Robert Burns (1759 – 1796)
Poet and pioneer of the Romantic movement and after his death became an important source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism.
Nae man can tether time or tide.
Where sits our sulky, sullen dame,
Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met—or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
John Anderson, my jo, John,
When we were first acquent,
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snaw,
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson, my jo!
Gie me ae spark o' Nature's fire,
That's a' the learning I desire.
The landlord's laugh was ready chorus.
It's hardly in a body's pow'r,
To keep, at times, frae being sour.
Auld Nature swears, the lovely dears
Her noblest work she classes, O:
Her prentice han' she tried on man,
An' then she made the lasses, O.
Now a' is done that men can do,
And a' is done in vain.
Gars auld claes look amaist as weel's the new.
Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome to your gory bed
Or to Victorie!
Now's the day, and now's the hour;
See the front o' battle lour!
See approach proud Edward's power—
Chains and slaverie!
O, wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion.
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us
An' ev'n Devotion
When Nature her great masterpiece designed,
And framed her last, best work, the human mind,
Her eye intent on all the wondrous plan,
She formed of various stuff the various Man.
Beauty's of a fading nature
Has a season and is gone!
Stern Ruin's plowshare drives elate,
Full on thy bloom.
O whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad:
Tho' father and mither and a' should gae mad.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne!
If there's another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surprised them all.
The landlady and Tam grew gracious
Wi' favours secret, sweet, and precious.