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Divider from 'The Snug Bit of Land in the Ocean', a chapbook printed in Glasgow in 1800

The Beautiful MARKETS of GLASGOW.

Good people of Glasgow, give ear to my lay,
And learn from my tale, and go wiser away;
Concerning your Markets, I vow and declare,
There's few in the nation can with them compare.

 There's all sorts of food to pleasure your mind,
The Butchers are honest, free, frank, and kind,
Meat of all kinds, comes here in great store,
With health to enjoy it, what can ye want more!

 There's fish, flesh, and fowl, with herbs & roots,
There's cloth of all kinds, there's good shoes & boots;
There's butter & cheese, there's pudding & pye,
And if you've money, may drink when you're dry.

There's eggs, there's oysters, there's ribbons & rings,
There's straw hats & bonnets, with many fine things,
There's wheat, there's barley, good oats & good rye,
If reason doth guide you, you'll go there and buy.

 All ranks of people, now hither do come,
With store of provision, contented go home,
The poor in the market, may cope with the rich,
Their money's as good, tho' they've not so much.

 Yet flat check'd Hobby, with sanctify'd grace,
Despiseth the market with his muslin face;
Ye simple beware of the selfish and sly
There's nought like a market, to sell or to buy.

 Some butcher's there be, still keep up a stall,
To suit their own ends hangs meat 'gainst the wall,
I'll let them to know, the law is severe,
We may catch them napping, as Moss catch'd his mare.