But to our tale.--Ae market night
Tam had got planted unco right
Fast by an ingle bleezing finely
Wi reaming swats that drank divinely;
And at his elbow Souter Johnny,
His ancient, trusty, drouthy crony;
Tam lo'ed him like a very brither--
They had been fou for weeks thegither!--Burns.
I cannot but feel much apprehension in approaching a
subject so nearly allied to the actual inner character of a man. "A man
is known by the company he keeps." I cannot admonish the blind that they
should see. I cannot suggest to Tam O'Shanter that he should not
associate with Cobbler Johnny. Why, he loves him like a very brother!
Indeed, as the last sublime token of friendship, have they not been
drunk for weeks together? Besides, are they not such worthless wights
that they will do less harm in associating with each other than in
enlarging their power of evil by operating on new material? If you are
Tam O'Shanter, I cannot very well advise you to seek out some worthy
young man for an associate and attaint his character and his reputation
by clinging to him. Now the only thing I can consistently do is to hope
you are a young man