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Robert Burns - How To Know Him by William Allan Neilson
page 210 of 334 (62%)
Ye maist wad think, a wee touch langer [almost]
And they maun starve o' cauld and hunger; [must]
But how it comes I never kent yet. [knew]
They're maistly wonderfu' contented;
An' buirdly chiels and clever hizzies [stout lads, girls]
Are bred in sic a way as this is.

CAESAR

But then, to see how ye're negleckit,
How huff'd, and cuff'd, and disrespeckit,
Lord, man! our gentry care sae little
For delvers, ditchers and sic cattle;
They gang as saucy by poor folk
As I wad by a stinking brock. [badger]
I've noticed, on our Laird's court-day,
An' mony a time my heart's been wae.
Poor tenant bodies, scant o' cash,
How they maun thole a factor's snash; [endure, abuse]
He'll stamp and threaten, curse and swear,
He'll apprehend them; poind their gear: [seize, property]
While they maun stan', wi' aspect humble, [must]
An' hear it a', an' fear an' tremble!
I see how folk live that hae riches;
But surely poor folk maun be wretches!

LUATH

They're no' sae wretched's ane wad think,
Though constantly on poortith's brink: [poverty's]
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