"Oh if some Power the gift would give us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us,
And foolish notion..."

The poem from which this quotation is taken is shown below.

To A Louse

On Seeing One On A Lady's Bonnet, At Church


1786

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.

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"The best laid plans of mice and men
Gang aft agley, (1),
And leave us naught but grief and pain,
For promised joy.

Still thou art blest, compared with me;
The present only touches thee,
But och! I backward cast my e'e
On prospects drear!
And forward, though I canna see,
I guess an' fear!"

(From Robert Burns's "To A Mouse")

(1) often go awry



Text with modern translation may be found here: www.worldburnsclub.com/poems/translations/554.htm

( Text of poem here: )

The last stanza is one of my favourite quotations...

Enjoy,
Cat

TO A LOUSE

On Seeing One on a Lady's Bonnet at Church

( Poem here: )