epistletotherev.johnm'math sept.13,1785. inclosingacopyof“holywillie'sprayer,” whichhehadrequested,sept.17,1785 whileatthestooktheshearerscow'r toshunthebitterblaudin'show'r, oringulravagerinninscowr topassthetime, toyouidedicatethehour inidlerhyme. mymusie,tir'dwi'monyasonnet ongown,an'ban',an'douseblackbonnet, isgrownrighteerienowshe'sdoneit, lesttheyshouldblameher, an'rousetheirholythunderonit ananathemher. iown'twasrash,an'ratherhardy, thati,asimple,countrybardie, shouldmeddlewi'apacksaesturdy, wha,iftheykenme, caneasy,wi'asinglewordie, lowsehelluponme. butigaemadattheirgrimaces, theirsighin,cantin,grace-proudfaces, theirthree-mileprayers,an'half-milegraces, theirraxinconscience, whasegreed,revenge,an'pridedisgraces waurnortheirnonsense. there'sgaw'n,misca'dwaurthanabeast, whahasmairhonourinhisbreast thanmonyscoresasguid'sthepriest whasaeabus'dhim: andmayabardnocrackhisjest whatwaythey'veus'dhim? seehim,thepoorman'sfriendinneed, thegentlemaninwordan'deed— an'shallhisfamean'honourbleed byworthless,skellums, an'notamuseerectherhead tocowetheblellums? opope,hadithysatire'sdarts togietherascalstheirdeserts, i'driptheirrotten,hollowhearts, an'tellaloud theirjugglinhocus-pocusarts tocheatthecrowd. godknows,i'mnothethingishouldbe, noramieventhethingicouldbe, buttwentytimesiratherwouldbe anatheistclean, thanundergospelcolourshidbe justforascreen. anhonestmanmaylikeaglass, anhonestmanmaylikealass, butmeanrevenge,an'malicefause he'llstilldisdain, an'thencryzealforgospellaws, likesomeweken. theytakereligionintheirmouth theytalko'mercy,grace,an'truth, forwhat?—togietheirmaliceskouth onsomepuirwight, an'hunthimdown,owrerightandruth, toruinstraight. allhail,religion!maiddivine! pardonamusesaemeanasmine, whoinherroughimperfectline thusdaurstonamethee tostigmatisefalsefriendsofthine canne'erdefamethee. tho'blotch'tandfoulwi'monyastain, an'farunworthyofthytrain, withtremblingvoiceitunemystrain, tojoinwiththose whoboldlydarethycausemaintain inspiteoffoes: inspiteo'crowds,inspiteo'mobs, inspiteo'underminingjobs, inspiteo'darkbandittistabs atworthan'merit, byscoundrels,evenwi'holyrobes, buthellishspirit. oayr!mydear,mynativeground, withinthypresbyterialbound acandidliberalbandisfound ofpublicteachers, asmen,aschristianstoo,renown'd, an'manlypreachers. sir,inthatcircleyouarenam'd sir,inthatcircleyouarefam'd an'some,bywhomyourdoctrine'sblam'd (whichgiesyouhonour) even,sir,bythemyourheart'sesteem'd, an'winningmanner. pardonthisfreedomihaveta'en, an'ifimpertinenti'vebeen, imputeitnot,goodsir,inane whaseheartne'erwrang'dye, buttohisutmostwouldbefriend oughtthatbelang'dye.