Scottish literature had seen nothing like
it since Dunbar made the Seven Deadly Sins dance in hell.
THE JOLLY BEGGARS
A CANTATA
Recitativo
When lyart leaves bestrow the yird, [withered, earth]
Or, wavering like the baukie bird, [bat]
Bedim cauld Boreas' blast;
When hailstanes drive wi' bitter skyte, [glancing stroke]
And infant frosts begin to bite,
In hoary cranreuch drest; [hoar-frost]
Ae night at e'en a merry core [one, gang]
O' randie, gangrel bodies [rowdy, vagrant]
In Poosie Nansie's held the splore, [carousal]
To drink their orra duddies. [spare rags]
Wi' quaffing and laughing,
They ranted an' they sang;
Wi' jumping an' thumping
The very girdle rang. [cake-pan]
First, niest the fire, in auld red rags, [next]
Ane sat, weel brac'd wi' mealy bags,
An' knapsack a' in order;
His doxy lay within his arm; [mistress]
Wi' usquebae an blankets warm [whisky]
She blinket on her sodger; [leered]
An' aye he gies the tozie drab [flushed with drink]
The tither skelpin' kiss, [smacking]
While she held up her greedy gab, [mouth]
Just like an aumous dish; [alms]
Ilk smack still did crack still
Just like a cadger's whip; [hawker's]
Then, swaggering an' staggering,
He roar'd this ditty up--
Air
TUNE: Soldier's Joy
I am a son of Mars, who have been in many wars,
And show my cuts and scars wherever I come:
This here was for a wench, and that other in a trench,
When welcoming the French at the sound of the drum,
Lal de daudle, &c.
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