  The lusty sun did glower aboon, Wi’ welcome in his cheerfu’ rays; I walked in Edinboro’ toon, A’ in ma caller claes. For I had donned ma coat o’ cheiks That cost me guineas twa an’ three. But and ma pair o’ ditto breeks That luiked sae pleasantlie. On ilka breek were creasies twa; And they did hang sae fine, sae fine, Frae John o’ Groats to Gallowa’ Were nane sae fair as mine. An’ first I honoured Geordie Street, An’ syne I walked the Princes ane, To gie to ilka lass a treat An’ a’ the laddies pain. An’ mony a laddie’s hert was sair; An’ mony a lassie’s een, ay, mony, Uplicht wi’ joy to see a pair Sae canny an’ sae bonny. I hadna walked an hour at maist, I hadna honoured half the toon, The air grew drumlie lik’ a ghaist, An’ syne the rain cam’ doon. An’ first the dust it gently laid, An’ syne it cam’ in cats an’ doggies, That loosed the cobble-stanes and played Auld Hornie wi’ ma toggies. O waly for ma coat o’ cheicks That cost me guineas twa and three! An’ waly for ma ditto breeks Sae bagsome at the knee! The creasies twa are past reca’ That gard them hang sae fine, sae fine, Frae John o’ Groats to Gallowa’ Are nane sae puir as mine! O fause, inhospitable toon, I rede thee, gin I come again, Ma claes sall be o’ reich-ma-doon, An’ deil tak’ your rain! INTANGIBILITY Severe Scots Schoolmistress (visiting some English friends). “Sir Joshua Reynolds, is it? Ah! vera pretty! And cherubs do vera weel in a picture; but I dinna care for bairnies whose feelings I can’t appeal to!” |
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