Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake
Allan Ramsay (16861758)Extracts from The Gentle Shepherd: Patie and Peggy
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.