Hughie’s Advice to Dauvit to Enjoy the Fine Weather, pp.19-21.

[Horace in Homespun Contents]

Gratia cum nymphis geminisque sororibus audet 

Ducere nuda choros.” – CAR. IV., 7. 

AN’ noo ance mair the Lomon’ 

Has donn’d his mantle green, 

An’ we may gang a-roamin’ 

Thro’ the fields at e’en; 

– 

An’ listen to the rustlin’ 

O’ green leaves i’ the shaw, 

An’ hear the blackbird whistlin’ 

Winter weel awa’. 

– 

Sae mild’s the weather, Dauvit, 

that was but late sae bauld, 

We gang withoot a grauvit 

CAreless o’ the cauld. 

– 

An’ juist the tither nicht, man, 

Twa barefit Mays were seen 

(It maun hae been a sicht, man!) 

Dancin’ on the green. 

– 

It sets a body thinkin’ 

Hoo quick the moments fly, 

Hoo fast the days gang linkin’ – 

Spring ‘ill sune be by; 

– 

Then Simmer wi’ the roses, 

Then Autumn wi’ the grain; 

Then Winter comes an’ closes 

A’ thing ance again! 

– 

An’ yet, tho’ short her range is, 

Dame Nature’s never dune; 

She just repeats the changes, 

Just renews the tune. 

– 

The auld mune to her ruin 

Gangs rowin’ doon the sky, 

When, swith, a braw bran new ane 

Cocks her horn on high! 

– 

Alas! when oor short mornin’ 

Slides doun the slope to nicht, 

There’s neither tide nor turnin’ 

Back to life an’ licht. 

– 

We fa’ as fell oor faithers 

Into the narra hame, 

An’ fog forgetfu’ gaithers 

Owre oor very name. 

– 

But what needs a’ this grievin’ 

For griefs we dinna feel? 

Let’s leeve as lang’s we’re leevin’, 

Lauch as lang’s we’re weel. 

– 

An’ if it’s gude i’ gloamin’ 

It’s better sune than syne 

To rise an’ gang a-roamin’ 

Noo the weather’s fine.

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