Note B. p. 52. At the time that our poet took the resolution of becoming wise, he procured a little book of blank paper, with the purpose (expressed on the first page) of making farming memorandums upon it. These farming memorandums are curious enough; many of them have been written with a pencil, and are now obliterated, or at least illegible. A considerable number are however legible, and a specimen may gratify the reader. It must be premised, that the poet kept the book by him several years-that he wrote upon it, here and there, with the utmost irregularity, and that on the same page are notations very distant from each other as to time and place. EXTEMPORE. O why the deuce should I repine, And be an ill foreboder; I'm twenty-three, and five-feet nine, I'll go and be a sodger. I gat some gear wi meikle care, I held it weel thegither; But now it's gane, and something mair, * April, 1782. FRAGMENT. FRAGMENT. Tune-'DONALD BLUE.' O leave novels, ye Mauchline belles, Your fine Tom Jones, and Grandisons, Beware a tongue that's smoothly hung; The frank address, the soft caress, The frank address, and politesse, Are all finesse in Rob Mossgiel. * For he's far aboon Dunkel the night Mem. To get for Mr. Johnston these two Molly, Molly, my dear honey.'-' The cock and the hen, the deer in her den,' &c. Ah, Cloris! Sir Peter Halket, of Pitferran, the author. Note. He married her-the heiress of Pitferran. Colonel George Crawford the author of Down the Burn Davy. Pinkey-house, by J. Mitchell. My apron Deary! and Amynta, by Sir. G. Elliot. Willie was a wanton Wag, was made on Walkinshaw of Walkinshaw, near Paisley. I loe na a laddie but ane, Mr. Clunzee. The bonnie wee thing-beautiful—Lundie's beautiful. Dream-very He till't and she till't—assez bien. Armstrong's Farewell-fine. The author of the Highland Queen was a Mr. M'Iver, purser of the Solboy. Fife and a' the land about it, R. Fergusson. The The author of The Bush aboon Traquair was a Dr. Stewart. Polwart on the Green, composed by Captain John Drummond M'Gregor of Boehaldie. Mem. To inquire if Mr. Cockburn was the author of I hae seen the smiling, &c. The above may serve as a specimen. All the notes on farming are obliterated. Note C. See p. 107. Rules and Regulations to be observed in the Bachelors' Club. 1st. The club shall meet at Tarbolton every fourth Monday night, when a question on any subject shall be proposed, disputed points of re-. ligion only excepted, in the manner hereafter directed; which question is to be debated in the club, each member taking whatever side he thinks proper. 2d. When the club is met, the president, or, he failing, some one of the members till he come, shall take his seat; then the other members shall seat themselves, those who are for one side of the question, on the president's right hand; and those who are for the other side, on his left which of them shall have the right hand is to be determined by the president. The president and four of the members, being present, shall have power to transact any ordinary part of the society's business. 3d. The club met and seated, the president shall read the question out of the club's book of records, (which book is always to be kept by the president) then the two members nearest the president shall cast lots who of them shall speak first and acccording as the lot shall determine, the member nearest the president on that side shall deliver his opinion, and the member nearest on the other side shall reply to him; then the second member of the side that spoke first; then the second member of the side that spoke second; and so on to the end of the company; but if there be fewer members on one side than on the other, when all the members of the least side have spoken according to their places, any of them, as they please among themselves, may reply to the remaining members of the opposite side: when both sides have spoken, the president shall give his opinion, after which they may go over it a second or more times, and so continue the question. |