The canty auld folk crackin' crouse, [cheerful, talking brightly]
The young anes ranting through the house--
My heart has been sae fain to see them
That I for joy hae barkit wi' them.
Still it's owre true that ye hae said,
Sic game is now owre aften play'd. [too often]
There's mony a creditable stock
O' decent, honest, fawsont folk, [well-doing]
Are riven out baith root and branch
Some rascal's pridefu' greed to quench,
Wha thinks to knit himsel the faster
In favour wi' some gentle master,
Wha, aiblins, thrang a-parliamentin', [perhaps, busy]
For Britain's gude his soul indentin-- [indenturing]

CAESAR

Haith, lad, ye little ken about it;
For Britain's gude!--guid faith! I doubt it!
Say rather, gaun as Premiers lead him, [going]
And saying ay or no's they bid him!
At operas and plays parading,
Mortgaging, gambling, masquerading.
Or maybe, in a frolic daft,
To Hague or Calais taks a waft,
To make a tour, an' tak a whirl,
To learn _bon ton_ an' see the worl'.
There, at Vienna, or Versailles,
He rives his father's auld entails; [splits]
Or by Madrid he takes the rout,