For other versions of this work, see To a Louse, on seeing one on a Lady's Bonnet at Church.
TO A LOUSE,
On seeing one on a Lady's Bonnet at Church.
Ha! whar ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?
Your impudence protects you fairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho' faith, I fear, ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.
Your impudence protects you fairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho' faith, I fear, ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.
Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wormer,
Detested, shun'd by saint and sinner,
How dare you set a fit upon her,
Sae fine a Lady?
Gae somewhere else, and seek your dinner,
On some poor body.
Detested, shun'd by saint and sinner,
How dare you set a fit upon her,
Sae fine a Lady?
Gae somewhere else, and seek your dinner,
On some poor body.
Swith in some beggar's haffet squattle;
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,
Wi' ither kindred, jumpin cattle,
In shoals and nations,
Whar horn nor bane ne'er dare unsettle
Your thick plantations.
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,
Wi' ither kindred, jumpin cattle,
In shoals and nations,
Whar horn nor bane ne'er dare unsettle
Your thick plantations.
Now haud you there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rills snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet, ye'll no be right
Till ye've got on it,
The vera tapmost, tow'ring height
O' Miss's bonnet.
Below the fatt'rills snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet, ye'll no be right
Till ye've got on it,
The vera tapmost, tow'ring height
O' Miss's bonnet.
My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
As plump and grey as ony grosset;
O for sone rank mercurial rozet,
Or fell red smeddum,
I'd gie you sic a hearty doze oʻt.
Wad dress your droddum.
As plump and grey as ony grosset;
O for sone rank mercurial rozet,
Or fell red smeddum,
I'd gie you sic a hearty doze oʻt.
Wad dress your droddum.
I wadna been surpris'd to spy
You on an auld wife's flannen toy,
Or aiblins some bit duddie boy,
On's wyliecoat;
But Miss's fine Lunardi, fie!
How dare you do't?
You on an auld wife's flannen toy,
Or aiblins some bit duddie boy,
On's wyliecoat;
But Miss's fine Lunardi, fie!
How dare you do't?
O Jenny, dinna toss your head,
And set your beauties a' abread,
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's makin,
Thae winks and finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.
And set your beauties a' abread,
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's makin,
Thae winks and finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.
O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us,
To see ourselves as others see us,
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
And foolish notion notion;
What airs in dress and gait wad leave us,
And e'en Devotion.
To see ourselves as others see us,
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
And foolish notion notion;
What airs in dress and gait wad leave us,
And e'en Devotion.
