Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

Allan Ramsay (1686–1758)

Extracts from The Gentle Shepherd: Patie and Peggy

Patie.

BY the delicious warmness of thy mouth

And rowing eye, which smiling tells the truth,

I guess, my lassie, that, as well as I,

You ’re made for love, and why should ye deny?

Peggy.

But ken ye, lad, gin we confess o’er soon,

Ye think us cheap, and syne the wooing ’s done:

The maiden that o’er quickly tines her power,

Like unripe fruit will taste but hard and sour.

Patie.

But when they hing o’er lang upon the tree,

Their sweetness they may tine, and sae may ye;

Red-cheeked you completely ripe appear,

And I have tholed and wooed a lang half-year.

Peggy.

Then dinna pu’ me; gently thus I fa’

Into my Patie’s arms for good and a’.

But stint your wishes to this kind embrace,

And mint nae farther till we ’ve got the grace.

Patie.

O charming armfu’! Hence, ye cares away.

I ’ll kiss my treasure a’ the livelang day:

A’ night I ’ll dream my kisses o’er again,

Till that day come that ye ’ll be a’ my ain.

Chorus.

Sun, gallop down the westling skies,

Gang soon to bed, and quickly rise;

O lash your steeds, post time away,

And haste about our bridal day;

And if ye ’re wearied, honest light,

Sleep, gin ye like, a week that night.