A D（1 / 3）

a dedication

to gav hailton, esq

expect na, sir, this narration,

a fleech, fleth&039;r dedication,

to roose you up, an&039; ca&039; you guid,

an&039; sprung o&039; great an&039; noble bid,

becae ye&039;re surna&039;d like his grace—

perhaps reted to the race:

then, when i&039; tir&039;d—and sae are ye,

wi&039; ony a ful, sfu&039; lie,

set up a face how i s short,

for fear your odesty be hurt

this ay do—aun do, sir, wi&039; the wha

aun please the great folk for a wafou;

for ! sae igh i need na bow,

for, lord be thankit, i can plough;

and when i downa yoke a naig,

then, lord be thankit, i can beg;

sae i shall say—an&039; that&039;s nae ftt&039;r—

it&039;s jt sic poet an&039; sic patron

the poet, guid anl help hi,

or else, i fear, ill ane skelp hi!

he ay do weel for a&039; he&039;s done yet,

but only—he&039;s no jt begun yet

the patron (sir, ye aun fie ;

i na lie, e what will o&039; ),

on ev&039;ry hand it will allow&039;d be,

he&039;s jt—nae better than he should be

i readily and freely grant,

he downa see a poor an want;

what&039;s no his a, he na tak it;

what ance he says, he na break it;

ought he can lend he&039;ll no ref&039;t,

till aft his guidness is ab&039;d;

and rascals whiles that do hi wrang,

ev&039;n that, he does na d it ng;

as aster, ndlord, hband, father,

he does na fail his part either

but then, nae thanks to hi for a&039;that;

nae godly sypto ye can ca&039; that;

it&039;s naethg but a ilder feature

of our poor, sfu&039; rrupt nature:

ye&039;ll t the best o&039; oral works,

&039;ang bck ntoos, and pagan turks,

or hunters wild on ponotaxi,

wha never heard of orthodoxy

that he&039;s the poor an&039;s friend need,

the ntlean