A Dedication（1 / 2）

a dedication

to gavin hamilton, esq.

expect na, sir, in this narration,

a fleechin, fleth'rin dedication,

to roose you up, an' ca' you guid,

an' sprung o' great an' noble bluid,

because ye're surnam'd like his grace—

perhaps related to the race:

then, when i'm tir'd—and sae are ye,

wi' mony a fulsome, sinfu' lie,

set up a face how i stop short,

for fear your modesty be hurt.

this may do—maun do, sir, wi' them wha

maun please the great folk for a wamefou;

for me! sae laigh i need na bow,

for, lord be thankit, i can plough;

and when i downa yoke a naig,

then, lord be thankit, i can beg;

sae i shall say—an' that's nae flatt'rin—

it's just sic poet an' sic patron.

the poet, some guid angel help him,

or else, i fear, some ill ane skelp him!

he may do weel for a' he's done yet,

but only—he's no just begun yet.

the patron (sir, ye maun forgie me;

i winna lie, come what will o' me),

on ev'ry hand it will allow'd be,

he's just—nae better than he should be.

i readily and freely grant,

he downa see a poor man want;

what's no his ain, he winna tak it;

what ance he says, he winna break it;

ought he can lend he'll no refus't,

till aft his guidness is abus'd;

and rascals whiles that do him wrang,

ev'n that, he does na mind it lang;

as master, landlord, husband, father,

he does na fail his part in either.

but then, nae thanks to him for a'that;

nae godly symptom ye can ca' that;

it's naething but a milder feature

of our poor, sinfu' corrupt nature:

ye'll get the best o' moral works,

'mang black gentoos, and pagan turks,

or hunters wild on ponotaxi,

wha never heard of orthodoxy.

that he's the poor man's friend in need,

the gentleman in word and deed,

it's no thro' terror of damnation;

it's just a carnal inclination.

morality, thou deadly bane,

thy tens o' thousands thou hast slain!

vain is his hope, whase stay an' trust is

in moral mercy, truth, and justice!

no—stretch a point to catch a plack:

abuse a brother to his back;

steal through the winnock frae a whore,

but point the rake that taks the door;

be to the poor like ony whunstane,

and haud their noses to the grunstane;

ply ev'ry art o' legal thieving;

no matter—stick to sound believing.

learn three-mile pray'rs, an' half-mile graces,

wi' weel-spread looves, an' lang, wry faces;

grunt up a solemn, lengthen'd groan,

and damn a' parties but your own;

i'll warrant they ye're nae deceiver,

a steady, sturdy, staunch believer.