1790. LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. 27 



The Banfters ' are lyart ", and runkled, and grej ; 



bindeis hoary wiinkled 



At fairs nor at preaching, 



Nae wooing, nae fleeching ', 



Since our bra forefters are a' wed away. 



is begun. The reapers are C3.\leA Jicaiers, and the operation y?ic.7r/;;o-. 

 The pradicc here alluded to, is thus beautifully defcribed by Thorn- 

 fon, who was born in the near neighbourhood of the field of 

 rlodden. 



Soon as the morning trembles o'er the (ky, 



And, unpercciv'd, unfolds the fpreading day ; 



Before the ripen'd fields the reapers ftand 



In fair array, each by the lafs he loves, 



To bear the rougher part, and mitigate 



By namelefs offices her toil. 



At once they ftoop, and fwell the lufty (heaves ; 



While through their cheerful band the rural laugh, 



The rural fcanda), and the lural jeft, 



Fly harmlefs, to deceive the tedious time. 



And Ileal unfelt the fultry hours away. 



i BanfiA, Bandjiirs, !. e. Binders, men who bind up the fheaves behind 

 the reapers. 



k Lyart, a term appropriated to denote a peculiarity which is often 

 feen to affedl aged pcrfons, when fome of the locks become grey fooner 

 than otliers. Where the mixture of black and white hairs is pretty 

 uniform, th? hair is faid to be grey. 



1 Fleeching mcar.s nearly the fame thing with coaxing ; properly, it is 

 a kind of earneftly intreating,with adcfireto gain anyofie over to the pur- 

 pofe wanted, by artfully drawing them to form a good opinion of tiie 

 fsecher. Fairs and public preachmgs in the fields, at that time begin- 

 ing to be common in Scotlan.f, were places of public refort, at wliich 

 •young perfons of both fexes had occafion to meet : and as thefe were 

 often at a great diftance from home, it gave the young men opportu- 

 nities of performing obliging offices of gallantry to their millrefies, 

 vwhich was, no doubt, one caufe of their being fo well attended : They 

 •were as the balls and affemblies of the country belles and beaux. ■ 



D 7, 



