Divider from 'The Tippling Farmer' a chapbook printed in Glasgow in 1802
THE BYESTANDER.
Look fairly all the world around,and as you truth deliver,Tell me what character is founda real savoir vivre?Who truly merits sober fame,to find you need not wander,None can detect life's fraudful game,so well as the Byestander.
The lover cogs, and palms, and slips,the easy fair as buffle,And still to win that stake, her lips,will deal, and cut, and shuffle;Still will he ply each subtle art,till he has quite trapann'd her,And then is sure to trump her heart,if absent the Byestander.
Preferment is a bowling green,where, plac'd in each position,Bowls jostling in and out are seen,to reach the jack, ambition;The bias interest till they try,twist, turn, and well meander,Yet their maneouvers, rub or fly,are known to the Byestander.
The law's a game of whist, wherein,the parties nine are both in,Where tricks alone the game can win,and honours go for nothing:And whilst they a sure game do nick,their client's money squander,Full many more than one odd trickdiscovers the Byestander.
The coxcomb plays at shuttlecock,The wit commands and questions,The barking cits to commerce flock,each follows his suggestions;Yet he alone who merits fame,who blunts the shafts of slander,And on the square, life's motely gamebest plays, is the Byestander.
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