Hughie’s Advice to Auld Tammy to tak’ the use o’ his Savings, pp.4-5.

[Horace in Homespun Contents]

Linquenda tellus et domus.” – CAR. II., 14. 

YE’RE agein’, Tammy, agein’ fast, 

The season o’ your strength is past; 

Ye’re white but whaur ye’re bauld; 

The footmarks o’ the craw are seen 

Aboot the corners o’ your een – 

Ye’re auld, my frien’, ye’re auld! 

There’s some that on life’s mornin’ road 

Fall in their glorious strength, 

An’ some, like you, that bear the load 

O’ life the weary length; 

But hame still, the same still, 

We’ve a’ to find oor way; 

What maitter tho’ later 

Or earlier in the day? 

– 

Tammy, ye’ve lived to be a laird, 

Ye awn a stane house, an’ a yaird 

Wi’ fruit trees on your wa’; 

Ye keep a powny, an’ ye’ve kye, 

Ye’ve siller i’ the bank forbye – 

Ye’ll need to leave it a’! 

What need ye, then, to strive an’ strain, 

An’ fret your saul wi’ care, 

To gaither gain an’ treasure gain 

A’ for a spendthrift heir? 

He’s waitin’, like Satan, 

But if he ance win in, 

He’ll dance throu’t, an’ prance throu’t, 

An’ scatter’t a’ like sin! 

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