Address To An Illegitimate Child.

    Thou's welcome, wean, mischanter fa' me,
    If ought of thee, or of thy mammy,
    Shall ever daunton me, or awe me,
        My sweet wee lady,
    Or if I blush when thou shalt ca' me
        Tit-ta or daddy.

    Wee image of my bonny Betty,
    I, fatherly, will kiss and daut thee,
    As dear and near my heart I set thee
        Wi' as gude will
    As a' the priests had seen me get thee
        That's out o' hell.

    What tho' they ca' me fornicator,
    An' tease my name in kintry clatter:
    The mair they talk I'm kent the better,
        E'en let them clash;
    An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter
        To gie ane fash.

    Sweet fruit o' mony a merry dint,
    My funny toil is now a' tint,
    Sin' thou came to the warl asklent,
        Which fools may scoff at;
    In my last plack thy part's be in't
        The better ha'f o't.

    An' if thou be what I wad hae thee,
    An' tak the counsel I sall gie thee,
    A lovin' father I'll be to thee,
        If thou be spar'd;
    Thro' a' thy childish years I'll e'e thee,
        An' think't weel war'd.

    Gude grant that thou may ay inherit
    Thy mither's person, grace, an' merit,
    An' thy poor worthless daddy's spirit,
        Without his failins;
    'Twill please me mair to hear an' see it
        Than stocket mailens.