The Poems of Allan Ramsay

VERSES

ADDRESSED TO

ALLAN RAMSAY,

ON HIS POEMS.

1721.

FROM J. BURCHET.

HAIL, northern bard! thou fav'rite of the nine,
Bright or as Horace did, or Virgil, shine:
In ev'ry part of what thou 'ft done we find
How they, and great Apollo too, have join'd
To furnish thee with an uncommon skill,

And with poetic fire thy bosom fill.

Thy

66

Morning Interview" throughout is fraught

With tuneful numbers and majestic thought:

And Celia, who her lover's fuit disdain'd,
Is by all-powerful gold at length obtain❜d.

When winter's hoary aspect makes the plains Unpleasant to the nymphs and jovial swains, Sweetly thou doft thy rural couples call

To pleasures known within Edina's wall.

When, Allan, thou, for reasons thou know'st

best,

Doom'd bufy Cowper to eternal rest,

What mortal could thine el'gy on him read,
And not have fworn he was defunct indeed?
Yet that he might not lofe accuftom'd dues,
You rous'd him from the grave to open pews;
Such magic, worthy Allan, hath thy muse.

The experienc'd bawd, in apteft strains thou'st made

Early inftruct her pupils in their trade;

Left, when their faces wrinkled are with age,
They fhould not cullies as when young engage.
But on our sex why art thou so severe,
To wifh for pleasure we may pay fo dear?
Suppofe that thou had'ft, after cheerful juice,
Met with a strolling harlot wond'rous fpruce,
And been by her prevail'd with to refort
Where claret might be drunk, or, if not, port;

Suppose,

Suppofe, I fay, that this thou granted had,
And freedom took with the enticing jade,

Would't thou not hope fome artist might be found

To cure, if aught you ail'd, the fmarting wound?

When of the Caledonian garb you sing,
(Which from Tartana's distant clime you bring,)
With how much force you recommend the plaid
To ev'ry jolly swain and lovely maid!

But if, as fame reports, fome of those wights
Who canton'd are among the rugged heights,
No breeks put on, fhould'st thou not them advise
(Excuse me, Ramsay, if I am too nice)

To take, as fitting 'tis, fome speedy care
That what should hidden be appears not bare,
Left damfels, yet unknowing, should by chance
Their nimble ogle t'wards the object glance :
If this thou doft, we, who the fouth poffefs,
May teach our females how they ought to dress;
But chiefly let them understand, 'tis meet
They should their legs hide more, if not their
feet;

Too much by help of whalebone now display'd,
Ev'n from the duchefs to the kitchen-maid;
But with more reason those who give distaste,
When on their uncouth limbs our eyes we caft.

Books

The Poems of Allan Ramsay, Volume 1