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Is There for Honest Poverty
TUNE–“For a’ that and a’ that.”
Of the following song–one of the most striking and characteristic effusions of his Muse–he says, evidently in a strain of affected depreciation :–“A great critic on songs says that love and wine are the exclusive themes for song-writing. The following is on neithersubject, and is consequently no song ; but will be allowed, I think, to be two or three pretty good prose thoughts inverted into rhyme.”
| IS there, for honest poverty, |
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That hangs his head, and a’ that? |
| The coward slave, we pass him by, |
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We dare be poor for a’ that! |
| For a’ that, and a’ that, |
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Our toils obscure, and a’ that; |
| The rank is but the guinea-stamp, |
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The man’s the gowd for a’ that! |
| What though on hamely fare we dine, |
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Wear hodden-gray, and a’ that; |
| Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine, |
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A man’s a man for a’ that! |
| For a’ that, and a’ that, |
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Their tinsel show, and a’ that; |
| The honest man, though e’er sae poor, |
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Is king o’ men for a’ that! |
| Ye see yon birkie,* ca’d a lord, |
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Wha struts, and stares, and a’ that; |
| Though hundreds worship at his word, |
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He’s but a coof 1 for a’ that: |
| For a’ that, and a’ that, |
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His riband, star, and a’ that, |
| The man of independent mind, |
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He looks and laughs at a’ that! |
| A king can mak a belted knight, |
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A marquis, duke, and a’ that; |
| But an honest man’s aboon his might, |
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Guid faith he maunna 2 fa’ that! |
| For a’ that, and a’ that, |
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Their dignities, and a’ that, |
| The pith o’ sense, and pride o’ worth, |
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Are higher rank than a’ that. |
| Then let us pray that come it may– |
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As come it will for a’ that– |
| That sense and worth, o’er a’ the earth, |
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May bear the gree, and a’ that, |
| Its comin’ yet, for a’ that, |
| That man to man the warld o’er, |
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Shall brothers be for a’ that. |
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| 1 Fool.^ |
| 2 “He maunna fa’ that”=he must not try that.^ |
| * Primarily the word signifies a lively, mettlesome young fellow ; but here the poet’s meaning would be better rendered by the words–a proud, affected person.^ |
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