There's something sweet about each mouth;
Dear ladies, let me try.

ON RECEIVING A PRESENT OF AN ORANGE

FROM MISS G. LOCKHART, NOW THE COUNTESS OF ABOYNE.

Now, Priam's son, thou may'st be mute,
For I can blythly boast with thee;

Thou to the fairest gave the fruit,

The fairest gave the fruit to me.

1728.

TO MR. POPE.

THREE times I've read your Iliad o'er:
The first time pleas'd me well;

New beauties unobserv'd before,

Next pleas'd me better still.

Again I try'd to find a flaw,

Examin'd ilka line;

The third time pleas'd me best of a',
The labour seem'd divine.

Henceforward I'll not tempt my fate,
On dazzling rays to stare,

Lest I should tine dear self-conceit,
And read and write nae mair.

WROTE ON LADY SOMERVILLE'S BOOK

OF SCOTS SANGS.

GAE, canty book, and win a name;
Nae lyrics e'er shall ding thee:
Hope large esteem, and lasting fame,
If Somervilla sing thee.

If she thy sinless faults forgive,

Which her sweet voice can cover,
Thou shalt, in spite of critics, live
Still grateful to each lover.

AN EPIGRAM.

MINERVA wand'ring in a myrtle grove,
Accosted thus the smiling queen of love :

Revenge yourself, you've cause to be afraid,
Your boasted pow'r yields to a British maid :
She seems a goddess, all her graces shine;
Love leads her beauty, which eclipses thine.
Each youth, I know, (says Venus,) thinks she's me;
Immediately she speaks, they think she's thee:
Good Pallas, thus you're foil'd as well as I.
Ha ha! (cries Cupid,) that's my Mally Sleigh.

1728.

ON THE MARQUIS OF ANNANDALE'S

CONVEYING ME A PRESENT OF GUINEAS IN MY SNUFF-BOX,

AFTER HE HAD TAKEN ALL THE SNUFF.

THE Chief requir'd my snishing-mill,
And well it was bestow'd;

The patron, by the rarest skill,

Turn'd all the snuff to gowd.

Gowd stampt with royal Anna's face,
Piece after piece came forth!
The pictures smil'd, gi'en with such grace,
By ane of so much worth.

Sure thus the patronizing Roman

Made Horace spread the wing;

Thus Dorset, by kind deeds uncommon,
Rais'd Prior up to sing.

That there are patrons yet for me,

Here's a convincing proof;

Since Annandale gives gowd as free
As I can part with snuff.

TO MRS. M. M- ON HER PAINTING.

To paint his Venus, auld Apelles

Wal'd a' the bonny maids of Greece:
Thou needs nae mair but paint thysell, lass,
To ding the painter and his piece.

ON MR. DRUMMOND'S BEING APPOINTED

A COMMISSIONER OF THE CUSTOMS.

THE good are glad when merit meets reward,
And thus they share the pleasure of another;
While little minds, who only self regard,

Will sicken at the success of a brother.
Hence I am pleas'd to find myself right class'd,
Even by this mark, that's worthy of observing ;
It gives me joy, the patent lately pass'd

In favour of dear Drummond, most deserving.

ON THE DUKE OF HAMILTON'S SHOOTING

AN ARROW THROUGH THE NECK OF AN EEL.

As from a bow a fatal flane,

Train'd by Apollo from the main,

In water pierc'd an eel;

Sae mae the patriot's power and art
Sic fate to souple rogues impart,

That drumble at the commonweal.
Tho' they as ony eels are slid,

And thro' what's vile can scud,

A bolt may reach them, tho' deep hid,
They sculk beneath their mud.

TO CALISTA.

ANES wisdom, majesty, and beauty,
Contended to allure the swain,
Wha fain wad pay to ilk his duty,
But only ane the prize could gain.

Were Jove again to redd debate,

Between his spouse and daughters twa,

And were it dear Calista's fate
To bid among them for the ba

When given to her, the shepherd might,
Then with the single apple serve a';
Since she's possest of a' that's bright,
In Juno, Venus, and Minerva.

A CHARACTER.

Or judgment just, and fancy clear,
Industrious, yet not avaricious;

No slave to groundless hope and fear;
Cheerful, yet hating to be vicious.