E O Th Y 1788（1 / 1）

elegy on the year 1788

for lords or kgs i dna ourn,

e&039;en let the die—for that they&039;re born:

but oh! prodigio to reflec&039;!

a towont, sirs, is gane to wreck!

o eighty-eight, thy sa&039; space,

what dire events hae taken pce!

of what enjoynts thou hast reft !

what a pickle thou has left !

the spanish epire&039;s tt a head,

and y auld teethless, bawtie&039;s dead:

the tulyie&039;s teugh &039;een pitt and fox,

and &039;een our aggie&039;s a wee cks;

the tane is ga, a bidy devil,

but to the hen-birds un civil;

the tither&039;s thg dour o&039; tread,

but better stuff ne&039;er cw&039;d a idd

ye isters, e ount the poupit,

an&039; cry till ye be hearse an&039; roupit,

for eighty-eight, he wished you weel,

an&039; gied ye a&039; baith ar an&039; al;

e&039;en onc a pck, and ony a peck,

ye ken yoursels, for little feck!

ye bonie sses, dight your e&039;en,

for o&039; you hae tt a frien&039;;

eighty-eight, ye ken, was taen,

what ye&039;ll ne&039;er hae to gie aga

observe the very nowt an&039; sheep,

how dowff an&039; daviely they creep;

nay, even the yirth itsel&039; does cry,

for e&039;nburgh wells are grutten dry

o eighty-ne, thou&039;s but a bairn,

an&039; no owre auld, i hope, to learn!

thou beardless boy, i pray tak care,

thou now hast got thy daddy&039;s chair;

nae handcuff&039;d, izl&039;d, hap-shackl&039;d rent,

but, like hisel, a full free ant,

be sure ye follow out the pn

nae waur than he did, honest an!

as uckle better as you can

january, 1, 1789