with critical observations and biographical notices, by Robert Burns

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Dryster Jock was sitting cracky,
Wi' Pate Tamson o' the Hill,
" Come awa'," quo' Johnny, " Watty
i( Haith ! we'se ha'e anither gill."
Watty, glad to see Jock Jabos^
And sae mony nei'bours roun',
Kicket frae his shoon the sna' baV,
Syne ayont the fire sat down.
young Wilson, who at the age of thirteen was put to the loom.
After an apprenticeship of five years, he became his own mas.
ter; but his eager passion for reading poetry and novels, absorbed
most of his time, and left him in a state of constant penury. In
the year 1786 he gave up his occupation, and travelled the coun-
try^ as a pedlar. In 1790 he settled again in Paisley, and pub-
lished a volume of poems and a journal of his excursions, which
meeting with poor success, involved him further in pecuniary
diflSculties. He again returned to the loom ; but his favourite
literary pursuits still engrossed his attention, and the society of
the young and thoughtless of his own age consumed his time and
exhausted his means of support.
Soon after the publication of his poems he became the dupe
of a worthless fellow, who had been vainly endeavouring to sell
them, and who persuaded him to write a satire, with a view to
relieve himself from his embarrassments. The poem being on a
popular subject, sold rapidly ; but his friend's advice led him be-
yond the safe bounds of satircj and he incurred a prosecution,
!
by