These lines were written in answer to a mandate sent by the surveyor of the windows, carriages, &c. to each farmer, ordering him to send a signed list of his horses, servants, wheel-carriages, &c., and whether he was a married man or a bachelor, likewise the number of his children. The poem is chiefly remarkable for the information which it gives concerning the farm, the household, and the habits of Burns. Mossgiel lies a short mile distant from Mauchline; nor has cultivation prevailed against the cold clay-bottom which, with untimely rains, brought ruin to the poet's labours: it is, I have been informed, more suitable for grazing than cropping, and at this period produces excellent cheese. Mauchline," says the correct and lively Chambers, "is a parish town of above a thousand inhabitants, in ancient times the seat of a Priory belonging to Melrose, but now differing in no respect from a common agricultural village. It is situated upon a slope ascending from the margin of the Ayr, from which it is about two miles distant. One might at first suppose that a rustic population like that of Mauchline would form but a poor field for the descriptive and satirical genius of Burns. It is wondrous, however, how variously original many of the inhabitants of the most ordinary Scotch village will contrive to be. In a small town the character of every man is well known, so that every thing he says or does appears to his fellows as characteristic." Fife has supplied Wilkie-and long may it continue to supply my friend-with original characters: Ayrshire afforded Burns all his most natural portraits; the more sequestered places of Scotland abound with originality. In one pastoral vale, if you find eighty people, you may say you have found sixty original characters. THE HOLY FAIR.. A robe of seeming truth and trust And secret hung, with poison'd crust, A mask that like the gorget show'd, HYPOCRISY A-LA-MODE. UPON a simmer Sunday morn, I walked forth to view the corn, The rising sun owre Galston muirs, As lightsomely I glowr'd abroad, To see a scene sae gay, Cam skelpin up the way; Twa had manteeles o' dolefu' black, But ane wi' lyart lining; The third, that gaed a-wee a-back, Was in the fashion shining, Fu' gay that day. The twa appear'd like sisters twin, An' sour as any The third cam up, hap-step-an'-lowp, An' wi' a curchie low did stoop, As soon as e'er she saw me, Fu' kind that day. Wi' bonnet aff, quoth I, "Sweet lass, An' taks me by the hands, "Ye, for my sake, hae gi'en the feck, Of a' the ten commands A screed some day. My name is Fun-your cronie dear, The nearest friend ye hae ; An' this is Superstition here, An' that's Hypocrisy. I'm gaun to Mauchline holy fair, To spend an hour in daffin: Gin ye'll go there, yon runkl'd pair, We will get famous laughin' At them this day." Quoth I, "With a' my heart, I'll do't; I'll get my Sunday's sark on, An' meet you on the holy spot; Faith we'se hae fine remarkin'!" Then I gaed hame at crowdie-time An' soon I made me ready; For roads were clad, frae side to side, Wi monie a wearie body, In droves that day. Here farmers gash, in ridin' graith Gaed hoddin by their cottars; There, swankies young, in braw braid-claith, In silks an' scarlets glitter; Wi' sweet-milk cheese, in monie a whang, An' farls bak'd wi' butter, Fu' crump that day. When by the plate we set our nose, A greedy glowr black bonnet throws, On ev'ry side they'r gath'rin', Some carrying dails, some chairs an' stools, An' some are busy blethrin' Right loud that day. Here stands a shed to fend the show'rs, Here sits a raw of tittlin' jades, Wi' heaving breast and bare neck, Here some are thinkin' on their sins, Ane curses feet that fyl'd his shins, On this hand sits a chosen swatch, Wi' screw'd up grace-proud faces; On that a set o' chaps at watch, Thrang winkin' on the lasses To chairs that day. O happy is that man an' blest! An's loof upon her bosom, Unkenn'd that day. |