fused and unified by a wonderful vitality that makes the reading of
it an actual experience. And, though several of the songs are in
English, there is no moralizing, no alien note of any kind to jar the
perfection of its harmony. Scottish literature had seen nothing like
it since Dunbar made the Seven Deadly Sins dance in hell.


THE JOLLY BEGGARS

A CANTATA

Recitativo

When lyart leaves bestrow the yird, [withered, earth]
Or, wavering like the baukie bird, [bat]
Bedim cauld Boreas' blast;
When hailstanes drive wi' bitter skyte, [glancing stroke]
And infant frosts begin to bite,
In hoary cranreuch drest; [hoar-frost]
Ae night at e'en a merry core [one, gang]
O' randie, gangrel bodies [rowdy, vagrant]
In Poosie Nansie's held the splore, [carousal]
To drink their orra duddies. [spare rags]
Wi' quaffing and laughing,
They ranted an' they sang;
Wi' jumping an' thumping
The very girdle rang. [cake-pan]

First, niest the fire, in auld red rags, [next]
Ane sat, weel brac'd wi' mealy bags,