Nor to business a drudge, nor to faction a slave, He strove to make int'rest and freedom agree; In public employments industrious and grave, And alone with his friends, Lord! how merry was he! Now in equipage stately, now humbly on foot, Both fortunes he tried, but to neither would trust; And whirl'd in the round as the wheel turn'd about, He found riches had wings, and knew man was but dust. This verse, little polish'd, tho' mighty sincere, Sets neither his titles nor merit to view; It says that his relics collected lie here, And no mortal yet knows too if this may be true. Fierce robbers there are that infest the highway, So Mat may be kill'd, and his bones never found; False witness at court, and fierce tempests at sea, So Mat may yet chance to be hang'd or be drown'd. If his bones lie in earth, roll in sea, fly in air, To Fate we must yield, and the thing is the same; And if passing thou giv'st him a smile or a tear, He cares not--yet, prithee, be kind to his fame. William Walsh. 1663-1708 429. Rivals OF all the torments, all the cares, With which our lives are curst; Of all the plagues a lover bears, Sure rivals are the worst! By partners in each other kind Afflictions easier grow; In love alone we hate to find Companions of our woe. Sylvia, for all the pangs you see Are labouring in my breast, I beg not you would favour me, Would you but slight the rest! How great soe'er your rigours are, With them alone I'll cope; I can endure my own despair, But not another's hope. Lady Grisel Baillie. 1665-1746 430. Werena my Heart's licht I wad dee THERE ance was a may, and she lo'ed na men; She biggit her bonnie bow'r doun in yon glen; But now she cries, Dool and a well-a-day! Come doun the green gait and come here away! When bonnie young Johnnie cam owre the sea, He said he saw naething sae lovely as me; He hecht me baith rings and mony braw things-- And werena my heart's licht, I wad dee. He had a wee titty that lo'ed na me, Because I was twice as bonnie as she; She raised sic a pother 'twixt him and his mother That werena my heart's licht, I wad dee. The day it was set, and the bridal to be: The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee; She maned and she graned out o' dolour and pain, Till he vow'd he never wad see me again. His kin was for ane of a higher degree, Said--What had he do wi' the likes of me? Appose I was bonnie, I wasna for Johnnie-- And werena my heart's licht, I wad dee. They said I had neither cow nor calf, Nor dribbles o' drink rins thro' the draff, Nor pickles o' meal rins thro' the mill-e'e-- And werena my heart's licht, I wad dee. His titty she was baith wylie and slee: She spied me as I cam owre the lea; And then she ran in and made a loud din-- Believe your ain e'en, an ye trow not me. His bonnet stood ay fu' round on his brow, His auld ane look'd ay as well as some's new: But now he lets 't wear ony gait it will hing, And casts himsel dowie upon the corn bing.