Lament him, Mauchline husbands a',
He aften did assist ye;
For had ye stayed whole years awa,
Your wives they ne'er had missed ye.
Ye Mauchline bairns, as on ye pass
To school in bands thegither,
O tread ye lightly on his grass—
Perhaps he was your father.
EPITAPH ON W—-.
Stop, thief! dame Nature cried to Death,
As Willie drew his latest breath;
You have my choicest model ta'en;
How shall I make a fool again?
ON A SUICIDE.
Earth'd up here lies an imp o' hell,
Planted by Satan's dibble—
Poor silly wretch, he's damn'd himsel'
To save the Lord the trouble.
EPIGRAMS FROM THE GERMAN OF LESSING.
NIGER.
"He's gone at last—old Niger's dead!"
Last night 'twas said throughout the city;
Each quidnunc gravely shook his head,
And HALF the town cried, "What a pity!"
The news proved false—'t was all a cheat—
The morning came the fact denying;
And ALL the town to-day repeat
What HALF the town last night was crying.