If it were not for offending only your Ladyship, here, Madam, I might give the fullest liberty to my muse to delineate the finest of women, by drawing your Ladyship's character, and be in no hazard of being deemed a flatterer; since flattery lyes not in paying what's due to merit, but in praises misplaced.
Were I to begin with your Ladyship's honourable birth and alliance, the field's ample, and presents us with numberless great and good Patriots that have dignified the names ofKennedyandMontgomery: Be that the care of the herauld and historian. 'Tis personal merit, and the heavenly sweetness of the fair, that inspire the tuneful lays. Here every Lesbia must be excepted, whose tongues give liberty to the slaves, which their eyes had made captives. Such may be flatter'd; but your Ladyship justly claims our admiration and profoundest respect: for, whilst you are possest of every outward charm in the most perfect degree, the never-fading beauties of wisdom and piety, which adorn your Ladyship's mind, command devotion.
"All this is very true," cries one of better sense than good nature, "but what occasion have you to tellus the sun shines, when we have the use of our eyes, and feel his influence?"—Very true; but I have the liberty to use the Poet's privilege, which is, "To speak what every body thinks." Indeed, there might be some strength in the reflection, if the Idalian registers were of as short duration as life: but the bard, who fondly hopes immortality, has a certain praise-worthy pleasure in communicating to posterity the fame of distinguished characters.——I write this last sentence with a hand that trembles between hope and fear: But if I shall prove so happy as to please your Ladyship in the following attempt, then all my doubts shall vanish like a morning vapour:—I shall hope to be classed with Tasso and Guarini, and sing with Ovid,
"If 'tis allowed to Poets to divine,One half of round eternity is mine."Madam,Your Ladyship's most obedient,and most devoted servant,ALLAN RAMSAY.Edinburgh,June, 1725.
TO THE
COUNTESS OF EGLINTOUN,
WITH THE FOLLOWING PASTORAL.
TO
JOSIAH BURCHET, ESQ.,
SECRETARY OF THE ADMIRALTY,
WITH THE FIRST SCENE OF THE GENTLE SHEPHERD.
THE PERSONS.
MEN.
WOMEN.
SCENE.—A Shepherd's Village, and Fields some few miles from Edinburgh.
Time of Action within twenty hours.
THE
GENTLE SHEPHERD.
ACT FIRST.
SCENE I.
PatieandRoger.
SANG I.—The wawking of the fauld.
Patiesings.
MyPeggyis a young thing,Just enter'd in her teens,Fair as the day, and sweet as May,Fair as the day, and always gay.MyPeggyis a young thing,And I'm not very auld;Yet well I like to meet her, atThe wawking of the fauld.MyPeggyspeaks sae sweetly,Whene'er we meet alane,I wish nae mair to lay my care,I wish nae mair of a' that's rare.MyPeggyspeaks sae sweetly,To a' the lave I'm cauld;But she gars a' my spirits glowAt wawking of the fauld.MyPeggysmiles sae kindly,Whene'er I whisper love,That I look down on a' the town,That I look down upon a crown.MyPeggysmiles sae kindly,It makes me blyth and bauld;And naething gi'es me sic delight,As wawking of the fauld.MyPeggysings sae saftly,When on my pipe I play;By a' the rest it is confest,By a' the rest that she sings best.MyPeggysings sae saftly,And in her sangs are tauld,With innocence, the wale of sense,At wawking of the fauld.
Patie.
SANG II.—Tune, Fy gar rub her o'er wi' strae.
ACT I.—SCENE II.
PeggyandJenny.
Jenny.
SANG III.—Tune, Polwart on the Green.
SANG IV.—Tune, O dear mother, what shall I do?
SANG V.—Tune, How can I be sad on my wedding-day?
SANG VI.—Tune, Nansy's to the green-wood gane.
End of theFirst Act.
ACT SECOND.
SCENE I.
GlaudandSymon.
Glaud.
SANG VII.—Tune, Cauld kail in Aberdeen.
SANG VIII.—Tune, Mucking of Geordy's byar.
EnterMadge.
ACT II.—SCENE II.
Bauldy.
ACT II.—SCENE III.
SANG IX.—Tune, Carle an the King come.
Mausesings.
EnterBauldy.
ACT II.—SCENE IV.
SANG X.—Tune, The Yellow-hair'd Laddie.
SANG XI.—To its own Tune.
ACT THIRD.
SCENE I.
SANG XII.—Tune, Happy Clown.
ACT III.—SCENE II.