III.
ON A FRIEND.
[The name of this friend is neither mentioned nor alluded to in any of the poet"s productions.]
An honest man here lies at rest As e"er G.o.d with his image blest!
The friend of man, the friend of truth; The friend of age, and guide of youth; Few hearts like his, with virtue warm"d, Few heads with knowledge so inform"d: If there"s another world, he lives in bliss; If there is none, he made the best of this.
IV.
FOR GAVIN HAMILTON.
[These lines allude to the persecution which Hamilton endured for presuming to ride on Sunday, and say, "d.a.m.n it," in the presence of the minister of Mauchline.]
The poor man weeps--here Gavin sleeps, Whom canting wretches blam"d: But with such as he, where"er he be, May I be sav"d or d.a.m.n"d!
V.
ON WEE JOHNNY.
HIC JACET WEE JOHNNY.
[Wee Johnny was John Wilson, printer of the Kilmarnock edition of Burns"s Poems: he doubted the success of the speculation, and the poet punished him in these lines, which he printed unaware of their meaning.]
Whoe"er thou art, O reader, know, That death has murder"d Johnny!
An" here his body lies fu" low-- For saul he ne"er had ony.
VI.
ON JOHN DOVE,
INNKEEPER, MAUCHLINE.
[John Dove kept the Whitefoord Arms in Mauchline: his religion is made to consist of a comparative appreciation of the liquors he kept.]
Here lies Johnny Pidgeon; What was his religion?
Wha e"er desires to ken, To some other warl"
Maun follow the carl, For here Johnny Pidgeon had nane!
Strong ale was ablution-- Small beer, persecution, A dram was _memento mori_; But a full flowing bowl Was the saving his soul, And port was celestial glory.
VII.
ON A WAG IN MAUCHLINE.
[This laborious and useful wag was the "Dear Smith, thou sleest pawkie thief," of one of the poet"s finest epistles: he died in the West Indies.]
Lament him, Mauchline husbands a", He aften did a.s.sist ye; For had ye staid whole weeks awa, Your wives they ne"er had missed ye.
Ye Mauchline bairns, as on ye press To school in bands thegither, O tread ye lightly on his gra.s.s,-- Perhaps he was your father.
VIII.
ON A CELEBRATED RULING ELDER.
[Souter Hood obtained the distinction of this Epigram by his impertinent inquiries into what he called the moral delinquencies of Burns.]
Here souter Hood in death does sleep;-- To h--ll, if he"s gane thither, Satan, gie him thy gear to keep, He"ll haud it weel thegither.