Hughie in Murnins: He Laments the Loss o’ his Frien’ Andro, pp.61-62.

[Horace in Homespun Contents]

Ergo Quinctilium perpetuus sopor 

Urget!” – CAR. I. 24. 

WHAT man or minister ‘ill dare 

Haud oot his haund, an’ cry Forbear! 

This wild, this waefu’ sorrow spare; 

It’s Nature’s debt? 

But I will baund an’ weepers wear 

For Andro yet! 

– 

O for the wail o’ Autumn wun’s, 

An’ trees, an’ seas, an’ settin’ suns, 

An’ melancholy muirlan’ whuns, 

An’ hillside sadness! 

O for the greetin’ voice that runs 

Thro’ Nature’s gladness! 

– 

So Andro’s gane! the last lang sleep 

Has fa’en upon him, an’ he’s deep! 

An’ noo he doesna hear a cheep 

O’ a’ we’re talkin’; 

An’ we in vain a watch wad keep 

For him to wauken. 

– 

It’s no’ the stroke, tho’ fell an’ grim, 

The bosom cauld, the moveless limb, 

That melt an’ mak oor een sae dim, 

Oor hert sae sair – 

But oh! what virtues sleep wi’ him 

That’s lyin’ there! 

– 

He was sae modest an’ sae true – 

Truth was engraven on his broo! 

Strict wi’ himsel’, an’ slack wi’ you, 

An’ even-mindit – 

His peer, search a’ the warl’ thro’, 

Ye wadna find it! 

– 

An’ noo he’s gane! he’s crost the mark 

Atween us an’ that ocean dark, 

Whauron some day oor ain frail bark 

Maun sink or sail; 

But here nae mair we’ll hear or hark 

His kindly hail.

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