to gavin hamilton, esq., maue,
reending a boy.
mossgaville, may 3, 1786.
i hold it, sir, my bounden duty
to warn you how that master tootie,
alias, ird m'gaun,
was here to hire yon d away
'bout whom ye spak the tither day,
an' wad hae don't aff han';
but lest he learn the tricks—
an' faith i muckle doubt him—
like scrapin out auld crummie's nicks,
an' tellin lies about them;
as lieve then, i'd have then
your clerkship he should sair,
if sae be ye may be
not fitted otherwhere.
altho'
To Gavin Hamilton, Esq., Mauchline,(1/3)