myfatherwasafarmer

tune—“theweaverandhisshuttle，o.”

myfatherwasafarmeruponthecarrickborder，o，

andcarefullyhebredmeindecencyandorder，o;

hebademeactamanlypart，thoughihadne'erafarthing，o;

forwithoutanhonestmanlyheart，nomanwasworthregarding，o.

thenoutintotheworldmycourseididdetermine，o;

tho'toberichwasnotmywish，yettobegreatwascharming，o;

mytalentstheywerenottheworst，noryetmyeducation，o:

resolv'dwasiatleasttotrytomendmysituation，o.

inmanyaway，andvainessay，icourtedfortune'sfavour，o;

somecauseunseenstillsteptbetween，tofrustrateeachendeavour，o;

sometimesbyfoesiwaso'erpower'd，sometimesbyfriendsforsaken，o;

andwhenmyhopewasatthetop，istillwasworstmistaken，o.

thensoreharass'dandtir'datlast，withfortune'svaindelusion，o，

idroptmyschemes，likeidledreams，andcametothisconclusion，o;

thepastwasbad，andthefuturehid，itsgoodorilluntried，o;

butthepresenthourwasinmypow'r，andsoiwouldenjoyit，o.

nohelp，norhope，norviewhadi，norpersontobefriendme，o;

soimusttoil，andsweat，andmoil，andlabourtosustainme，o;

toploughandsow，toreapandmow，myfatherbredmeearly，o;

forone，hesaid，tolabourbred，wasamatchforfortunefairly，o.

thusallobscure，unknown，andpoor，thro'lifei'mdoom'dtowander，o，

tilldownmywearybonesilayineverlastingslumber，o:

noviewnorcare，butshunwhate'ermightbreedmepainorsorrow，o;

iliveto-dayaswell'simay，regardlessofto-morrow，o.

butcheerfulstill，iamaswellasamonarchinhispalace，o，

tho'fortune'sfrownstillhuntsmedown，withallherwontedmalice，o:

imakeindeedmydailybread，butne'ercanmakeitfarther，o:

butasdailybreadisallineed，idonotmuchregardher，o.

whensometimesbymylabour，iearnalittlemoney，o，

someunforeseenmisfortunecomesgen'rallyuponme，o;

mischance，mistake，orbyneglect，ormygoodnatur'dfolly，o:

butcomewhatwill，i'veswornitstill，i'llne'erbemelancholy，o.

allyouwhofollowwealthandpowerwithunremittingardour，o，

themoreinthisyoulookforbliss，youleaveyourviewthefarther，o:

hadyouthewealthpotosiboasts，ornationstoadoreyou，o，

acheerfulhonest-heartedclowniwillpreferbeforeyou，o.