'And then a' doctor's saws and whittles,
Of a' dimensions, shapes, an' mettles,
A' kinds o' boxes, mugs, an' bottles,
He's sure to hae;
Their Latin names as fast he rattles
As A B C.
'_Calces_ o' fossils, earths, and trees;
True _sal-marinum_ o' the seas;
The _farina_ of beans and pease,
He has't in plenty;
_Aqua-fortis_, what you please,
He can content ye.
'Forbye some new uncommon weapons,-- [Besides]
_Urinus spiritus_ of capons;
Or mite-horn shavings, filings, scrapings,
Distill'd _per se_;
_Sal-alkali_ o' midge-tail clippings,
And mony mae.' [more]
'Wae's me for Johnny Ged's Hole now,' [the grave-digger's]
Quoth I, 'if that thae news be true! [those]
His braw calf-ward whare gowans grew [grazing-plot, daisies]
Sae white and bonnie,
Nae doubt they'll rive it wi' the plew; [split]
They'll ruin Johnie!'
The creature grain'd an eldritch laugh, [groaned, weird]
And says: 'Ye needna yoke the pleugh,
Kirk-yards will soon be till'd eneugh,
Tak ye nae fear;
They'll a' be trench'd wi' mony a sheugh [ditch]
In twa-three year.
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