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

136 FAMOUS SCOTS
in the future when Patie shall have been taken from
her—
' Speak on, speak ever thus, and still my grief
But short, I dare to hope the fond relief.
New thoughts a gentler face will soon inspire,
That with nice airs swims round in silk attire
Then I, poor me !
—
with sighs may ban my fate,
When the young laird's nae mair my heartsome Pate.
Nae mair again to hear sweet tales expresst
By the blyth shepherd that excelled the rest,
Nae mair be envied by the tattHng gang
When Patie kissed me when I danced or sang ;
Nae mair, alake ! we'll on the meadows play,
And rin half-breathless round the rucks of hay,
As aft-times I have fled from thee right fain,
And fa'n on purpose, that I might be tane.'
But Patie reiterates his vows to her, and Peggy, comforted,
declares she will set herself to learn 'gentler charms,
through ilka school where I may manners learn.' Patie
applauds her resolution, but declares that
'without a' the little helps of art
Thy native sweets might gain a prince's heart,
Yet now, lest in our station we offend,
We must learn modes to innocence unken'd.'
The scene closes with Peggy's vows of fidelity. In this
scene Ramsay touched the high-water mark of his genius,
and for the elements of simplicity, strength, and pro-
priety of the sentiments expressed by each character
with the root-idea of that character, it is rivalled by very
few scenes of its kind in the literature of our land.
The first scene of the last Act opens with Bauldy's
fright. He had gone to fulfil his engagement to meet
Mause, the pretended witch, who was to turn Peggy's
heart to him. But as he had insulted Madge, Peggy's
; ;