On Hearing the Bag-Pipe and Seeing “The Stranger” Played at Inverary + 

Of late two dainties were before me plac’d + 

Sweet, holy, pure, sacred and innocent, + 

From the ninth sphere to me benignly sent + 

That Gods might know my own particular taste: + 

First the soft Bag-pipe mourn’d with zealous haste, + 

The Stranger next with head on bosom bent + 

Sigh’d; rueful again the piteous Bag-pipe went, + 

Again the Stranger sighings fresh did waste. + 

O Bag-pipe, thou didst steal my heart away⁠— + 

O Stranger, thou my nerves from Pipe didst charm⁠— + 

O Bag-pipe thou didst re-assert thy sway⁠— + 

Again thou. Stranger, gav’st me fresh alarm⁠— + 

Alas! I could not choose. Ah! my poor heart + 

Mum chance art thou with both oblig’d to part. + 