Your health and happiness are ever _ane_ addition to my satisfaction. God make your life ever easy and pleasant. Half a century of years have now row'd oe'r my brow, that begins now to be _lyart_;[67] yet thanks to my Author, I eat, drink, and sleep as sound as I did twenty years _syne_;[68] yes, I laugh heartily too, and find as many subjects to employ that faculty upon as ever; fools, fops and knaves, grow as rank as formerly, yet here and there are to be found good and worthy men, who are _ane_ honor to _human_ life. We have small hopes of seeing you again in our world; then let us be virtuous and hope to meet in heaven. My good _auld_ wife is still my bedfellow; my son Allan has been pursuing your science since he was a dozen years _auld_--was with Mr. Hyffidg, at London, for some time, about two years ago--has been since at home, painting here like a Raphael--sets out for the seat of the beast, beyond the Alps, in a month hence--to be away about two years. I'm _sweer_[69] to part with him, but _canna_ stem the current which flows from the advice of his patrons and his own inclination. I have three daughters, one of seventeen, one of sixteen, and one of twelve years of old, and no _rewayled dragle_[70] among them, all fine girls. These six or seven years past I have not written a line of poetry. I e'en gave over in good time, before the coolness of fancy, that attends advanced years, should make me risk the reputation I had acquired. Frae twenty-five to five and forty, My muse was neither _sweer_[71] nor _dorty_,[72] My Pegasus wad break her _tether_,[73] E'en at the _shagging_ of a feather; And _throw_[74] ideas scour like _drift_, _Streaking_ his wings up to the lift; Then when my soul was in a low[75] That gart[76] my numbers safely row;[77] But _eild_[78] and judgment _gin_[79] to say, Let be your _sangs_ and learn to pray. I am, Sir, your friend and servant, ALLAN RAMSAY." [Footnote 67: Wrinkled.] [Footnote 68: Since.] [Footnote 69: Loth.] [Footnote 70: Uncouth sloven.] [Footnote 71: Reluctant.] [Footnote 72: Proud or stiff.] [Footnote 73: Halter.] [Footnote 74: Through.] [Footnote 75: Blaze.] [Footnote 76: Caused.] [Footnote 77: Roll.] [Footnote 78: Age.] [Footnote 79: Begin.]