thecotter'ssaturdaynight inscribedtor.aiken,esq.,ofayr. letnotambitionmocktheirusefuoil, theirhomelyjoys,anddestinyobscure norgrandeurhear,withadisdainfulsmile, theshortandsimpleannalsofthepoor. gray. mylov'd,myhonour'd,muchrespectedfriend! nomercenarybardhishomagepays withhonestpride,iscorneachselfishend, mydearestmeed,afriend'sesteemandpraise: toyouising,insimplescottishlays, thelowlytraininlife'ssequester'dscene, thenativefeelingsstrong,theguilelessways, whataikeninacottagewouldhavebeen ah!tho'hisworthunknown,farhappierthereiween! novemberchillblawsloudwi'angrysugh theshort'ningwinter-dayisnearaclose themirybeastsretreatingfraethepleugh theblack'ningtrainso'crawstotheirrepose: thetoil-worncotterfraehislabourgoes,— thisnighthisweeklymoilisatanend, collectshisspades,hismattocks,andhishoes, hopingthemornineaseandresttospend, andweary,o'erthemoor,hiscoursedoeshamewardbend. atlengthhislonelycotappearsinview, beneaththesheerofanagedtree th'expectantwee-things,toddlin,stacherthrough tomeettheirdead,wi'flichterinnoiseandglee. hisweebitingle,blinkinbonilie, hiscleanhearth-stane,histhriftywifie'ssmile, thelispinginfant,prattlingonhisknee, doesa'hiswearykiaughandcarebeguile, andmakeshimquiteforgethislabourandhistoil. belyve,theelderbairnscomedrappingin, atserviceout,amangthefarmersroun' someca'thepleugh,someherd,sometentierin acannieerrandtoaneibortown: theireldesthope,theirjenny,woman-grown, inyouthfu'bloom-lovesparklinginhere'e— comeshame,perhapstoshewabrawnewgown, ordepositehersair-wonpenny-fee, tohelpherparentsdear,iftheyinhardshipbe. withjoyunfeign'd,brothersandsistersmeet, andeachforother'sweelfarekindlyspeirs: thesocialhours,swift-wing'd,unnotic'dfleet: eachtellstheuncosthatheseesorhears. theparents,partial,eyetheirhopefulyears anticipationforwardpointstheview themother,wi'herneedleandhershears, garsauldclaeslookamaistasweel'sthenew thefathermixesa'wi'admonitiondue. theirmaster'sandtheirmistress'command, theyounkersa'arewarnedtoobey andmindtheirlabourswi'aneydenthand, andne'er,tho'outo'sight,tojaukorplay “ando!besuretofearthelordalway, andmindyourduty,duly,mornandnight lestintemptation'spathyegangastray, implorehiscounselandassistingmight: theyneversoughtinvainthatsoughtthelordaright.” buthark!arapcomesgentlytothedoor jenny,whakensthemeaningo'thesame, tellshowaneiborladcameo'erthemoor, todosomeerrands,andconvoyherhame. thewilymotherseestheconsciousflame sparkleinjenny'se'e,andflushhercheek withheart-struckanxiouscare,enquireshisname, whilejennyhafflinsisafraidtospeak weel-pleasedthemotherhears,it'snaewild,worthlessrake. wi'kindlywelcome,jennybringshimben astrappinyouth,hetakesthemother'seye blythejennyseesthevisit'snoila'en thefathercracksofhorses,pleughs,andkye. theyoungster'sartlesshearto'erflowswi'joy, butblatean'laithfu',scarcecanweelbehave themother,wi'awoman'swiles,canspy whatmakestheyouthsaebashfu'andsaegrave, weel-pleas'dtothinkherbairn'srespectedlikethelave. ohappylove!wherelovelikethisisfound: oheart-feraptures!blissbeyondcompare! i'vepacedmuchthisweary,mortalround, andsageexperiencebidsmethisdeclare,— “ifheavenadraughtofheavenlypleasurespare— onecordialinthismelancholyvale, 'tiswhenayouthful,loving,modestpair inother'sarms,breatheoutthetendertale, beneaththemilk-whitethornthatscentstheeveninggale.” isthere,inhumanform,thatbearsaheart, awretch!avillain!losttoloveandtruth! thatcan,withstudied,sly,ensnaringart, betraysweetjenny'sunsuspectingyouth? curseonhisperjur'darts!dissemblingsmooth! arehonour,virtue,conscience,allexil'd? istherenopity,norelentingruth, pointstotheparentsfondlingo'ertheirchild? thenpaintstheruin'dmaid,andtheirdistractionwild? butnowthesuppercrownstheirsimpleboard, thehalesomeparritch,chiefofscotia'sfood thesowptheironlyhawkiedoesafford, that,'yontthehallansnuglychowshercood: thedamebringsforth,incomplimentalmood, togracethelad,herweel-hain'dkebbuck,fell andafthe'sprest,andaftheca'sitguid: thefrugalwifie,garrulous,wilell howt'wasatowmondauld,sin'lintwasi'thebell. thecheerfu'supperdone,wi'seriousface, they,roundtheingle,formacirclewide thesireturnso'er,withpatriarchalgrace, thebigha'bible,ancehisfather'spride: hisbonnetrev'rentlyislaidaside, hislyarthaffetswearingthinandbare thosestrainsthatoncedidsweetinzionglide, hewalesaportionwithjudiciouscare and“letusworshipgod!”hesayswithsolemnair. theychanttheirartlessnotesinsimpleguise, theytunetheirhearts,byfarthenoblestaim perhapsdundee'swild-warblingmeasuresrise orplaintivemartyrs,worthyofthename ornobleelginbeetstheheaven-wardflame thesweetestfarofscotia'sholylays: compar'dwiththese,italiantrillsaretame thetickl'dearsnoheart-ferapturesraise naeunisonhaetheywithourcreator'spraise. thepriest-likefatherreadsthesacredpage, howabramwasthefriendofgodonhigh ormosesbadeeternalwarfarewage withamalek'sungraciousprogeny orhowtheroyalbarddidgroaninglie beneaththestrokeofheaven'savengingire orjob'spatheticplaint,andwailingcry orraptisaiah'swild,seraphicfire orotherholyseersthattunethesacredlyre. perhapsthechristianvolumeisthetheme, howguilessbloodforguiymanwasshed howhe,whoboreinheaventhesecondname, hadnotonearthwhereontolayhishead: howhisfirstfollowersandservantssped thepreceptssagetheywrotetomanyaland: howhe,wholoneinpatmosbanished, sawinthesunamightyangelstand, andheardgreatbab'lon'sdoompronounc'dbyheaven'scommand. then,kneelingdowntoheaven'seternalking, thesaint,thefather,andthehusbandprays: hope“springsexuingontriumphantwing,” thatthustheyallshallmeetinfuturedays, there,everbaskinuncreatedrays, nomoretosigh,orshedthebittertear, togetherhymningtheircreator'spraise, insuchsociety,yetstillmoredear whilecirclingtimemovesroundinaneternalsphere compar'dwiththis,howpoorreligion'spride, inalhepompofmethod,andofart whenmendisplaytocongregationswide devotion'sev'rygrace,excepttheheart! thepower,incens'd,thepageantwilldesert, thepompousstrain,thesacerdotalstole buthaply,insomecottagefarapart, mayhear,well-pleas'd,thelanguageofthesoul andinhisbookoflifetheinmatespoorenroll. thenhomewardalakeofftheirsev'ralway theyounglingcottagersretiretorest: theparent-pairtheirsecrethomagepay, andprofferuptoheaventhewarmrequest, thathewhostillstheraven'sclam'rousnest, anddecksthelilyfairinflow'rypride, would,inthewayhiswisdomseesthebest, forthemandfortheirlittleonesprovide butchiefly,intheirheartswithgracedivinepreside. fromsceneslikethese,oldscotia'sgrandeursprings, thatmakesherlov'dathome,rever'dabroad: princesandlordsarebutthebreathofkings, “anhonestman'sthenoblestworkofgod” andcertes,infairvirtue'sheavenlyroad, thecottageleavesthepalacefarbehind whatisalordling'spomp?acumbrousload, disguisingoftthewretchofhumankind, studiedinartsofhell,inwickednessrefin'd! oscotia!mydear,mynativesoil! forwhommywarmestwishtoheavenissent, longmaythyhardysonsofrustictoil beblestwithheah,andpeace,andsweetcontent! ando!mayheaventheirsimplelivesprevent fromluxury'scontagion,weakandvile! thenhowe'ercrownsandcoronetsberent, avirtuouspopulacemayrisethewhile, andstandawalloffirearoundtheirmuch-lov'disle. othou!whopour'dthepatriotictide, thatstream'dthro'wallace'sundauntedheart, whodar'dtonoblystemtyrannicpride, ornoblydie,thesecondgloriouspart: (thepatriot'sgodpeculiarlythouart, hisfriend,inspirer,guardian,andreward!) onever,neverscotia'srealmdesert butstilhepatriot,andthepatriot-bard inbrightsuccessionraise,herornamentandguard!