holywillie'sprayer

“andsendthegodlyinapettopray.”

—pope.

argument.

holywilliewasaratheroldishbachelorelder，intheparishofmauchline，andmuchandjustlyfamedforthatpolemicalchattering，whichendsintipplingorthodoxy，andforthatspiritualizedbawdrywhichrefinestoliquorishdevotion.inasessionalprocesswithagentlemaninmauchline—amr.gavinhamilton—holywillieandhispriest，fatherauld，afterfullhearinginthepresbyteryofayr，cameoffbutsecondbest;owingpartlytotheoratoricalpowersofmr.robertaiken，mr.hamilton'scounsel;butchieflytomr.hamilton'sbeingoneofthemostirreproachableandtrulyrespectablecharactersinthecounty.onlosingtheprocess，themuseoverheardhim[holywillie]athisdevotions，asfollows:—

othou，whointheheavensdoesdwell，

who，asitpleasesbestthysel'，

sendsanetoheavenan'tentohell，

a'forthyglory，

andnoforonygudeorill

they'vedoneaforethee!

iblessandpraisethymatchlessmight，

whenthousandsthouhastleftinnight，

thatiamhereaforethysight，

forgiftsan'grace

aburningandashininglight

toa'thisplace.

whatwasi，ormygeneration，

thatishouldgetsicexaltation，

iwhadeservemostjustdamnation

forbrokenlaws，

fivethousandyearseremycreation，

thro'adam'scause?

whenfraemymither'swombifell，

thoumighthaeplungedmeinhell，

tognashmygums，toweepandwail，

inburninlakes，

wheredamneddevilsroarandyell，

chain'dtotheirstakes.

yetiamhereachosensample，

toshowthygraceisgreatandample;

i'mhereapillaro'thytemple，

strongasarock，

aguide，abuckler，andexample，

toa'thyflock.

olord，thoukenswhatzealibear，