Ah no! 'tis a foul, 'tis a dangerous cheat, ages 'Tis a Creditor, who, for a moment's delay, Scores double the dreadful reckoning to pay ; Till the Debtor, poor fool! lull'd to fatal repose, Is awak'd to a dungeon and life-lasting woes! XI. THE DRINKIN', O. BY JAMES HOGG. Tune: Dunbarton's Drums. 1 O WAE to the wearifu' drinkin', O! Social conversation's gane! For the rattlin' o' guns an' the drinkin', O. 2 O why will you ply at the drinkin', O? Which to weakness will soon lead you linkin', O; These eyes that shine sae bright Soon will be a weary sight, When ye're a' sittin' noddin' an' winkin', O! U 3 For ever may we grieve for the drinkin', An' our company refus'd, An' its a' for the wearifu' drinkin', O! 4 0! O drive us not away wi' your drinkin', O! We like your presence mair than ye're thinkin', O! We'll gie ye another sang, An' ye're no to think it lang, For the sake o' your wearifu' drinkin', O!* 5 Sweet delicacy, turn to us blinkin', O! For by day the guns and swords still are clinkin', 0! An' at night the flowin' bowl Bothers ilka manly soul, Then there's naething but beblin' an' drinkin', O! 6 Gentle Peace, come an' wean them frae drinkin', O! And bring love alang wi' you winkin', O! Gar him thraw at ilka man, An' wound as deep's he can, Or we're ruin'd by the wearifu' drinkin', O! XII. WRITTEN FOR A CONVIVIAL SOCIETY, WHOSE MOTTO WAS "FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, AND TRUTH." BY JAMES MONTGOMERY. 1 WHEN "Friendship, Love, and Truth" abound Among a band of BROTHERS, The cup of joy goes gaily round, Each shares the bliss of others: Sweet roses grace the thorny way The flowers that shed their leaves to-day How grand in age, how fair in youth, Are holy "FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and TRUTH!" 2 On Halcyon wings our moments pass, Life's cruel cares beguiling; Old TIME lays down his scythe and glass, With ermine beard and forelock grey, His reverend front adorning, He looks like Winter turn'd to May, How grand in age, how fair in youth, Are holy "FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and TRUTH!" 3 From these delightful fountains flow Where every Star, with modest light, How grand in age, how fair in youth, Are holy"FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and TRUTH!" 221 LETTER V. ON AMATORY SONGS. Sept. 12, 1810. errors. SIR, Love may be considered an universal passion : and perhaps it is that, concerning the due regulation of which, so far as relates to the sexes, mankind have run into the greatest As in all cases, where man is liable to err, it is useful frequently to have recourse to first principles, so on no subject can it be more necessary than upon this. When man was created and endowed with a nature more perfect than that which we now possess, and with the whole creation subject to him for his use, his instruction and his amusement, God expressly declared that it was not good that the man should be alone," and that he would "make him an help meet for him"; (Genesis II. 18.) he therefore made woman, and declared that they should be one", and that for her sake man should, whenever he entered into an union with her," leave his father and his mother, |