The Laddies Dear Sel

    the laddie's dear sel'
    there's a youth in this city, it were a great pity
    that he from our lassies should wander awa';
    for he's bonie and braw, weel-favor'd witha',
    an' his hair has a natural buckle an' a'.
    his coat is the hue o' his bonnet sae blue,
    his fecket is white as the new-driven snaw;
    his hose they are blae, and his shoon like the slae,
    and his clear siller buckles, they dazzle us a'.
    for beauty and fortune the laddie's been courtin;
    weel-featur'd, weel-tocher'd, weel-mounted an' braw;
    but chiefly the siller that gars him gang till her,
    the penny's the jewel that beautifies a'.
    there's meg wi' the mailen that fain wad a haen him,
    and susie, wha's daddie was laird o' the ha';
    there's lang-tocher'd nancy maist fetters his fancy,
    —but the laddie's dear sel', he loes dearest of a'.