Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

Allan Ramsay (1686–1758)

Extracts The Tea-Table Miscellany: Through the Wood, Laddie

O SANDY, why leaves thou thy Nelly to mourn?

Thy presence would ease me

When naething could please me,

Now dowie I sigh on the bank of the burn,

Ere through the wood, laddie, until thou return.

Though woods now are bonny, and mornings are clear,

While lavrocks are singing

And primroses springing,

Yet nane of them pleases my eye or my ear,

When through the wood, laddie, ye dinna appear.

That I am forsaken some spare no to tell;

I ’m fashed wi’ their scorning

Baith evening and morning;

Their jeering aft gaes to my heart wi’ a knell,

When through the wood, laddie, I wander mysel’.

Then stay, my dear Sandie, nae langer away,

But quick as an arrow,

Haste here to thy marrow,

Wha ’s living in languor till that happy day,

When through the wood, laddie, we ’ll dance, sing, and play.