Letter to James King: 15 September 1808
Capn
McDowal’s compy Renfrew
Shire Militia Pevensey
Barracks England Paisley
15th Sepr 1808 Dear James Notwithstanding trade being so very
flat with us improvement is going on rapidly in this place. I am just now
returned from a walk to the canal Aqueduct which they are carrying over Cart
betwixt Black-ha’ House and Auchentorly, they have already got well on with it
and ’twill be finished before Winter. There is
likewise an elegant new Coffee-Room with several other fine buildings erecting
at the cross. Our principal streets are
mostly [#] I have strung up a
long jingle of verses to Pat
Mulligan Air
– – Sir John Scott’s favorite. ______________ 1 Dear
Judy when we first got married Our
fortune indeed was but small For
save the light hearts that we carried Our
riches were nothing at all I
sung while I rear’d up the cabin Ye
pow’rs give me labour and health And
a truce to all sighing and sobbing For
love is Pat Mulligan’s wealth. 2d Thro’
summer, and winter so dreary I
cheerily toil’d at the farm Nor
ever once dream’d growing weary For
love gave my labour its charm And
now, tho’ ’tis weak to be vaunty Yet
here let us gratefully own We
live amidst pleasure and plenty As
happy’s the king on the throne 3d We’ve
Murdoch, and Patrick and Connor As
fine little lads as you’ll see And
Kitty, sweet girl on my honour! She’s
just the dear picture of thee Tho’
some folks may still under-rate us Ah!
why should we mind them a fig We’ve
a large swinging field of potatoes To
fatten ourselves and the pig. 4th Dear
Judy I’ve taken a thinking The
children their Letters must learn We’ll
send for old Father O’jenking To
teach them three months in the barn For
learning’s the way to promotion As
cultur brings fruit from the sod And
books give a fellow a notion How
matters are doing abroad. _________________________ see page 2d confound it – I have paddy-like begun my song where I ought to have ended it --1 [#] 5th Tho’
Father neglected my reading Kind
soul, sure his spirit’s in rest For
the very first part of his breeding Was
still to relieve the distrest And
late when the trav’ler benighted Besought
hospitality’s claim We
lodg’d him till morning delighted Because
’twas a lesson to them 6th The
man who wont feel for another Is
just like a colt on the moor He
lives without knowing a brother To
frighten bad luck from his door But
he that’s kind-hearted and steady Tho’
wintry misfortune should come Will
still find some friend who is ready To
scar the old Witch from his home. 7th Success
to old Ireland forever! ’Tis
just the dear land to my mind Her
lads are warm-hearted and clever Her
girls are all handsome and kind And
he who her name would bespatter By
wishing the French safely o’er May
the Devil blow him over the water And
make him cook frogs for the core. _______________ I have not seen our good friend
Borland this long time I suspect the same cause keeps us both at home – however
I must be in Glasgow soon mainly on purpose to have two hours with him – I will
make a point of calling on Les˄l˄ie first time I am in —— I forgot to
tell you that ’tis much in agitation with the Weavers in Scotland to join those
of the south in Petitioning Government for an Act to regulate (at least in some
degree) their wages to the prices of provisions – but I fear much it wont do –
Our figured work varies so much - and is so often changed that it would be very
difficult to specify exactly what should be for all the different kinds. I
remain Your[s Truly] [Robt
Tannahill] Write soon } Emendations: I remain Yours Truly • I remain Your[◊◊◊◊◊◊◊] Robt Tannahill • [signature completely obscured] Copy Text: MS Robertson 1/21 Previous Publications: Notes: 1 Tannahill
accidentally transposed this page and the following. This page was written on a
new sheet rather than on the back of the first page as he intended. |