When lyart leaves bestrow the yird, Or wavering like the Bauckie-bird *, Bedim cauld Boreas' blast; When hailstanes drive wi' bitter skyte, And infant frosts begin to bite, In hoary cranreuch drest; Ae night at e'en a merry core O' randie, gangrel bodies, In Posie-Nansie's** held the splore*** To drink their orra duddies****: Wi' quaffing, and laughing, They ranted an' they sang; Wi' jumping, an' thumping, The vera girdle rang. * The "bat". ** A whiskey house. *** Frolic. **** Superfluous rags. First, neist the fire, in auld red rags, Ane sat, weel brac'd wi' mealy bags, And knapsack a' in order; His doxy lay within his arm, Wi' _usquebae_ an' blankets warm, She blinket on her sodger: An' ay he gies the tozie drab The tither skelpan kiss, While she held up her greedy gab Just like an aumous* dish: Ilk smack still, did crack still, Just like a cadger's** whip; Then staggering, an' swaggering, He roar'd this ditty up-- [Illustration: 032] AIR. _Tune_--Soldier's Joy. I. I am a son of Mars, who have been in many wars, And shew my cuts and scars wherever I come; This here was for a wench, and that other in a trench, When welcoming the French at the sound of the drum. _Lai de daudle, &c._ II. My prenticeship I past, where my leader breath'd his last, When the bloody die was cast on the heights of Abram; I served out my trade, when the gallant _game_ was play'd, And the Moro low was laid at the sound of the drum. * A plate for receiving alms. ** A man who travels the country, with his wares on the back of a horse or ass. III. I lastly was with Curtis, among the floating batt'ries, And there I left for witness, an arm and a limb; Yet let my country need me, with Elliot to head me, I'll clatter on my stumps at the sound of a drum. IV. And now tho' I must beg, with a wooden arm and leg, And many a tatter'd rag hanging over my------, I'm as happy with my wallet, my bottle and my callet*, As when I us'd in scarlet to follow a drum. V. What tho' with hoary locks, I must stand the winter shocks, Beneath the woods and rocks oftentimes for a home, When the tother bag I sell, and the tother bottle tell, I could meet a troop of hell at the sound of a drum. RECITATIVO. He ended; and the kebars** sheuk Aboon the chorus roar; While frighted rattons backward leuk, An' seek the benmost bore***; A Merry Andrew i' the neuk, He skirl'd out, _encore!_ But up arose the martial chuck, An' laid the loud uproar. *Wench. **Rafters. ***Deepest recess. AIR. _Tune_--Sodger Laddie. I.