[Page 79]

A DREAM.

Thoughts, words and deeds, the Statute blames with reason;
But surely Dreams were ne'er indicted Treason.

ON READING, IN THE PUBLIC PAPERS, THE LAUREATE'S ODE, WITH THE OTHER PARADE OF JUNE 4th, 1786, THE AUTHOR WAS NO SOONER DROPT ASLEEP, THAN HE IMAGINED HIMSELF TRANSPORTED TO THE BIRTHDAY LEVEE; AND, IN HIS DREAMING FANCY, MADE THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS.

I.
1 GUID-MORNIN to your MAJESTY!
2 May heaven augment your blisses,
3 On ev'ry new Birth-day ye see,
4 A humble Bardie wishes!
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5 My Bardship here, at your Levee,
6 On sic a day as this is,
7 Is sure an uncouth sight to see,
8 Amang thae Birth-day dresses
9 Sae fine this day.
II.
10 I see ye're complimented thrang,
11 By many a lord an' lady;
12 "God save the King" 's a cukoo sang
13 That's unco easy said ay:
14 The Poets too, a venal gang,
15 Wi' rhymes weel-turn'd an' ready,
16 Wad gar you trow ye ne'er do wrang,
17 But ay unerring steady,
18 On sic a day.
III.
19 For me! before a Monarch's face,
20 Ev'n there I winna flatter;
21 For neither Pension, Post, nor Place,
22 Am I your humble debtor:
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23 So, nae reflection on YOUR GRACE,
24 Your Kingship to bespatter;
25 There's monie waur been o' the Race,
26 And aiblins ane been better
27 Than You this day.
IV.
28 'Tis very true, my sovereign King,
29 My skill may weel be doubted;
30 But Facts are cheels that winna ding,
31 An' downa be disputed:
32 Your royal nest, beneath Your wing,
33 Is e'en right reft an' clouted,
34 And now the third part o' the string,
35 An' less, will gang about it
36 Than did ae day.
V.
37 Far be't frae me that I aspire
38 To blame your Legislation,
39 Or say, ye wisdom want, or fire,
40 To rule this mighty nation;
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41 But faith! I muckle doubt, my SIRE,
42 Ye've trusted 'Ministration,
43 To chaps, wha, in a barn or byre,
44 Wad better fill'd their station
45 Than courts yon day.
VI.
46 And now Ye've gien auld Britain peace,
47 Her broken shins to plaister;
48 Your fair taxation does her fleece,
49 Till she has scarce a tester:
50 For me, thank God, my life's a lease,
51 Nae bargain wearing faster,
52 Or faith! I fear, that, wi' the geese,
53 I shortly boost to pasture
54 I' the craft some day.
VII.
55 I'm no mistrusting Willie Pit,
56 When taxes he enlarges,
57 (An' Will's a true guid fallow's get,
58 A Name not Envy spairges)
59 That he intends to pay your debt,
60 An' lessen a' your charges;
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61 But, G — d-sake! let nae saving-fit
62 Abridge your bonie Barges
63 An' Boats this day.
VIII.
64 Adieu, my LIEGE! may Freedom geck
65 Beneath your high protection;
66 An' may Ye rax Corruption's neck,
67 And gie her for dissection!
68 But since I'm here, I'll no neglect,
69 In loyal, true affection,
70 To pay your QUEEN, with due respect,
71 My fealty an' fubjection
72 This great Birth-day.
IX.
73 Hail, Majesty most Excellent!
74 While Nobles strive to please Ye,
75 Will Ye accept a Compliment,
76 A simple Bardie gies Ye?
77 Thae bonie Bairntime, Heav'n has lent,
78 Still higher may they heeze Ye
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79 In bliss, till Fate some day is sent,
80 For ever to release Ye
81 Frae Care that day.
X.
82 For you, young Potentate o' W —,
83 I tell your Highness fairly,
84 Down Pleasure's stream, wi' swelling sails,
85 I'm tauld ye're driving rarely;
86 But some day ye may gnaw your nails,
87 An' curse your folly sairly,
88 That e'er ye brak Diana's pales,
89 Or rattl'd dice wi' Charlie
90 By night or day.
XI.
91 Yet aft a ragged Cowte's been known,
92 To mak a noble Aiver;
93 So, ye may dousely fill a Throne,
94 For a' their clish-ma-claver:
95 There, Him at Agincourt wha shone,
96 Few better were or braver;
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97 And yet, wi' funny, queer Sir
* Sir John Falstaff, Vide Shakespeare.
John,
98 He was an unco shaver
99 For monie a day.
XII.
100 For you, right rev'rend O — —,
101 Nane sets the lawn-sleeve sweeter,
102 Altho' a ribban at your lug
103 Wad been a dress compleater:
104 As ye disown yon paughty dog,
105 That bears the Keys of Peter,
106 Then swith! an' get a wife to hug,
107 Or trouth! ye'll stain the Mitre
108 Some luckless day,
XIII.
109 Young, royal TARRY-BREEKS, I learn,
110 Ye've lately come athwart her;
111 A glorious
† Alluding to the Newspaper account of a certain royal Sailor's Amour.
Galley, stem and stern,
112 Weel rigg'd for Venus barter;
113 But first hang out that she'll discern
114 Your hymeneal Charter,
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115 Then heave aboard your grapple airn,
116 An', large upon her quarter,
117 Come full that day.
XIV.
118 Ye lastly, bonie blossoms a',
119 Ye royal Lasses dainty,
120 Heav'n mak you guid as weel as braw,
121 An' gie you lads a plenty:
122 But sneer na British-boys awa;
123 For King's are unco scant ay,
124 An' German-Gentles are but sma' ,
125 They're better just than want ay
126 On onie day.
XV.
127 God bless you a'! consider now,
128 Ye're unco muckle dautet;
129 But ere the course o' life be through,
130 It may be bitter sautet:
131 An' I hae seen their coggie fou,
132 That yet hae tarrow't at it,
133 But or the day was done, I trow,
134 The laggen they hae clautet
135 Fu' clean that day.

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Title (in Source Edition): A DREAM.
Author: Robert Burns
Themes:
Genres: dream vision

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Burns, Robert, 1759-1796. POEMS, CHIEFLY IN THE SCOTTISH DIALECT, BY ROBERT BURNS. Kilmarnock: printed by John Wilson, M,DCC,LXXXVI., 1786, pp. 79-86. 240p.; 8⁰. (ESTC T91548) (Page images digitized by National Library of Scotland.)

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