JENNY.

With equal joy my safter heart does yield, To own thy well-tryed love has won the field.1 Now by these warmest kisses thou hast ta'en, Swear thus to love me when by vows made ane.

ROGER.

I swear by fifty thousand yet to come, Or may the first ane strike me deaf and dumb, There shall not be a kindlier dawted wife, If you agree with me to lead your life!

JENNY.

Well, I agree! - neist to my parent gae, Get his consent, he'll hardly say ye nae. Ye have what will commend ye to him weel, Auld fowks like them that want na milk and meal.

SANG XIV. TUNE.-'O'er Bogie.'

JENNY.

Well, I agree, ye 're sure of me;
Next to my father gae ;
Make him content to give consent;

He'll hardly say ye nae.

For ye have what he wad be at,

And will commend you weel; Since parents auld think love grows cauld, Where bairns want milk and meal.

Should he deny, I care na by,

He'd contradict in vain ;
Tho' a' my kin had said and sworn,

But thee I will have nane.

Then never range, nor learn to change,
Like those in high degree;

And if you faithful prove in love,
You'll find nae faut in me.

ROGER.

My faulds contain twice fifteen farrow nowt;
As mony newcal in my byers rowt;

Five pack of woo I can at Lammas sell,
Shorn from my bob-tailed bleeters on the fell;
Good twenty pair of blankets for our bed,
With meikle care my thrifty mither made;
Ilk thing that makes a heartsome house and tight,
Was still her care, my father's great delight.
They left me all, which now gies joy to me,
Because I can give a', my dear, to thee.
And had I fifty times as meikle mair,
Nane but my Jenny should the samen skair;
My love and all is yours; now had them fast,
And guide them as ye like to gar them last.

JENNY.

I'll do my best: but see wha comes this way, Patie and Meg! - Besides, I mauna stay.

1With equal joy my easy heart gives way, To own thy well-tried love has won the day.' Edition of 1808.

To ane that lost it, lending gen'rous aid
To bear the head up, when rebellious tail,
Against the laws of nature, did prevail.
Sir William Worthy is our master's name,
Whilk fills us all with joy, now he's come hame.

(Sir William draps his masking beard;
Symon, transported, sees

The welcome knight, with fond regard,
And grasps him round the knees.)

My master! my dear master! - do I breathe,
To see him healthy, strong, and free frae skaith,
Returned to cheer his wishing tenants' sight,-
To bless his son, my charge, the world's delight!

SIR WILLIAM.

Rise, faithful Symon; in my arms enjoy A place thy due, kind guardian of my boy! I came to view thy care in this disguise, And am confirmed thy conduct has been wise; Since still the secret thou'st securely sealed, And ne'er to him his real birth revealed.

SYMON.

The due obedience to your strict command Was the first lock; neist my ain judgment fand Out reasons plenty; since, without estate, A youth, though sprung frae kings, looks bauch and blate.

SIR WILLIAM.

And aften vain and idly spend their time, Till grown unfit for action, past their prime, Hang on their friends; which gies their sauls a cast, That turns them downright beggars at the last.

SYMON.

Now weel I wat, sir, you have spoken true! For there's laird Kytie's son, that's loo'd by few; His father steght his fortune in his wame, And left his heir naught but a gentle name. He gangs about sonan frae place to place, As scrimpt of manners as of sense and grace;

Oppressing a', as punishment o' their sin, That are within his tenth degree of kin ; Rins in ilk trader's debt wha's sae unjust To his ain family as to give him trust.

SIR WILLIAM.

Such useless branches of a commonwealth Should be lopt off, to give a state mair health: Unworthy bare reflection!-Symon, run O'er all your observations on my son ; A parent's fondness easily finds excuse; But do not, with indulgence, truth abuse.

SYMON.

To speak his praise, the langest simmer day Wad be owre short, could I them right display. In word and deed he can sae well behave, That out of sight he rins before the lave; And when there's e'er a quarrel or contest, Patrick's made judge, to tell whase cause is best ; And his decreet stands good-he'll gar it stand; Wha dares to grumble finds his correcting hand; With a firm look, and a commanding way, He gars the proudest of our herds obey.

SIR WILLIAM.

Your tale much pleases :-) - My good friend, pro

ceed :

What learning has he? Can he write and read?

SYMON.

Baith wonder weel; for, troth, I didna spare To gie him at the school enough of lear; And he delights in books. He reads and speaks, With fowks that ken them, Latin words and Greeks.

SIR WILLIAM.

Where gets he books to read, and of what kind?— Tho' some give light, some blindly lead the blind.

SYMON.

Whene'er he drives our sheep to Edinburgh port, He buys some books of history, sangs, or sport. Nor does he want of them a rowth at will, And carries ay a pouchfu' to the hill. About ane Shakespear and a famous Ben He aften speaks, and ca's them best of men. How sweetly Hawthornden and Stirling sing, And ane caw'd Cowley, loyal to his king, He kens fou weel, and gars their verses ring. I sometimes thought that he made o'er great frase About fine poems, histories, and plays :

When we a leaf or twa haf read, haf spell, Till a' the rest sleep round as weel's oursell.

SIR WILLIAM.

Well jested, Symon! But one question more I'll only ask you now, and then give o'er. The youth's arrived the age when little loves Flighter around young hearts like cooing doves : Has nae young lassie with inviting mien And rosy cheek, the wonder of the green, Engaged his look, and caught his youthfu' heart?

SYMON.

I feared the warst, but ken'd the smallest part; Till late I saw him twa three times mair sweet With Glaud's fair niece than I thought right or meet. I had my fears, but now have naught to fear, Since like yourself your son will soon appear; A gentleman, enriched with all these charms, May bless the fairest best-born ladies' arms.

SIR WILLIAM.

This night must end his unambitious fire, When higher views shall greater thoughts inspire. Go, Symon, bring him quickly here to me; None but yourself shall our first meeting see. Yonder's my horse and servants nigh at hand; They come just at the time I gave command; Straight in my own apparel I'll go dress; Now ye the secret may to all confess.

SYMON.

With how much joy I on this errand flee, There's nane can know that is not downright me ! [Exit Symon.]

SIR WILLIAM solus.

Whene'er the event of hope's success appears, One happy hour cancels the toil of years; A thousand toils are lost in Lethe's stream, And cares evanish like a morning dream; When wished for pleasures rise like morning light, The pain that's past enhances the delight. These joys I feel, that words can ill express, I ne'er had known, without my late distress. But from his rustic business and love I must in haste my Patrick soon remove To courts and camps that may his soul improve. Like the rough diamond, as it leaves the mine, Only in little breakings show its light, Till artful polishing has made it shine, Thus education makes the genius bright.

SANG XV.

TUNE.Wat ye wha I met yestreen?'
Now from rusticity and love,

Whose flames but over lowly burn,
My gentle shepherd must be drove,
His soul must take another turn.
As the rough diamond from the mine
In breaking only shows its light,

Till polishing has made it shine,

Thus learning makes the genius bright. [Exit.]

As true as ye stand there! As they were dancing a' in Symon's yard, Sir William, like a warlock, with a beard Five nieves in length, and white as driven snaw, Amang us came, cryed, 'Haud ye merry a'!' We ferlyed meikle at his unco look, While frae his pouch he whirled forth a book; As we stood round about him on the green, He viewed us a', but fixed on Pate his een ; Then pawkily pretended he could spae, Yet for his pains and skill wad naething hae.

MAUSE.

Then sure the lasses, and ilk gaping coof, Wad rin about him, and had out their loof!

MADGE.

As fast as fleas skip to the tate of woo, Whilk slee tod-lowrie hads without his mow, When he to drown them, and his hips to cool, In simmer days slides backward in a pool! In short, he did for Pate braw things foretell, Without the help of conjuring or spell. At last, when well-diverted, he withdrew, Pou'd aff his beard to Symon; -Symon knew His welcome master ; -round his knees he gat, Hang at his coat, and syne for blythness grat. Patrick was sent for :- happy lad is he!Symon tald Elspa; Elspa tald it me. Ye'll hear out a' the secret story soon. And troth 't is e'en right odd, when a' is done, To think how Symon ne'er afore wad tell,— Na, no sae meikle as to Pate himsell! Our Meg, poor thing, alake! has lost her jo.

MAUSE.

It may be sae, wha kens? And may be no. To lift a love that's rooted is great pain: E'en kings have tane a queen out of the plain; And what has been before may be again.

MADGE.

Sic nonsense! Love tak root, but tocher-good, "Tween a herd's bairn and ane of gentle blood! Sic fashions in King Bruce's days might be, But siccan ferlies now we never see.

MAUSE.

Gif Pate forsakes her, Bauldy she may gain; Yonder he comes! And vow! but he looks fain; Nae doubt he thinks that Peggy's now his ain.

I hae a good ha' house, a barn, and a byer,-
A peat-stack 'fore the door, will mak a rantin fire:
I'll mak a rantin fire, and merry sall we be :
And gin ye winna tak me, I can let ye be.

Jenny said to Jocky, gin ye winna tell,
Ye sall be the lad, I'll be the lass mysell;
Ye're a bonny lad, and I'm a lassie free ;
Ye're welcomer to tak me than to let me be.

I trow sae! Lasses will come to at last, Tho' for a while they maun their snaw-baws cast.

MAUSE.

Well, Bauldy, how gaes a'?

BAULDY.

Faith, unco right; I hope we'll a' sleep sound but ane this night!

MADGE.

And wha's the unlucky ane, if we may ask?

BAULDY.

To find out that is nae difficult task: Poor bonny Peggy, wha maun think nae mair On Pate, turned Patrick, and Sir William's heir. Now, now, good Madge, and honest Mause, stand be; While Meg's in dumps, put in a word for me; I'll be as kind as ever Pate could prove, Less wilfu', and ay constant in my love.

MADGE.

As Neps can witness, and the bushy thorn, Where mony a time to her your heart was sworn ! Fy, Bauldy, blush, and vows of love regard; What other lass will trow a mansworn herd? The curse of heaven hings ay aboon their heads, That's ever guilty of sic sinfu' deeds.

I'll ne'er advise my niece sae gray a gate; Nor will she be advised, fou well I wat.

BAULDY.

Sae gray a gate! mansworn! and a' the rest! Ye lied, auld roudes; and in faith had best Eat in your words, else I shall gar you stand, With a het face, afore the haly band!

MADGE.

Ye'll gar me stand! ye shevelling-gabbit brock, Speak that again, and trembling dread my rock, And ten sharp nails, that when my hands are in, Can flyp the skin o' y'er cheeks out o'er your chin,

BAULDY.

I take ye witness, Mause, ye heard her say That I'm mansworn :-I winna let it gae!

MADGE.

Ye're witness too, he ca'd me bonny names, And should be served as his good-breeding claims. Ye filthy dog!

[Flees to his hair like a fury.—A stout battle.-Mause endeavors to redd them.]

I'm glad to hear 't: but 0! my change this day
Heaves up my joy! And yet I'm sometimes wae.
I've found a father, gently kind as brave,
And an estate that lifts me 'boon the lave;
With looks all kindness, words that love confest,
He all the father to my soul expressed,

While close he held me to his manly breast:
'Such were the eyes,' he said, 'thus smiled the mouth
Of thy loved mother, blessing o' my youth,
Wha set too soon!'- And while he praise bestowed
Adown his gracefu' cheeks a torrent flowed.
My new-born joys, and this his tender tale,
Did, mingled thus, o'er a' my thoughts prevail;
That, speechless, lang my late-ken'd sire I viewed,
While gushing tears my panting breast bedewed:
Unusual transports made my head turn round,
Whilst I myself with rising raptures found
The happy son of ane sae much renowned.
But he has heard! Too faithful Symon's fear
Has brought my love for Peggy to his ear;
Which he forbids: -ah! this confounds my peace,
While thus to beat my heart must sooner cease.

ROGER.

How to advise ye, troth I'm at a stand; But were 't my case, ye'd clear it up aff hand.

PATIE.

Duty, and haflen reason, plead his cause; But love rebels against all bounding laws; Fixt in my soul the shepherdess excels,1 And part of my new happiness repels.

SANG XVI.

TUNE.Kirk wad let me be."

Duty and part of reason

Plead strong on the parent's side; Which love so superior calls treason;

The strongest must be obeyed.

For now, tho' I'm one of the gentry,
My constancy falsehood repels ;
For change in my heart has no entry;
Still there my dear Peggy excels.

ROGER.

Enjoy them baith:- Sir William will be won. Your Peggy's bonny :- you're his only son.

PATIE.

She's mine by vows, and stronger ties of love; And frae these bands nae fate my mind shall move. I'll wed nane else, thro' life I will be true; But still obedience is a parent's due.

1But what cares love for reason, rules, and laws? Still in my heart my shepherdess excels.' Edition of 1808.