inscription to miss jessy lewars
on a copy of the scots musical museum, in four volumes, presented to her by burns.
thine be the volumes, jessy fair,
and with them take the poet's prayer,
that fate may, in her fairest page,
with ev'ry kindliest, best presage
of future bliss, enroll thy name:
with native worth and spotless fame,
and wakeful caution, still aware
of ill—but chief, man's felon snare;
all blameless joys on earth we find,
and all the treasures of the mind—
these be thy guardian and reward;
so prays thy faithful friend, the bard.
dumfries, june 26, 1769.