Let him bark there.

More light is thrown on Burns's positive attitude in religious
matters by his _Epistle to McMath_, a young New Licht minister in
Tarbolton. From the evidences of the letters, we are justified in
accepting at its face value the profession of reverence for true
religion made by Burns in this epistle; his hatred of the sham needs
no corroboration.

TO THE REV. JOHN M'MATH

Enclosing a Copy of _Holy Willie's Prayer_, which he had requested,
September 17, 1785

While at the stook the shearers cow'r [shock, reapers]
To shun the bitter blaudin' show'r, [driving]
Or, in gulravage rinnin', scour; [horseplay running]
To pass the time,
To you I dedicate the hour
In idle rhyme.

My Musie, tir'd wi' mony a sonnet
On gown, an' ban', an' douce black-bonnet, [sedate]
Is grown right eerie now she's done it, [scared]
Lest they should blame her,
An' rouse their holy thunder on it,
And anathem her. [curse]

I own 'twas rash, an' rather hardy,
That I, a simple country bardie,
Shou'd meddle wi' a pack sae sturdy,
Wha, if they ken me,
Can easy, wi' a single wordie,
Lowse hell upon me. [Loose]

But I gae mad at their grimaces,
Their sighin', cantin', grace-proud faces,
Their three-mile prayers, and half-mile graces,
Their raxin' conscience, [elastic]
Whase greed, revenge, an' pride disgraces
Waur nor their nonsense. [Worse than]

There's Gau'n, misca't waur than a beast,
Wha has mair honour in his breast
Than mony scores as guid's the priest [good as]
Wha sae abus'd him:
An' may a bard no crack his jest
What way they've used him? [On the fashion]

See him the poor man's friend in need,
The gentleman in word an' deed,
An' shall his fame an' honour bleed
By worthless skellums, [railers]
An' not a Muse erect her head
To cowe the blellums? [daunt, blusterers]

O Pope, had I thy satire's darts
To gie the rascals their deserts, [give]
I'd ri