The Eclipse

UPON his guilded chariot led by hours,
With radiant glories darting throw the air,
The sun, high sprung in his diurnal course,
Shed down a day serenely sweet and fair.
The earth mair beautiful and fertile grew.
The flowry fields in rich array
Smil'd lovely on the beamy day,
Delightful for the eye to view
Ceres, with her golden hair,
Displaying treasure ilka where,
While useful plenty made her stalks to bow.

A thousand little suns glanc'd on the wave.
Nature appear'd to claim the sun's respect,
All did sae blyth and beauteously behave. —
"Ah!" cry'd the moon, "too much for him ye deck.
My aking een cannot this glory bear.
This sun pretends nane in the sky
Can shine but him, then where am I?
Soon I the contrary shall clear.
By ae bauld strake,
With him I'll make
My equal empire in the heaven appear."

"'Tis me that gives a lustre to the night;
Then should not I my proper right display,
And now, even now dart down my silver light?
I give enough, this sun gives too much day."
The project fram'd, pale Cynthia now, to shaw
Her shining power, right daftly run
Directly 'tween the earth and sun.
Unwise design! the warld then saw,
Instead of light, the moon
Brought darkness in at noon,
And, without borrowing, had no light at a'.

THUS many empty and imprudent men,
Wha to their ain infirmities are blind,
Rax yont their reach, and this way let us ken
A jealous, weak and insufficient mind.

The Eclipse

Upon his guiltit chairiot led bi oors,
Wi radiant glores dairtin throwe the air,
The sun, heich sprung in his diurnal coorse,
Shed doon a day serenely sweet an fair.

The earth mair beautiful an fertile grue.
The flooerie fields in rich array
Smiled leuvely on the beamie day,
Delytfu for the eye ti view
Ceres, wi her gowden hair,
Displayin treasur ilka whair,
While yissfu plenty made her stalks ti boo.

A thousan little suns glenced on the wave.
Naitur appeared ti claim the sun's respeck,
Aw did sae blythe an beauteously behave.

"Ah!" cried the muin, "tae much for him ye deck.
Ma aikin een canna this glore beir.
This sun pertends nane in the sky
Can sheen but him, than whair am I?
Suin Ah the contrary sa clear.
Bi ae bauld straik,
Wi him Ah'll mek
Ma aqual empire in the heiven appear.

'Tis me that gies a lustre til the nicht;
Than shoudna Ah ma proper richt display,
An noo, even noo, dairt doon ma siller licht?
Ah gie eneuch, this sun gies tae much day."

The project framed, pyill Cynthia noo, ti shaw
Her shinin pooer, richt daftly run
Directly 'tween the earth an sun.
Unwice design! the warld than saw,
Insteid o licht, the muin
Brocht darkness in at nuin,
An, withoot borraein, haed nae licht at aw.

Thus monie empie an imprudent men,
Wha tae thair ain infirmities err blind,
Raix yont thair reak, an this wey let us ken
A jeelous, waik an insuffeecient mind.