Edinburgh, or, The ancient royalty [a poem] by Simon Gray |
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Common terms and phrases
Adam's fame afford amongst amusement ANCIENT ROYALTY ANNA's golden age attempt the task bard Bicker rages boast City clodhopper Closs common stairs Craftsmen of Edinburgh cunning Clerk cup returned dirty current Dome that swells draughts of wine drink a social dying swan Edina fam'd Miss Nicky Fancy's FARMER fifty friends fools will buy forget gallant gratified hapless Hill after hill hill some cunning honour horse race Hotpress'd he shines John Knox labours lavish luxury mansions rise mark the Street Miss Nicky Murray motly neighbouring NOTE 12 NOTE 17 O'er draughts plough prythee quilting rasp'd the twisted satyr Scotland simple fools Sirach SKETCH social cup soul spacious spoons Squib swells your Adam's taste tavern Tea Parties thy sway Tier upon tier Town Fashion TOWNSMAN try to sing twisted rod unhallowed phrase unless I attempt Vriter Wine and Marmalade wisdom is denied Wits of ANNA's Wynd youth
Popular passages
Page 21 - The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure: and he that hath little business shall become wise. How can he get wisdom that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth oxen, and is occupied in their labours, and whose talk is of bullocks?
Page 31 - Fouldon, as being loath so ancient a foundation should perish, and for that effect he hath given gratis a piece of plate of the accustomed value, with a silver bell and saddle to the second and third horse. It is to be run on the third Tuesday of May.
Page x - O'er draughts of wine the beau would moan his love ; O'er draughts of wine the cit his bargain drove ; O'er draughts of wine the writer penned the will ; And legal wisdom counselled o'er a gill.
Page 11 - But, previous matters to her taste arranged, Certes, the constant couple never changed ; Through a long night to watch fair Delia's will, The same dull swain was at her elbow still.
Page 15 - Those polish'd rounds which decorate the coat, And brilliant shine upon some youth of note, Offspring of Birmingham's creative art, Now from the faithful button-holes depart. To sudden twitch the rending stitches yield, And Enterprise again essays the field. So, when a few fleet years of his short span Have...
Page viii - ... labouring porters bear The elements of fire and water high in air; There, as you scale the steps, with toilsome tread, The dripping barrel madifies your head; Thence, as adown the giddy round you wheel, A rising porter greets you with his creel! How recollections rush upon my mind, Of Lady Stairs's Closs and Blackfords Wynd!
Page 14 - There, in the dirty current of the strand* Boys drop the rival corks with ready hand, And wading through the puddle with slow pace, Watch in solicitude the doubtful race !— And there, an active band, with frequent boast, Vault in succession o'er each wooden post. Or a bold stripling, noted for his might, Heads the array, and rules the mrmic fight.
Page xii - Tho' patience fails, and tho' with thirst he burns, All — all must wait till the last cup returns. That cup returned, now see the hostess ply The tea-pot, measuring with equal eye; To all again at once she grants the boon, Dispensing her gunpowder by platoon. They chat of dress (as ladies will) and cards, And fifty friends within three hundred yards — Or now they listen, all in merry glee, While " Nancy Dawson," " Sandie o'er the lee," (Than foreign cadence surely sweeter far) Ring on the jingling...
Page 16 - Have ripen'd this dire passion in the Man, When thousand after thousand takes its flight, In the short circuit of one wretched night, Next shall the honours of the forest fall, And ruin desolate the Chieftain's hall; Hill after hill some cunning clerk shall...
Page viii - Whose azure summits mingle with the skies; There, from the earth the labouring porters bear The elements of fire and water high in air; There, as you scale the steps, with toilsome tread, The dripping barrel madines your head; Thence, as adown the giddy round you wheel, A rising porter greets you with his creel!