Part 8 (1/2)

'I'd hatefortune, should it move The fair foundation of our faithfu' love

If at my feet were crowns and sceptres laid To bribe htful s To sic as have the patience to be kings'

As a pastoral poet, Ra all those homely virtues that befit the station to which ed A fault, and a serious one, it was a the writers of conventional pastoral, to make their shepherds and shepherdesses talk like philosophers, and reason upon all the mysteries of life, death, and futurity What reader of Sir Philip Sidney's _Arcadia_, but must have s love, and treating of its metaphysical causes and effects, as profoundly as any

----'clerke of Oxenforde also Who unto logik hadde long y-go'

The extravagances of conventional pastoral had been keenly satirised by Gay, who made his Lobbin Clouts and Cloddipoles, his Blowzalinds and Bowzabees and bue that is spoken neither by country maiden nor courtly dame; nay, not only such as in the present tie aright, will never be uttered in ti mode, both of British and French pastoral, was , as a contrast, a picture of rural life absolutely truthful in all its details, and thus slaying falsehood by the sword of truth

Of _The Gentle Shepherd_, the plot is si Pentland shepherd nay The pastoral drama, the time of whose action is all e one, at least, of the Greek dramatic unities as defined by the French critics, opens at earlytheir flocks on the hills, and discussing the progress of their love-suits The scene is charly realistic and natural Patie is happy in his love for Peggy who reciprocates it; Roger, in despair over his ill-success with 'dorty Jenny' His friend, however, raises his spirits by telling hiy when she had a fit of tantruht the fair one to reason He exhorts Roger to adopt the sa terht have given a hint to Burns for his song, 'Duncan Gray'--

'Dear Roger, when your jo puts on her gloom, Do ye sae too, and never fash your thue her er agrees to take the advice, and the scene concludes with a delightful picture of a shepherd's ht, And see gif all our flocks be feeding right; By that time, bannocks and a shave of cheese Will ht please the daintiest gabs, were they sae wise To season meat with health instead of spice

When we have ta'en the grace-drink at this well, I'll whistle syne'--

The second scene opens with an exquisite description of

'A flowrie howm between twa verdant braes, Where lasses use to wash and spread their claes; A trottin' burnie wi, smooth and round

Here viea barefoot beauties, clean and clear'

These are Peggy and Jenny The latter proposes to begin their work on the 'howy entreats her to

Gae farer up the burn to Habbie's How, Where a' that's sweet in spring and sirow; Between twa birks out o'er a little linn The water fa's, and lass, Kisses wi' easy whirles the bordering grass

We'll end our washi+ng while the rows het we'll to the pool, There wash oursels; 'tis healthfu' now in May, And sweetly cauler on sae war Jenny's cruel indifference to Roger The maiden, who by the way is a bit of a prude, affects to despise love and y's beautiful description of conjugal happiness, is obliged to confess her love for Roger Whathave we in all English literature, than Peggy's splendid defence ofto be a wife, When round the ingle-edge young sprouts are rife

Gif I'ht To hear their little plaints, and keep thereater pleasure be, Than see sic wee tots toolying at your knee; When a' they ettle at,--their greatest wish, Is to beday and night The like of theht?'

The first scene of the Second Act opens with a picture of a peasant far and outhouses--

'A snug thack-house; before the door a green; Hens on the midden, ducks in dubs are seen; On this side stands a barn, on that a byre: A peat stack joins, and forhbours, Glaud and Syh to sell his 'crummock and her bassened quey,' and over their pipes he informs his friend that their landlord, Sir Williao into exile during the Co to the Restoration, be able to return hoain, when all would be well Symon has heard the news from the laird's servant, 'Habbie,' after whom the 'How' or _house_ is named

Glaud is so overjoyed at the news that he seeks to persuade Sy, for it was before the age of good roads and carts,

'To yoke ht o' ale baith stout and brown'

But Symon wishes to exercise hospitality hihter Jenny, and his niece Peggy, all dining with him, in honour of the day This they are to do We have here presented a graphic picture of rural fare on fete-days--

'For here yestreen I brewed a bow of maut, Yestreen I sleethers priood cakes,in the neuk

I saw mysel', or I cam o'er the loan, Our muckle pot that scads the whey, put on, A ies Elspa spares nae cost

Sans wi' a curn of spice; Fat are the puddings,--heads and feet weel sung'