There's a youth in this city

written in 1789

There's a youth in this city, it were a great pity That he from the lasses should wander awa'; For he's bonie an braw, weel-favor'd with a', An' his hair has a natural buckle an' a'. His coat is the hue o' his bonnet sae blue, His fecket is white as the new-driven snaw, His hose they are blae, and his shoon like the slae, And his clear siller buckles, they dazzle us a'. For beauty and fortune the laddie's been courtin; Weel-featur'd, weel-tocher'd, weel-mounted, an' braw, But chiefly the siller that gars him gang till her - The penny's the jewel that beautifies a'! There's Meg wi' the mailen, that fain wad a haen him. And Susie, wha's daddie was laird of the Ha', There's lang-tocher'd Nancy maist fetters his fancy; But the laddie's dear sel he loes dearest of a'.