15
Far frae scenes o’ soft’ning pleasure,
love's delights and beauty's charms!
Far frae friends and social leisure—
Plunged in murdering war's alarms !
Is it nature, vice, or folly,
Or ambition’s feverish brain,
That sae aft wi’ melancholy
Turns, sweet Peace, thy joys to pain!
Strips thee of thy robes of ermine
(Emblems of thy spotless life),
And in war’s grim look alarming,
Arms thee with the murderer's knife!
A' thy gentle mind upharrows—
Hate, revenge, and rage uprears;
And for hope and joy (twin marrows),
Leaves the mourner drowned in tears!
Willie Gairlace, without siller,
Credit, claes, or ought beside,
Leaves his ance-loved Jeanie Miller,
And sweet bairns, to warld wide!
Leaves his native cozie dwelling,
Sheltered haughs and birken braes,
Greenswaird howes, and dainty mailing,
Ance his profit, pride, and praise.
Deck'd wi’ scarlet, sword, and musket,
Drunk wi’ dreams as false as vain;
Fleechcd and flattered, roosed and buskit.
Wow! but Will was wondrous fain:
Rattling, roaring, swearing, drinking—
How could thought her station keep?
Drams and drumming (faes to thinking)
Dozed reflection fast asleep.
