Then the family name of the householder immortalised in the “Cottar’s Saturday night,” according to this Cockney edition, was not Burns, as is popularly believed in Scotland, but Hafflins. The revelation appears in these lines:—
“The wily mother sees the conscious flame
Sparkle in Jenny’s e’e and flush her cheek,
Wi’ heart-struck anxious care inquires his name;
While Jenny Hafflins is afraid to speak;
Weel pleased the mother hears it’s nae wild, worthless rake.”
Tam Skelpit and Jenny Hafflins! My conscience! What next? Well, a cursory glance finds such improved readings as these (I will italicise the improvements):—
“The heapit happier’s ebbing still.”
“I held awe to Annie.”
“They reeled, they set, they crossed, they cleckit.”