Then let us pray that come it may And come it will for a’ that, That common sense may take the place Of common cant and a’ that. For a’ that, and a’ that, Who cackles trash and a’ that, Or be he lord, or be he low, The man’s an ass for a’ that. SHIRLEY BROOKS, 1868. ――――:o:―――― IF A PROCTOR MEET A BODY. “_Accusator erit qui verbum dixerit ‘Hic est.’_” If a Proctor meet a body Coming down the High, If a Proctor greet a body Need a body fly? Every Proctor has his bulldog, Dog of mickle might, When he marches forth in full tog At the fall of night. Every bulldog, when he spies a Man without a gown, Promptly chases him and tries a- Main to run him down. From _Lays of Modern Oxford_, by Adon, 1874. ――――:o:―――― THE WALLACE TOWER _The Auctioneer’s Address to his Audience._ “The Wallace Tower at Stirling cannot be completed for want of funds, so the project is to be discontinued, and the materials are to be sold by auction.”――_Scotch Papers._ Scots, wha won’t for Wallace bleed, Scots, who’d see such humbug d’d, Welcome; each condition read―― Then make bids to me. Now’s the day, and now’s the hour, Yon’s the rock, and yon’s the tower, Ere it’s in the Sheriff’s power, Pay the _£ s. d._ Wha would hear an English knave, Just pretending to look grave, Drawl, “Is that unfinished shave, Place for shrimps and tea?” Wha would see the cursed law, Grab it in its cruel paw, Sell up Wallace, Bruce and a’ Sae contemptuously? By your sturdy Scottish brains, By your wealth of Union games, Shows that Scotland’s sense disdains An anomalie. Lay provincial pedants low, Give the cant of Race a blow, England’s one――and that you know―― One――from Thames to Dee. SHIRLEY BROOKS, 1865. ――――:o:―――― GAELIC SPEECH; OR, “AULD LANG SYNE” DONE UP IN TARTAN. Should Gaelic speech be e’er forgot, And never brocht to min’, For she’ll be spoke in Paradise In the days of auld langsyne. When Eve, all fresh in beauty’s charms, First met fond Adam’s view, The first word that he’ll spoke till her Was “_cumar achum dhu_.” And Adam in his garden fair, Whene’er the day did close, The dish that he’ll to supper teuk Was always Athole brose. When Adam from his leafy bower Cam oot at broke o’ day, He’ll always for his morning teuk A quaich o’ usquebae.