But faith! the birkie 3 wants a Manse, So cannilie he hums them; 150 Is silent expectation; For Moodie speels the holy door, Wi' tidings o' damnation. 'Mang sons o' God present him, Hear how he clears the points o' faith 4 Like cantharidian plaisters, On sic a day! But hark! the tent has chang'd its voice: There's peace and rest nae langer; For a' the real judges rise, They canna sit for anger. Smith opens out his cauld harangues, An' aff the godly pour in thrangs, To gie the jars an' barrels A lift that day. What signifies his barren shine Of moral pow'rs and reason? His English style an' gesture fine Are a' clean out o' season. Like Socrates or Antonine Or some auld pagan heathen, The moral man he does define, But ne'er a word o' faith in That 's richt that day. 135 They're makin observations; "An' O! be sure to fear the Lord alway, 50 An' mind your duty, duly, morn an' night! Lest in temptation's path ye gang astray, Implore His counsel and assisting might: They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright!" But hark! a rap comes gently to the door. 55 Jenny, wha kens the meaning o' the same, Tells how a neibor lad cam o'er the moor, To do some errands, and convoy her hame. The wily mother sees the conscious flame Sparkle in Jenny's ee, and flush her cheek; 60 Wi' heart-struck, anxious care, inquires his name, 10 While Jenny hafflins 1o is afraid to speak; Weel pleas'd the mother hears it's nae wild worthless rake. Wi' kindly welcome Jenny brings him ben," eye; Blythe Jenny sees the visit's no ill taen; 66 The father cracks of horses, pleughs, and kye.12 1 presently 2 drive 3 careful asks 7 odds and ends 8 makes 11 within 12 COWS fine hard-won diligent 10 partly The youngster's artless heart o'erflows wi' joy, But, blate and laithfu',' scarce can weel behave; The mother wi' a woman's wiles can spy 70 What maks the youth sae bashfu' an' sae grave, Weel-pleas'd to think .her bairn's respected like the lave.3 O happy love! where love like this is found! O heart-felt raptures! bliss beyond compare! I've paced much this weary, mortal round, 75 And sage experience bids me this declare "If Heaven a draught of heavenly pleasure spare, One cordial in this melancholy vale, 'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair, In other's arms breathe out the tender tale, 80 Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the ev'ning gale." Is there, in human form, that bears a heart, Betray sweet Jenny's unsuspecting youth? 85 Are honour, virtue, conscience, all exil'd? Is there no pity, no relenting ruth, Points to the parents fondling o'er their child, Then paints the ruin'd maid, and their distraction wild? 90 But now the supper crowns their simple board, The halesome parritch, chief of Scotia's food; The sowpe their only hawkie does afford, That yont the hallan snugly chows her cud. The dame brings forth, in complimental mood, 95 To grace the lad, her weel-hain'd kebbuck fell,10 An' aft" he's prest, an' aft he ca's it guid; The frugal wifie, garrulous, will tell, How 'twas a towmond 12 auld, sin' lint 13 was i' the bell. Perhaps the Christian volume is the theme, How guiltless blood for guilty man was shed; How He, who bore in heav'n the second name, Had not on earth whereon to lay His head: How His first followers and servants sped; The precepts sage they wrote to many a land How he, who lone in Patmos banished, Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand, And heard great Bab'lon's doom pronounced by Heav'n's command. 135 Then kneeling down to Heaven's Eternal King, The saint, the father, and the husband prays: Hope "springs exulting on triumphant wing," That thus they all shall meet in future days: There ever bask in uncreated rays, 140 |