epistletowilliamsimson schoolmaster,ochiree.—may,1785 igatyourletter,winsomewillie wi'gratefu'heartithankyoubrawlie tho'imaunsay't,iwadbesilly, anduncovain, shouldibelieve,mycoaxinbillie yourflatterinstrain. buti'sebelieveyekindlymeantit: isudbelaithtothinkyehinted ironicsatire,sidelinssklented onmypoormusie tho'insicphraisintermsye'vepenn'dit, iscarceexcuseye. mysenseswadbeinacreel, shouldibutdareahopetospeel wi'allan,orwi'gilbertfield, thebraeso'fame orfergusson,thewriter-chiel, adeathlessname. (ofergusson!thygloriousparts illsuitedlaw'sdry,mustyarts! mycurseuponyourwhunstanehearts, yee'nbrughgentry! thetitheo'whatyewasteatcartes wadstow'dhispantry!) yetwhenatalecomesi'myhead, orlassiesgiemyheartascreed— aswhilesthey'reliketobemydead, (osaddisease!) ikittleupmyrusticreed itgiesmeease. auldcoilanowmayfidgefu'fain, she'sgottenpoetso'herain chielswhatheirchanterswinnahain, buttunetheirlays, tillechoesa'resoundagain herweel-sungpraise. naepoetthoughtherworthhiswhile, tosethernameinmeasur'dstyle shelaylikesomeunkenn'd-of-isle besidenewholland, orwharewild-meetingoceansboil besouthmagellan. ramsayan'famousfergusson giedforthan'tayaliftaboon yarrowan'tweed,tomonieatune, owrescotlandrings whileirwin,lugar,ayr,an'doon naebodysings. th'illissus,tiber,thames,an'seine, glidesweetinmonieatunefu'line: butwillie,setyourfittomine, an'cockyourcrest we'llgarourstreamsan'burniesshine upwi'thebest! we'llsingauldcoila'splainsan'fells, hermoorsred-brownwi'heatherbells, herbanksan'braes,herdensanddells, wharegloriouswallace aftburethegree,asstorytells, fraesuthronbillies. atwallace'name,whatscottishblood butboilsupinaspring-tideflood! ofthaveourfearlessfathersstrode bywallace'side, stillpressingonward,red-wat-shod, orgloriousdied! o,sweetarecoila'shaughsan'woods, whenlintwhiteschantamangthebuds, andjinkinhares,inamorouswhids, theirlovesenjoy whilethro'thebraesthecushatcroods withwailfu'cry! ev'nwinterbleakhascharmstome, whenwindsravethro'thenakedtree orfrostsonhillsofochiree arehoarygray orblindingdriftswild-furiousflee, dark'ningtheday! onature!a'thyshewsan'forms tofeeling,pensiveheartshaecharms! whetherthesummerkindlywarms, wi'lifeanlight orwinterhowls,ingustystorms, thelang,darknight! themuse,naepoeteverfandher, tillbyhimselhelearn'dtowander, adownsometrottinburn'smeander, an'nothinklang: osweettostray,an'pensiveponder aheart-fesang! thewar'lyracemaydrudgean'drive, hog-shouther,jundie,stretch,an'strive letmefairnature'sfacedescrive, andi,wi'pleasure, shallletthebusy,grumblinghive bumowretheirtreasure. fareweel,“myrhyme-composing”brither! we'vebeenowrelangunkenn'dtoither: nowletuslayourheadsthegither, inlovefraternal: mayenvywallopinatether, blackfiend,infernal! whilehighlandmenhatetoolsan'taxes whilemoorlan'sherdslikeguid,fatbraxies whileterrafirma,onheraxis, diurnaurns countonafriend,infaithan'practice, inrobertburns.