envy, I give him his bow; Here passes the squire on his brother-his horse; The wife of my bosom, alas! she did die; I once was persuaded a venture to make; "Life's cares they are comforts”*—a maxim laid down By the Bard, what d'ye call him? that wore the black gown; And faith I agree with th' old prig to a hair; A STANZA ADDED IN A MASON LODGE. Then fill up a bumper and make it o'erflow, [The poet was admitted an apprentice Free Mason in July 1781, just before he proceeded to Irvine.] BALLAD-MY FATHER WAS A FARMER. Tune-"The weaver and his shuttle, O." My father was a farmer upon the Carrick border, He bade me act a manly part, though I had ne'er a farthing; For without an honest manly heart, no man was worth regarding. Young's "Night Thoughts."-R. B. Then out into the world my course I did determine; Tho' to be rich was not my wish, yet to be great was charming: My talents they were not the worst, nor yet my education : Resolv'd was I, at least to try, to mend my situation. In many a way, and vain essay, I courted Fortune's favour; Some cause unseen still stept between, to frustrate each endeavour ; Sometimes by foes I was o'erpower'd, sometimes by friends forsaken ; And when my hope was at the top, I still was worst mistaken. Then sore harass'd, and tir'd at last, with Fortune's vain delusion, I dropt my schemes, like idle dreams, and came to this conclusion : The past was bad, and the future hid, its good or ill untried ; But the present hour was in my pow'r, and so I would enjoy it. No help, nor hope, nor view had I, nor person to befriend me; So I must toil, and sweat, and moil, and labour to sus tain me; To plough and sow, to reap and mow, my father bred me early; For one, he said, to labour bred, was a match for Fortune fairly. Thus all obscure, unknown, and poor, thro' life I'm doom'd to wander, Till down my weary bones I lay in everlasting slumber : No view nor care, but shun whate'er might breed me pain or sorrow; I live to-day as well's I may, regardless of to-morrow. But cheerful still, I am as well as a monarch in his palace, Tho' Fortune's frown still hunts me down, with all her wonted malice : I make indeed my daily bread, but ne'er can make it farther: But as daily bread is all I need, I do not much regard her. When sometimes by my labour, I earn a little money, Some unforeseen misfortune comes gen'rally upon me; Mischance, mistake, or by neglect, or my goodnatur'd folly : But come what will, I've sworn it still, I'll ne'er be melancholy. All you who follow wealth and power with unremitting ardour, The more in this you look for bliss, you leave your view the farther: Had you the wealth Potosi boasts, or nations to adore you, A cheerful honest-hearted clown I will prefer before you. [The poet describes the above as "a wild rhapsody, miserably deficient in versification, but as the sentiments are the genuine feelings of my heart, for that reason I have a particular pleasure in conning it over."] JOHN BARLEYCORN: A BALLAD. This is partly composed on the plan of an old song known by the same name.-R. B. THERE was three kings into the east, Three kings both great and high, And they hae sworn a solemn oath They took a plough and plough'd him down, Put clods upon his head, And they hae sworn a solemn oath John Barleycorn was dead. But the cheerful Spring came kindly on, And show'rs began to fall; John Barleycorn got up again, And sore surpris'd them all. The sultry suns of Summer came, The sober Autumn enter'd mild, His colour sicken'd more and more, He faded into age; And then his enemies began To show their deadly rage. They've taen a weapon, long and sharp, And cut him by the knee; Then ty'd him fast upon a cart, They laid him down upon his back, |