ae, ai open A as in rare. a’, au, aw AW as in law. ea open E as in mere, but this with exceptions, as heather = heather, wean = wain, lear = lair. ee, ei, ie open E as in mere. oa open O as in more. ou doubled O as in poor. ow OW as in bower. u doubled O as in poor. ui or ü before R (say roughly) open A as in rare. ui or ü before any other (say roughly) close I as in grin. consonant y open I as in kite. i pretty nearly what you please, much as in English, Heaven guide the reader through that labyrinth! But in Scots it dodges usually from the short I, as in grin, to the open E, as in mere. Find the blind, I may remark, are pronounced to rhyme with the preterite of grin. I—THE MAKER TO POSTERITY FAR ’yont amang the years to be When a’ we think, an’ a’ we see, An’ a’ we luve, ’s been dung ajee By time’s rouch shouther, An’ what was richt and wrang for me Lies mangled throu’ther, It’s possible—it’s hardly mair— That some ane, ripin’ after lear— Some auld professor or young heir, If still there’s either— May find an’ read me, an’ be sair Perplexed, puir brither! “_What tongue does your auld bookie speak_?” He’ll spier; an’ I, his mou to steik: “_No bein’ fit to write in Greek_, _I write in Lallan_, _Dear to my heart as the peat reek_, _Auld as Tantallon_. “_Few spak it then_, _an’ noo there’s nane_. _My puir auld sangs lie a’ their lane_, _Their sense_, _that aince was braw an’ plain_, _Tint a’thegether_, _Like runes upon a standin’ stane_ _Amang the heather_. “_But think not you the brae to speel_; _You_, _tae_, _maun chow the bitter peel_; _For a’ your lear_, _for a’ your skeel_, _Ye’re nane sae lucky_; _An’ things are mebbe waur than weel_ _For you_, _my buckie_. “_The hale concern_ (_baith hens an’ eggs_, _Baith books an’ writers_, _stars an’ clegs_) _Noo stachers upon lowsent legs_ _An’ wears awa’_; _The tack o’ mankind_, _near the dregs_, _Rins unco law_.