To John Syme – [To John Syme]

[A] On refusing to dine with him, after having been promised the first of company, and the first of Cookery, 17th December, 1795.
No more of your guests, be they titled or not,
And cook’ry the first in the nation:
Who is proof to thy personal converse and wit,
Is proof to all other temptation.

[B] With a present of a dozen Porter
O had the malt thy strength of mind,
Or hops the flavour of thy wit;
'Twere drink for first of human kind,
A gift that e'en for Syme were fit.
Jerusalem Tavern, Dumfries