Classic Poem

JUPITER'S LOTTERY .

Anes Jove, by ae great act of grace,
Wad gratify his human race,
And order'd Hermes, in his name,
With tout of trumpet to proclaim
A royal lott'ry frae the skies,
Where ilka ticket was a prize.
Nor was there need for ten per cent.
To pay advance for money lent;
Nor brokers nor stock-jobbers here
Were thol'd to cheat fowk of their gear:
The first-rate benefits were health,
Pleasures, honours, empire, and wealth;
But happy he to whom wad fa'
Wisdom, the highest prize of a'.
Hopes of attaining things the best,
Made up the maist feck of the rest.
Now ilka ticket sald with ease,
At altars, for a sacrifice:
Jove a' receiv'd, ky, gaits, and ews,
Moor-cocks, lambs, dows, or bawbee-rows;
Nor wad debar e'en a poor droll,
Wha nought cou'd gi'e but his parol.
Sae kind was he no to exclude
Poor wights for want of wealth or blood;
Even whiles the gods, as record tells,
Bought several tickets for themsells.
When fou, and lots put in the wheel,
Aft were they turn'd to mix them weel;
Blind Chance to draw Jove order'd syne,
That nane with reason might repine.
He drew, and Mercury was clark,
The number, prize, and name to mark.
Now hopes by millions fast came forth,
But seldom prizes of mair worth,
Sic as dominion, wealth, and state,
True friends, and lovers fortunate.
Wisdom at last, the greatest prize,
Comes up: — aloud clark Hermes cries,
" Number ten thousand; come, let 's see
" The person blest. " — Quoth Pallas, " Me. "
Then a' the gods for blythness sang,
Thro' heaven glad acclamations rang;
While mankind, grumbling, laid the wyte
On them, and ca'd the hale a byte.
" Yes, " cry'd ilk ane, with sobbing heart,
" Kind Jove has play'd a parent's part,
" Wha did this prize to Pallas send,
" While we 're sneg'd off at the wob's end. "

Soon to their clamours Jove took tent,
To punish which to wark he went:
He straight with follies fill'd the wheel;
In wisdom's place they did as weel,
For ilka ane wha folly drew,
In their conceit a' sages grew:
Sae, thus contented, a' retir'd,
And ilka fool himself admir'd.