Allan Ramsay. [A biography.] - National Library of Scotland

ALLAN RAMSAY 133
Blyther than Iambs that frisk out o'er the knowes,
Straighter than aught that in the forest grows.
Her een the clearest blob of dew out-shines,
The lily in her breast its beauty tines ;
Her legs, her arms, her cheeks, her mouth, her een,
Will be my deid '
—
The existence of superstition among the Scottish
peasantry, a state of things lasting until well on into last
century, is also well brought out in Bauldy's soliloquy,
when he refers to Mausy, ' a witch that for sma' price,
can cast her cantrips, and gie me advice.' Mause,
meaning to read the faithless lover of Neps a lesson,
consents to help him. The fourth scene of the Second
Act is undoubtedly one of the finest in the drama—the
meeting of the lovers, Patie and Peggy. The two great
constituents of a successful piece, strength and pathos,
are both present in rich measure. To test her lover's
fidelity, the maiden, with coy coquetry, afi"ects to think
that he might alter his mind and deceive her if she
trusted him too implicitly. To this Patie replies that
she deeply wrongs him in doubting his fidelity, and
that he would be dull and blind
' Gif I could fancy aught's sae sweet and fair
As my sweet Meg, or worthy of my care.
Thy breath is sweeter than the sweetest brier.
Thy cheek and breast the finest flowers appear,
Thy words excel the maist delightfu' notes
That warble through the merle or mavis' throats ;
With thee I tent nae flowers that busk the field,
Or ripest berries that our mountains yield ;
The sweetest fruits that hing upon the tree
Are far inferior to a kiss frae thee.'
With all a loving woman's sweet perversity, however,
Peggy still affects to doubt, only to be indulged