Robert Burns - Letters

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The Letters of Robert Burns

Robert Burns

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Letters of Robert Burns, by Robert Burns#3 in our series by Robert Burns

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Title4 The Letters of Robert Burns

5uthor4 Robert Burns

Release %ate4 +ebruary, 6778 9EBook #1:83;9(es, e are $ore than one year ahea" of sche"ule;9This file as first poste" on


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*'T. 5@ '@TRohn ur"och, school$aster, /taples 'nn Buil"ings, Lon"on

To his Cousin, r >a$es Burness, riter, ontrose

To r >a$es Burness, riter, ontrose


To Tho$as ohn Rich$on", la clerk, E"inburgh

To r >a$es /$ith, shopkeeper, auchline

To r Robert uir, ine $erchant, Ail$arnock

To r >ohn Ballantine, banker, 5yr

To r *hinnie, riter, 5yr

To >ohn 5rnot, EsJuire, of %alJuatsoo"


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To r %a!i" Brice, shoe$aker, Glasgo

To r >ohn Rich$on", E"inburgh

To r >ohn Rich$on"

To r >ohn Aenne"y

To his Cousin, r >a$es Burness, riter, ontrose

To rs /teart, of /tair

To r Robert 5ikin, riter, 5yr

To %r ackenKie, auchlineF inclosing hi$ !erses on "ining ith Lor"%aer

To rs %unlop, of %unlop

To iss 5le-an"er

'n the @a$e of the @ine D5$enD

To >a$es %alry$ple, EsJuire, ohn Ballantine, banker, at one ti$e Pro!ost of 5yr

To r Robert uir

To r *illia$ Cha$bers, riter, 5yr

To the Earl of Eglinton

To r >ohn Ballantine

To rs %unlop

To %r oore

To the Re! G Larie, @e$ilns, near Ail$arnock

To the Earl of Buchan

To r >a$es Can"lish, stu"ent in physic, Glasgo College

To r Peter /tuart, E"itor of &The /tar,& Lon"on

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop

To %r oore

To rs %unlop


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To r *illia$ @icol, classical $aster, .igh /chool, E"inburgh

To r *illia$ @icol

To r Robert 5inslie

To r >a$es /$ith, Linlithgo, for$erly of auchline

To r >ohn Rich$on"

To r Robert 5inslie

To %r oore

To r 5rchibal" Larie

To r Robert uir, Ail$arnock

To r Ga!in .a$ilton

To r *alker, Blair of 5thole

To his Brother, r Gilbert Burns, ossgiel

To r Patrick iller, %alsinton

To Re! >ohn /kinner

To iss argaret Chal$ers, .ar!ieston

To rs %unlop of %unlop .ouse, /tearton

To r >a$es .oy, Gor"on Castle

To the Earl of Glencairn

To iss Chal$ers

To iss Chal$ers

To iss Chal$ers

To r Richar" Bron, 'r!ine

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop

To the Re! >ohn /kinner

To rs Rose, of Ailra!ock

To Richar" Bron, Greenock

To r *illia$ Cruikshank

To r Robert 5inslie


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To r Richar" Bron

To r Robert uir

To rs %unlop

To r *illia$ @icol perhapsI

To iss Chal$ers

T.E CL5R'@%5 LETTER/

GE@ER5L Ca$es >ohnson, engra!er, E"inburgh

To r Robert 5inslie

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop, at r %unlops, .a""ington

To r Robert 5inslie

To r Robert 5inslie

To rs %unlop

To r Peter .ill, bookseller, E"inburgh

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop

To r Beugo, engra!er, E"inburgh

To r Robert Graha$, of +intry

To his *ife, at auchline

To iss Chal$ers, E"inburgh

To r orison, right, auchline

To rs %unlop, of %unlop


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To r Peter .ill

To the E"itor of the &/tar&

To rs %unlop, at oreha$ ains

To %r Blacklock

To rs %unlop

To r >ohn Tennant

To rs %unlop

To %r oore, Lon"on

To r Robert 5inslie

To Professor %ugal" /teart

To r Robert Cleghorn, /aughton ills

To Bishop Ge""es, E"inburgh

To r >a$es Burness

To rs %unlop

To, rs Lehose for$erly Clarin"aI

To %r oore

To his Brother, r *illia$ Burns

To r .ill, bookseller, E"inburgh

To rs ur"o, %ru$lanrig

To r Cunningha$

To r Richar" Bron

To r Robert 5inslie

To rs %unlop

To iss .elen aria *illia$s


To %a!i" /illar, $erchant, 'r!ine

To r >ohn Logan, of Anock /hinriock

To r Peter /tuart, e"itor, Lon"on

To his Brother, *illia$ Burns, sa""ler, @ecastleonTyne


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To rs %unlop

To Captain Ri""el, +riars Carse

To r Robert 5inslie, */

To r Richar" Bron, PortGlasgo

To r R Graha$, of +intry

To rs %unlop

To La"y *inifre" Constable

To r Charles A /harpe, of .o""a$

To his Brother, Gilbert Burns, ossgiel

To r *illia$ %unbar, */

To rs %unlop

To r Peter .ill, bookseller, E"inburgh

To r * @icol

To r Cunningha$, riter, E"inburgh

To r .ill, bookseller, E"inburgh

To rs %unlop

To %r >ohn oore, Lon"on

To r ur"och, teacher of +rench, Lon"on

To r Cunningha$

To r Craufor" Tait, */, E"inburgh

To rs %unlop

To r *illia$ %unbar, */

To r Peter .ill

To %r oore

To rs %unlop

To the Re! 5rch 5lison

To the Re! G .air"

To r Cunningharn, riter, E"inburgh

To rs %unlop

To r Cunningha$


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To r Tho$as /loan

To r 5inslie

To iss %a!ies

To rs %unlop

To r *illia$ /$ellie, printer

To r *illia$ @icol

To r +rancis Grose, +/5

To rs %unlop

To r Cunningha$

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop

To r R Graha$, +intry

To rs %unlop


To r 5le- Cunningha$, */, E"inbiugh

To r Cunningha$

To iss Benson, (ork, afterar"s rs Basil ontagu

To r >ohn +rancis Erskine, of ar

To iss ur"o, %ru$lanrig

To >ohn ur"o, EsJ, %ru$lanrig

To rs Ri""el

To rs Ri""el

To rs Ri""el

To rs Ri""el

To r Cunningha$

To rs %unlop

To r >a$es >ohnson

To r Peter .ill, >un, of %alsinton


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To rs Ri""el

To rs %unlop

To rs %unlop, in Lon"on

To the .on The Pro!ost, etc, of %a$fries

To rs %unlop

To r >a$es >ohnson

To r Cunningha$

To r Gilbert Burns

To rs Burns

To rs %unlop


To his +atherinla, >a$es 5r$our, $ason, auchline

T.E T.


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ha" been a broa"plo""ing son of "aybook an" le"ger& *here are theletters hich brought to the plough$an at Lochlie such a constant an"copious strea$ of repliesH The circu$stances of his position ille-plain hy they perishe"4 he as then &a youth an" all unknon tofa$e& 't is e!en "oubtful if the fi!e hun"re" an" forty publishe"letters inclu"e all the letters of Burns that no e-ist /carcely a yearpasses but so$e epistolary scrap in the ellknon han"riting is

unearthe" an" cere$oniously a""e" to the pre!ious su$ total, 5n" yet,notithstan"ing losses past or ithin recall, it is probable that eha!e long ha" the hole of Burnss $ost characteristic letters 't asine!itable that these shoul" be preser!e" an" publishe" .is fa$e as soroote" in the popular regar" in his lifeti$e, that a characteristicletter fro$ his han" as sure to be recei!e" as so$ething singularlyprecious 't $ust not be forgotten, hoe!er, that Burnss personalityas so intense as to colour the s$allest frag$ent of his correspon"ence,an" it is on this account "esirable that e!ery note he penne" that yetre$ains unpublishe" shoul" be pro"uce" 't $ight gi!e no ne feature toour conception of his characterF but it oul" help the sha"inghich,in the portraiture of any person, $ust chiefly be furnishe" by the $inor

an" $ore co$$onplace actions of his e!ery"ay life

The correspon"ence of Burns, as e ha!e it, co$$ences, presu$ably, nearthe close of his tentysecon" year, an" e-ten"s to all but e-actly the$i""le of his thirtyeighth The "ates are a "ay so$ehere at the en" of02:7, an" on"ay, 0:th >uly 0218 Beteen these li$its lies the printe"correspon"ence of si-teen years The su$ total of this correspon"enceallos about thirtyfour letters to each year, but the actual"istribution is !ery uneJual, ranging fro$ the $ini$u$, in 02:6, of one,a $asonic letter a""resse" to /ir >ohn *hitefoor" of Balloch$yle, to the$a-i$u$ nu$ber of ninetyto, in 02::, the great year of the Clarin"aepiso"e 't is in 02:8, the year of the publication of his first !olu$e

at Ail$arnock, the year of his literary birth, that his correspon"encefirst beco$es hea!y 't rises at a leap fro$ to letters in theprece"ing year to as $any as fortyfour The pheno$enal increase ispartly e-plaine" by the success of his poe$s .e beca$e a $an that asorth the knoing, hose correspon"ence as orth preser!ing The si-years of his publishe" correspon"ence pre!ious to the "isco!ery of hisgenius in 02:8 are represente" by only fourteen letters in all But inthose years his letters, though both nu$erous an" priKe" abo!e theco$$on, ere not consi"ere" as likely to be of future interest, an" eretherefore suffere" to li!e or "ie as chance $ight "eter$ine They $ostlyperishe", the recipients thinking it har"ly orth their hile to be saenice i Robin as to preser!e the$

5fter the recognition of his poer in 02:8, the recor" of his preser!e"letters shes, for the ten years of his literary life, se!eralfluctuations hich a"$it of easy e-planation Co$$encing ith 02:2, thenu$bers are42:, 16, =, 33, , 30, 88, 37, 62, 6 The first of theseyears as totally se!ere" fro$ rural occupations, or business of anykin", if e e-cept the publication of the first E"inburgh e"ition of hispoe$s 't as a co$plete holi"ay year to hi$ .e as either resi"ent inE"inburgh, stu"ying $en an" $anners, or touring about the country,!isiting those places hich history, song, or scenery ha" $a"e fa$ous*here!er he as, his fa$e brought hi$ the acJuaintance of a great $anyne people .is leisure an" the no!elty of his situation affor"e" hi$

both opportunity an" subject for an e-tensi!e correspon"ence +or alarge part of the ne-t year, 02::, he as si$ilarly circu$stance", an"the nu$ber of his letters as e-ceptionally increase" by hisentangle$ent ith rs Lehose To her alone, in less than three $onths


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of this year, he rote at least thirtysi- letters,consi"erably o!eronethir" of the entire epistolary pro"uce of the year 'n 02:1 e fin"the nu$ber of his letters fall to fiftyfour This as, perhaps, thehappiest year of his life .e as no co$fortably establishe" as afar$er in a ho$e of his on, busie" ith healthy rural ork, an" fin"ingin the happy firesi"e cli$e hich he as $aking for ife an" eans &thetrue pathos an" subli$e& of hu$an "uty .e has still, hoe!er, ti$e an"

inclination to rite on the a!erage one letter a eek +or each of thene-t three years the a!erage nu$ber is thirtysi- 'n 0213 the nu$bersu""enly goes up to si-tysi-4 the increase is "ue to the heartinessith hich he took up the sche$e of George Tho$son to popularise an"perpetuate the best ol" /cottish airs by fitting the$ ith or"s orthyof their $erits .e rote, in this year, tentysi- letters in supportof the sche$e

There is a sa" falling off in Burnss or"inary correspon"ence in thelast three years of his life The a$ount of it scarcely touches tentyletters per year E!en the correspon"ence ith Tho$son, though on asubject so "ear to the heart of Burns, rousing at once both his

patriotis$ an" his poetry, sinks to about ten letters per year, an" isirregular at that Burns as losing hope an" health, an" caring less an"less for the orl"s fa!our an" the orl"s frien"ships .e ha" lostlargely in selfrespect as ell as in the respect of frien"s The lossga!e hi$ little heart to rite

Burnss correspon"ents, as far as e kno the$, nu$bere" o!er a hun"re"an" fifty persons The nu$ber is large an" significant @either Gray,nor Coper, nor Byron co$$an"e" so i"e a circle They ha" not thefarreaching sy$pathies of Burns They ere all $ore or less fasti"iousin their choice of correspon"ents Burns, on the contrary, as ascatholic, or as careless, in his frien"ships as his on DCaesarDho

&*a" spen" an hour caressin E!n i a tinkler gipsys $essan&

.e $o!e" freely up an" "on the hole social scale, blin" to thei$aginary "istinctions of bloo" an" title an" the e-trinsic "ifferencesof ealth, seeing true superiority in an honest $anly heart, an" bearinghi$self here!er he foun" it as an eJual an" a brother .iscorrespon"ents ere of e!ery social gra"epeers an" peasantsF of e!eryintellectual attain$entphilosophers like %ugal" /teart, an" si$plesains like Tho$as ohn Rich$on", a plain laclerk ith a lo"gingin the Lan$arket, to the .onourable .enry Erskine, %ean of the +acultyFfar$ers, s$all an" largeF lair"s, large an" s$allF shoe$akers an"shopkeepersF $inisters, bankers, an" "octorsF printers, booksellers,e"itorsF knights, earlsnay, a "ukeF factors an" ine$erchantsF ar$yofficers, an" officers of E-cise .is fe$ale correspon"ents ere o$enof superior intelligence an" acco$plish$ents They can lay clai$ to alarge proportion of his letters rs cLehose takes fortyeightF rs%unlop, fortytoF aria Ri""ell, eighteenF Peggy Chal$ers, ele!enThese four la"ies recei!e" a$ong the$ rather $ore than onefourth of the

hole of his publishe" correspon"ence @o four of his $alecorrespon"ents can be accre"ite" ith so $any, e!en though GeorgeTho$son for his in"i!i"ual share clai$s fiftysi-


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't is rather re$arkable that so fe of the letters are a""resse" to hison relati!es .is cousin, >a$es Burness of ontrose, an" his onyounger brother *illia$ recei!e, in"ee", ten an" eight respecti!elyF butto his other brother Gilbert, ith ho$ he as on the $ost affectionatean" confi"ential ter$s, there fall but threeF to his ife only toF oneto his fatherF an" none to either his sisters or his $other 5 $aternaluncle, /a$uel Bron, is fa!oure" ith oneif, in"ee", the ol" $an as

not scan"alise" ith itan" there are to to >a$es 5r$our, $ason inauchline, his so$ehat stonyhearte" fatherinla

Burnss letters e-hibit Juite as $uch !ariety of $oo"sel"o$, ofcourse, so picturesJuely con!eye"as his poe$s .e is, in pro$iscuousalternation, refine", gross, senti$ental, serious, hu$orous, in"ignant,repentant, "ignifie", !ulgar, ten"er, $anly, sceptical, re!erential,rakish, pathetic, sy$pathetic, satirical, playful, pitiably selfabase",$ysteriously selfe-alte" .is letters are confessions an" re!elationsThey are as sincerely an" spontaneously autobiographical of his innerlife as the sacre" lyrics of %a!i" the .ebre They ere in"ite" ith as$uch free fearless aban"on$ent The a"!ice he ga!e to young 5n"re to

keep so$ething to hi$sel, not to be tol" e!en to a boso$ crony, as a$a-i$ of orl"ly pru"ence hich he hi$self "i" not practice .e "i" not&reck his on re"e& 5n", though that habit of unguar"e" e-pressionbrought upon hi$ the rath an" re!enge of the Philistines, an" kept hi$in $aterial po!erty all his "ays, yet, pro$pte" as it alays as bysincerity, an" nearly alays by absolute truth, it has $a"e the $anhoo"of to"ay richer, stronger, an" nobler The orl" to"ay has all the$ore the courage of its opinions that Burns e-ercise" as a right thefree"o$ of sincere an" enlightene" speechan" suffere" for his bra!ery

The subjects of his letters are nu$erous, an", to a pretty large e-tent,of $uch the sa$e sort as the subjects of his poe$s ust one year later this senti$ent as sent currentin the ellknon stanKa conclu"ing


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&But, %a!ie la", neer fash your hea" Though e hae little gearF *ere fit to in our "aily brea" 5s langs ere hale an fierF air speer na, nor fear naF 5ul" age neer $in" a fig,

The last ot, the arst ot, 's only for to beg&

5gain, in the letter last referre" to occurs the passage&' a$ a strictecono$ist, not in"ee" for the sake of the $oney, but one of theprincipal parts in $y co$position is a kin" of pri"e, an" ' scorn tofear the face of any $an li!ing 5bo!e e!erything ' abhor as hell thei"ea of sneaking into a corner to a!oi" a "un& This is $etricallyren"ere", in ay 02:8, in the folloing lines4

&To catch "a$e +ortunes gol"en s$ile, 5ssi"uous ait upon her,

5n" gather gear by e!ery ile Thats justifie" by honour4 @ot for to hi"e it in a he"ge, @or for a train atten"ant, But for the glorious pri!ilege


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or"er that, if possible, he $ay learn so$ething of the souls origin,"estiny, an" supre$est "uty But let us hear hi$self4

DaID &' ha!e e!er looke" on $ankin" in the lu$p to be nothing better than a foolish, hea"strong, cre"ulous, unthinking $obF an" their uni!ersal belief has e!er ha" e-tre$ely little eight ith $e ' a$ "ran by con!iction like a an, not by a halter like an 5ss&

DbID &D


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it !astly $ore gran", heroic, an" subli$e than the tingletangle of a jesharpF that the "elicate fle-ure of a rosetig, hen the halfblon floer is hea!y ith the tears of the "an, as infinitely $ore beautiful an" elegant than the upright stub of a bur"ockF an" that, fro$ so$ething innate an" in"epen"ent of all associations of i"easthese ' ha" set "on as irrefragable ortho"o- truths&9a;

DiID &


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present in all essential features in the letters *e ha!e in the latterthe sa$e !ie of life, present an" futureF the sa$e fierce content$entith honest po!ertyF the sa$e aggressi!e in"epen"ency of $anhoo"F thesa$e patriotis$, susceptibility to fe$ale lo!eliness, lo!e of sociality,un"aunte" likes an" "islikes The hu$our is the sa$e, though often tooelaborately e-presse"9"; 'n one i$portant respect, hoe!er, his lettersfail to reflect that i$age of hi$ hich his poetry presents 't is

re$arkable that his "escriptions of rural nature, an" one $ight a"" ofrustic life, so full an" plentiful in his !erse, are so fe an" slightin his letters .e see$s to ha!e reser!e" these "escriptions forhis !erse

The best, because the $ost genuine, biography of Burns is furnishe" byhis on ritings .is letters ill, if carefully stu"ie", "ispro!e $anyof the positions taken up so confi"ently by oul"be interpreters of hishistory 't is not the purpose of this "iscursi!e paper to take up the"etails of the Clarin"a episo"eF but philan"ering is scarcely the or"by hich to "escribe the $utual relations of the lo!ers 5s for rsLehose, the se!erest thing that can ith justice be sai" against her

is that, if she $aintaine" her !irtue, she en"angere" her reputationean 5r$our The letters oul" rather arrant the con!erse of hisstate$ent They go to pro!e that hile Burnss affections ere $ore thanoriental in their strength an" liberality, they ere especially centre"upon >ean .e felt &a $iserable blank in his heart ith ant of herF& &aroote" attach$ent for herF& &ha" no reason on her part to rue his$arriage ith herF& an" &ne!er sa here he coul" ha!e $a"e it better&'f Burns as ne!er really in lo!e, it is $ore than probable that thehole orl" has been $istaking so$e other passion for it 't is thissa$e riter ho in one breath speaks of Burns philan"ering ith

Clarin"a, an" yet "eclaring his attach$ent to her in the best songs hee!er rote 5nother error hich the letters shoul" correct is the beliefe-presse" in so$e Juarters that Burns as no longer capable of pro"ucingpoetry after his fatal resi"ence in E"inburgh 't as, as a $atter offact, subseJuent to his resi"ence in E"inburgh that he rote the poe$sfor hich he is no, an" for hich he ill be longest, fa$ousna$ely,his songs The riter alrea"y referre" to co$pares the co$position ofthese songs to the car!ing of cherrystones They ere, he says ineffect, the a$use$ent of a $an ho coul" "o nothing better inliterature The orl" has agree" that they are the best things Burns has"oneF an" rates hi$ for their sake in the highest rank of its poets Thetruth is that Burns ca$e to Ellislan" ith nu$erous sche$es of future

poetical ork, !igorous hopes of carrying so$e of the$, an" aninspiration an" faculty of utterance uni$paire" 't as in %u$friesshirethat he co$pose" the $ost ten"erly an" $elo"iously seraphic of hislyrics&To ary in .ea!en& an" &.ighlan" aryF& the $ost poerful an"popular of his narrati!e poe$s&Ta$


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letterriter /cott, hile alloing passages of great eloJuence, foun"in the letters &strong $arks of affectation, ith a tincture ofpe"antry& Taine thinks &Burns brought ri"icule on hi$self by i$itatingthe $en of the aca"e$y an" the court& Lockhart thought, ith *alker,that &he acco$$o"ate" his style to the tastes& of his correspon"ents5n" so on

't is orth hile to learn fro$ Burns hi$self hat he thought of histalent for proseco$position 5n" in the first place it is to be note"that he practise" proseco$position before he took to poetry 5t si-teenhe as carrying on an e-tensi!e literary correspon"ence, hich as!irtually a co$petition in essayriting .e kept copies of the lettershe like" best, an" as flattere" to fin" that he as superior to hiscorrespon"ents .e stu"ie" the essayists of Mueen 5nnes ti$e, an"for$e" his style upon theirs, an" that of their $ost "istinguishe"folloers /teele, 5""ison, /ift, /terne, an" ackenKie ere his$o"els .e like" their roun"e" sentences, an" caught their con!entionalphrases .e foun" "elight in i$itating the$ .e !olunteere" his ser!icesith the pen on behalf of his fellosains .e beca$e the &Co$plete

Letter*riter& of his parish, an" as prou" of his function an" hisfaculty .e as aare of his &abilities at a billet"ou-& To the !erylast he ha" a high opinion of hi$self as a riter of letters .e speaksof one letter being in his &!ery best $annerF& an" of aiting for anhour of inspiration to rite another that shoul" be as goo" .e retaine"copies of about thirty of his longer letters, an" ha" the$ boun" forpreser!ation

The $ost serious, al$ost the only charge brought against the prose styleof Burns is the charge of affectation $ore or less occasional 5ll theearlier critics $ake it or i$ply it, an" ith such an apparent sho ofproof that it has generally been belie!e" Later critics, hile unable

to "eny the feature of his style hich so looks like affectation, ha!ee-plaine" it to such goo" effect as to $ake it appear a beautyF theyha!e aske" us to regar" it as the happy result of a sy$pathetic $in"a"apting itself to the object of its a""ress This looks !ery likebla$ing Burnss correspon"ents for the ba"ness of his style There isso$e truth in the e-planation, putting it e!en so e-tre$ely But henthis alloance is $a"e, there still re$ains a i"e an" ell$arke""ifference beteen his use of English prose an" his $astery of /cottish!erse The latter is co$pleteit is the $astery of an originator ofstyle The for$er, on the other han", is the attain$ent of a cle!erpupil hen the senti$ent is co$$onplaceF hen it is "eep an" !ehe$ent,it is often, in the language of Carlyle, &the effort of a $an to e-press

so$ething hich he has no organ fit for e-pressing& Co$$on people, toho$ niceties of style are unknon, an" ho rea" pri$arily ore-clusi!ely for the sake of the $atter, percei!e nothing of thisaffectation, an" think scarcely less highly of Burnss letters than they"o of his poetry

> L


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9+ootnote c4 %r .ately *a""ell;

9+ootnote "4 /ee, for e-a$ple, the DCheeseD Letter to Peter .ill, or theD/nailshornsD Letter to rs %unlop;

9+ootnote e4 r R L /te!enson;

GE@ER5L Cohn 5"a$, EsJuire, Greenock, an" the letter as first publishe" in 0:2: 'f it is a genuine lo!eletter, an" not a $ere e-ercise in lo!eletter riting, it as probably the first of the short series to 5lison Begbie, ho is suppose" to ha!e been the "aughter of a s$all far$er, an" ho has been i"entifie" ith the ary orison of the ellknon lyric The senti$ent of the last paragraph of the letter agrees ith the senti$ent of the last stanKa of the song;

) ) ) ) )

''To ELL'/


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( %E5R E,' "o not re$e$ber, in the course of your acJuaintance an"$ine, e!er to ha!e hear" your opinion on the or"inary ay of falling inlo!e, a$ongst people in our station in lifeF ' "o not $ean the personsho procee" in the ay of bargain, but those hose affection is reallyplace" on the person

Though ' be, as you kno !ery ell, but a !ery akar" lo!er $yself,

yet, as ' ha!e so$e opportunities of obser!ing the con"uct of others hoare $uch better skille" in the affair of courtship than ' a$, ' oftenthink it is oing to lucky chance, $ore than to goo" $anage$ent, thatthere are not $ore unhappy $arriages than usually are

't is natural for a young fello to like the acJuaintance of thefe$ales, an" custo$ary for hi$ to keep the$ co$pany hen occasionser!esF so$e one of the$ is $ore agreeable to hi$ than the restF thereis so$ething, he knos not hat, pleases hi$, he knos not ho, in herco$pany This ' take to be hat is calle" lo!e ith the greater part ofusF an" ' $ust on, $y "ear E, it is a har" ga$e such a one as you ha!eto play hen you $eet ith such a lo!er (ou cannot refuse but he is

sincere, an" yet though you use hi$ e!er so fa!ourably, perhaps in a fe$onths, or at farthest in a year or to, the sa$e unaccountable fancy$ay $ake hi$ as "istracte"ly fon" of another, hilst you are Juiteforgot ' a$ aare that perhaps the ne-t ti$e ' ha!e the pleasure ofseeing you, you $ay bi" $e take $y on lesson ho$e, an" tell $e that thepassion ' ha!e professe" for you is perhaps one of those transientflashes ' ha!e been "escribingF but ' hope, $y "ear E, you ill "o $ethe justice to belie!e $e, hen ' assure you that the lo!e ' ha!e foryou is foun"e" on the sacre" principles of !irtue an" honour, an" byconseJuence so long as you continue possesse" of those a$iable Jualitieshich first inspire" $y passion for you, so long $ust ' continue to lo!eyou Belie!e $e, $y "ear, it is lo!e like this alone hich can ren"er

the $arriage state happy People $ay talk of fla$es an" raptures as longas they please, an" a ar$ fancy, ith a flo of youthful spirits, $ay$ake the$ feel so$ething like hat they "escribeF but sure ' a$ thenobler faculties of the $in" ith kin"re" feelings of the heart can onlybe the foun"ation of frien"ship, an" it has alays been $y opinion thatthe $arrie" life as only frien"ship in a $ore e-alte" "egree

'f you ill be so goo" as to grant $y ishes, an" it shoul" pleasePro!i"ence to spare us to the latest perio"s of life, ' can look forar"an" see that, e!en then, though bent "on ith rinkle" agee!en then,hen all other orl"ly circu$stances ill be in"ifferent to $e, ' illregar" $y E ith the ten"erest affection, an" for this plain reason,

because she is still possesse" of those noble Jualities, i$pro!e" to a$uch higher "egree, hich first inspire" $y affection for her


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) ) ) ) )

'''T< ELL'/


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a one, in such circu$stances, ' can assure you, $y "ear, fro$ $y onfeelings at this present $o$ent, courtship is a task in"ee" There issuch a nu$ber of forebo"ing fears an" "istrustful an-ieties cro" into$y $in" hen ' a$ in your co$pany, or hen ' sit "on to rite to you,that hat to speak or hat to rite, ' a$ altogether at a loss

There is one rule hich ' ha!e hitherto practise", an" hich ' shall

in!ariably keep ith you, an" that is, honestly to tell you the plaintruth There is so$ething so $ean an" un$anly in the arts of"issi$ulation an" falsehoo", that ' a$ surprise" they can be use" by anyone in so noble, so generous a passion as !irtuous lo!e @o, $y "ear E,' shall ne!er en"ea!our to gain your fa!our by such "etestablepractices 'f you ill be so goo" an" so generous as to a"$it $e foryour partner, your co$panion, your boso$ frien" through life, there isnothing on this si"e of eternity shall gi!e $e greater transportF but 'shall ne!er think of purchasing your han" by any arts unorthy of a $an,an", ' ill a"", of a Christian There is one thing, $y "ear, hich 'earnestly reJuest of you, an" it is this4 that you oul" soon either putan en" to $y hopes by a pere$ptory refusal, or cure $e of $y fears by a

generous consent

't oul" oblige $e $uch if you oul" sen" $e a line or to hencon!enient ' shall only a"", further, that if beha!iour, regulate"though perhaps but !ery i$perfectlyI by the rules of honour an" !irtue,if a heart "e!ote" to lo!e an" estee$ you, an" an earnest en"ea!our topro$ote your happinessF if these are Jualities you oul" ish in afrien", in a husban", ' hope you shall e!er fin" the$ in your realfrien" an" sincere lo!er

) ) ) ) )

To ELL'/


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loss of hat ' really ha" no right to e-pect ' $ust no think no $oreof you as a $istressF still ' presu$e to ask to be a"$itte" as a frien"5s such ' ish to be alloe" to ait on you, an" as ' e-pect to re$o!ein a fe "ays a little further off, an" you, ' suppose, ill soon lea!ethis place, ' ish to see or hear fro$ you soonF an" if an e-pressionshoul" perhaps escape $e, rather too ar$ for frien"ship, ' hope youill par"on it in, $y "ear iss, par"on $e the "ear e-pression for

onceI R B

) ) ) ) )

'T< .'/ +5T.ER

'R'@E, D%ece$ber 62,D 02:0

.


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hi$ "ay an" night in his te$pleF an" he that sitteth on the throne shall "ell a$ong the$

They shall hunger no $ore, neither thirst any $oreF neither shall the sun light on the$, nor any heat

+or the La$b, hich is in the $i"st of the throne, shall fee" the$,

an" shall lea" the$ unto li!ing fountains of atersF an" Go" shall ipe aay all tears fro$ their eyes&;

) ) ) ) )

''To /'R >a$ess Lo"ge,Tarbolton, an" one of us in the office of ar"en, an" as e ha!e thehonour of ha!ing you for $aster of our lo"ge e hope you ill e-cusethis free"o$, as you are the proper person to ho$ e ought to apply *elook on our ason Lo"ge to be a serious $atter, both ith respect to the

character of $asonry itself, an" likeise as it is a charitable societyThis last, in"ee", "oes not interest you further than a bene!olent heartis intereste" in the elfare of its fellocreaturesF but to us, sir,ho are of the loer or"er of $ankin", to ha!e a fun" in !ie on hiche $ay ith certainty "epen" to be kept fro$ ant, shoul" e be incircu$stances of "istress, or ol" agethis is a $atter of highi$portance

*e are sorry to obser!e that our lo"ges affairs ith respect to itsfinances ha!e for a goo" hile been in a retche" situation *e ha!econsi"erable su$s in bills hich lie by ithout being pai", or put ine-ecution, an" $any of our $e$bers ne!er $in" their yearly "ues, or

anything else belonging to the lo"ge 5n" since the separation9; fro$/t %a!i"s e are not sure e!en of our e-istence as a lo"ge There hasbeen a "ispute before the Gran" Lo"ge, but ho "eci"e", or if "eci"e" atall, e kno not

+or these an" other reasons e hu$bly beg the fa!our of you, as soon ascon!enient, to call a $eeting, an" let us consi"er on so$e $eans toretrie!e our retche" affairs*e are, etc

9+ootnote 34 The / of the foregoing joint letter in Burnss han"riting belongs to >ohn 5"a$, EsJuire, Greenock, an" the letter as first publishe" in 0:2: Burns as first a"$itte" in /t %a!i"s

TarboltonI Lo"ge in >uly, 02:0 5t the separation preferre" to he beca$e a $e$ber of the ne lo"ge, /t >a$ess, of hich, to years afterar"s, he as "epute$aster;

9+ootnote 4 't as in >une, 02:6;

) ) ) ) )

'''To R >


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forgotten, or e!er ill forget, the $any obligations ' lie un"er to yourkin"ness an" frien"ship

' "o not "oubt, /ir, but you ill ish to kno hat has been the resultof all the pains of an in"ulgent father, an" a $asterly teacherF an" 'ish ' coul" gratify your curiosity ith such a recital as you oul" beplease" ithFbut that is hat ' a$ afrai" ill not be the case '

ha!e, in"ee", kept pretty clear of !icious habitsF an" in this respect,' hope, $y con"uct ill not "isgrace the e"ucation ' ha!e gottenF but asa $an of the orl", ' a$ $ost $iserably "eficient


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&The last ot, the arst ot, 's only for to beg& D+irst Epistle to %a!ieD;

9+ootnote 84 &+or the glorious pri!ilege


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y $other sen"s you a s$all present of a cheeseF tis but a !ery littleone, as our last years stock is sol" offF but if you coul" fi- on anycorrespon"ent in E"inburgh or Glasgo, e oul" sen" you a proper one inthe season rs Black pro$ises to take the cheese un"er her care sofar, an" then to sen" it to you by the /tirling carrier

' shall conclu"e this long letter ith assuring you that ' shall be !eryhappy to hear fro$ you, or any of our frien"s in your country, henopportunity ser!es

y father sen"s you, probably for the last ti$e in this orl", hisar$est ishes for your elfare an" happinessF an" $y $other an" therest of the fa$ily "esire to inclose their kin" co$pli$ents to you, rsBurness, an" the rest of your fa$ily, along ith those of, "ear /ir,your affectionate cousin,

9+ootnote 84 The riters uncle;

) ) ) ) )

NTo R >5E/ B?R@E//, *R'TER,


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fa!our of >ohn Cair"s98a; co$pany for nearly to eeks, an" ' $ust sayit of hi$ that he is one of the $ost agreeable, facetious, ar$hearte"la"s ' as e!er acJuainte" ith

*e ha!e been surprise" ith one of the $ost e-traor"inary pheno$ena inthe $oral orl", hich, ' "are say, has happene" in the course of thishalf century *e ha!e ha" a party of Presbytery relief, as they call

the$sel!es, for so$e ti$e in this country 5 pretty thri!ing society ofthe$ has been in the burgh of 'r!ine for so$e years past, till about toyears ago a rs Buchan fro$ Glasgo ca$e a$ong the$, an" began tosprea" so$e fanatical notions of religion a$ong the$, an" in a shortti$e $a"e $any con!ertsF an" a$ong others their preacher, r *hyte,ho, upon that account, has been suspen"e" an" for$ally "epose" by hisbrethren .e continue", hoe!er, to preach in pri!ate to his party, an"as supporte", both he, an" their spiritual $other, as they affect tocall ol" Buchan, by the contributions of the rest, se!eral of ho$ erein goo" circu$stancesF till, in spring last, the populace rose an"$obbe" rs Buchan, an" put her out of the tonF on hich all herfolloers !oluntarily Juitte" the place likeise, an" ith such

precipitation that $any of the$ ne!er shut their "oors behin" the$F oneleft a ashing on the green, another a co belloing at the crib ithoutfoo" or anybo"y to $in" her, an" after se!eral stages they are fi-e" atpresent in the neighbourhoo" of %u$fries Their tenets are a strangeju$ble of enthusiastic jargonF a$ong others, she preten"s to gi!e the$the .oly Ghost by breathing on the$, hich she "oes ith postures an"practices that are scan"alously in"ecentF they ha!e likeise "ispose" ofall their effects, an" hol" a co$$unity of goo"s, an" li!e nearly ani"le life, carrying on a great farce of preten"e" "e!otion in barns an"oo"s, here they lo"ge an" lie all together, an" hol" likeise aco$$unity of o$en, as it is another of their tenets that they canco$$it no $oral sin ' a$ personally acJuainte" ith $ost of the$, an" '

can assure you the abo!e $entione" are facts

This, $y "ear /ir, is one of the $any instances of the folly of lea!ingthe gui"ance of soun" reason an" co$$on sense in $atters of religion

*hene!er e neglect or "espise these sacre" $onitors, the hi$sicalnotions of a perturbate" brain are taken for the i$$e"iate influences ofthe %eity, an" the il"est fanaticis$, an" the $ost inconsistentabsur"ities, ill $eet ith abetters an" con!erts @ay, ' ha!e oftenthought, that the $ore outoftheay an" ri"iculous the fancies are, ifonce they are sanctifie" un"er the sacre" na$e of religion, the unhappy$istaken !otaries are the $ore fir$ly glue" to the$

' e-pect to hear fro$ you soon, an" ' beg you ill re$e$ber $e to allfrien"s, an" belie!e $e to be, $y "ear /ir, your affectionate cousin,

Rohn Cair", junior, as the father oul" be o!er si-ty if he as about his ifes age, an" she, Elspat Burnes, as born, e kno, in 026=;

) ) ) ) )

N''T< T.


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%E5R T.


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902:=;

( %E5R C


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9+ootnote 074 Three $onths before this letter as ritten Rich$on" as a clerk in the office of r Ga!in .a$ilton, riter, auchline;

9+ootnote 004 +ergussons DPoe$sD;

9+ootnote 00a4 Aeeper of a haber"ashery store in auchline;

) ) ) ) )

N'T< R >5E/ /'T.906;, /.ean 5r$our, "aughter of >a$es 5r$our, $ason, auchline @otithstan"ing the blustering threatfor hich /$ith as probably $ore than half responsibleBurns as afterar"s content to &on bonny >ean conjugally&;

) ) ) )

N''T< R R


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na$es ere cut out of the paper, $y heart "ie" ithin $e, an" he cut $y!eins ith the nes Per"ition seiKe her falsehoo" R


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i"oe" as he is of e!ery o$angi!ing co$fort, he is utterly incapableof /a" an" grie!ous of late, /ir, has been $y tribulation, an" $any an"piercing $y sorrosF an", ha" it not been for the loss the orl" oul"ha!e sustaine" in losing so great a poet, ' ha" ere no "one as a $uchiser $an, the fa$ous 5chitophel of longhea"e" $e$ory, "i" before $e,hen he &ent ho$e an" set his house in or"er& ' ha!e lost, /ir, that"earest earthly treasure, that greatest blessing here belo, that last,

best gift hich co$plete" 5"a$s happiness in the gar"en of blissF 'ha!e lost, ' ha!e lost$y tre$bling han" refuses its office, thefrighte" ink recoils up the Juill,' ha!e lost a, a, a ife

+airest of Go"s creation, last an" best, @o art thou lost

(ou ha!e "oubtless, /ir, hear" $y story, hear" it ith all itse-aggerationsF but as $y actions, an" $y $oti!es for action, arepeculiarly like $yself an" that is peculiarly like nobo"y else, ' shalljust beg a leisure $o$ent an" a spare tear of you until ' tell $y onstory $y on ay

' ha!e been all $y life, /ir, one of the ruefullooking, long!isage"sons of "isappoint$ent 5 "a$ne" star has alays kept $y Kenith, an"she" its hateful influence in the e$phatic curse of the prophet&5n"behol" hatsoe!er he "oth, it shall not prosper& ' rarely hit here 'ai$, an" if ' ant anything, ' a$ al$ost sure ne!er to fin" it here 'seek it +or instance, if $y penknife is nee"e", ' pull out tentythingsa ploughe"ge, a horse nail, an ol" letter, or a tattere"rhy$e, in short, e!erything but $y penknifeF an" that, at last, after apainful, fruitless search, ill be foun" in the unsuspecte" corner of anunsuspecte" pocket, as if on purpose thrust out of the ay /till, /ir,' long ha" a ishing eye to that inesti$able blessing, a ife

5 young fello, after a fe i"le co$$onplace stories fro$ agentle$an in black no one "urst say black as his eyeF hile ' only anting that cere$ony, a$ $a"e a /un"ays laughingstock, an"abuse" like a pickpocket ' as ell aare, though, that if $yillstarre" fortune got the least hint of $y connubial ish, $y sche$eoul" go to nothing To pre!ent this ' "eter$ine" to take $y $easuresith such thought an" forethought, such cautions an" precautions, thatall the $alignant planets in the he$isphere shoul" be unable to blight$y "esigns .ea!en an" Earth $ust ' re$e$berH $y "a$ne" starheele" about to the Kenith, by hose baleful rays +ortune took thealar$90=a; 'n short, Pharaoh at the Re" /ea, %arius at 5rbela,

Po$pey at Pharsalia, E"ar" at Bannockburn, Charles at Pultoay,Burgoyne at /aratogano prince, potentate, or co$$an"er of ancient or$o"ern unfortunate $e$ory e!er got a $ore sha$eful or $ore total "efeat.o ' bore this can only be concei!e" 5ll poers of recital labour far,far behin" There is a pretty large portion of Be"la$ in the co$positionof a poet at any ti$eF but on this occasion ' as nine parts an" ninetenths, out of ten, stark staring $a" 5t first ' as fi-e" instuporific insensibility, silent, sullen, staring like Lots ifebesaltifie" in the plains of Go$orrha But $y secon" paro-ys$ chieflybeggars "escription The rifte" northern ocean, hen returning suns"issol!e the chains of inter, an" loosening precipices oflongaccu$ulate" ice te$pest ith hi"eous crash the foa$ing

"eep,i$ages like these $ay gi!e so$e faint sha"o of hat as thesituation of $y boso$ y chaine" faculties broke looseF $y $a""eningpassions, rouse" to tenfol" fury, bore o!er their banks ith i$petuous,resistless force, carrying e!ery check an" principle before the$


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Counsel as an unhee"e" call to the passing hurricaneF Reason ascrea$ing elk in the !orte- of alstro$F an" Religion afeeblystruggling bea!er "on the roarings of @iagara ' reprobate" thefirst $o$ent of $y e-istenceF e-ecrate" 5"a$s follyinfatuate" ish forthat goo"lylooking but poisonbreathing gift hich ha" ruine" hi$ an"un"one $eF an" calle" on the o$b of uncreate" night to close o!er $ean" all $y sorros

5 stor$ naturally o!erblos itself y spent passions gra"ually sunkinto a luri" cal$F an" by "egrees ' ha!e subsi"e" into the ti$esettle"sorro of the sablei"oer, ho, iping aay the "ecent tear, lifts uphis grieforn eye to lookfor another ife

/uch is the state of $anF to"ay he bu"s .is ten"er lea!es of hopeF to$orro blosso$s 5n" bears his blushing honours thick upon hi$F The thir" "ay co$es a frost, a killing frost, 5n" nips his root, an" then he falls as ' "o90=;

/uch, /ir, has been the fatal era of $y life 5n" it ca$e to pass thathen ' looke" for seet, behol" bitterF an" for light, behol" "arkness

But this is not all4 alrea"y the holy beagles begin to snuff the scent,an" ' e-pect e!ery $o$ent to see the$ cast off, an" hear the$ after $ein full cryF but as ' a$ an ol" fo-, ' shall gi!e the$ "o"ging an""oubling for it, an" by an" by ' inten" to earth a$ong the $ountainsof >a$aica

' a$ so struck, on a re!ie, ith the i$pertinent length of this letter,that ' shall not increase it ith one single or" of apology, butabruptly conclu"e ith assuring you that ' a$, /ir, yours an" $iserys

$ost hu$ble ser!ant

RuneD 06DthD, 02:8

%E5R BR'CE,' recei!e" your $essage by G Paterson, an" as ' a$ not!ery DthrongD at present, ' just rite to let you kno that there issuch a orthless, rhy$ing reprobate as your hu$ble ser!ant still in thelan" of the li!ing, though ' can scarcely say in the place of hope 'ha!e no nes to tell you that ill gi!e $e any pleasure to $ention, oryou to hear

Poor, illa"!ise", ungrateful 5r$our ca$e ho$e on +ri"ay last (ou ha!ehear" all the particulars of that affair, an" a black affair it is *hatshe thinks of her con"uct no ' "ont knoF one thing ' "o knoshe has


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$a"e $e co$pletely $iserable @e!er $an lo!e", or rather a"ore" a o$an$ore than ' "i" herF an", to confess a truth beteen you an" $e, ' "ostill lo!e her to "istraction after all, though ' ont tell her so if 'ere to see her, hich ' "ont ant to "o y poor "ear unfortunate>ean ho happy ha!e ' been in thy ar$s 't is not the losing her that$akes $e so unhappy, but for her sake ' feel $ost se!erely4 ' foreseeshe is in the roa" to, ' a$ afrai", eternal ruin

ay 5l$ighty Go" forgi!e her ingratitu"e an" perjury to $e, as ' fro$ $y!ery soul forgi!e herF an" $ay .is grace be ith her an" bless her inall her future life ' can ha!e no nearer i"ea of the place of eternalpunish$ent than hat ' ha!e felt in $y on breast on her account ' ha!etrie" often to forget herF ' ha!e run into all kin"s of "issipation an"riots, $ason$eetings, "rinking$atches, an" other $ischief, to "ri!eher out of $y hea", but all in !ain 5n" no for a gran" cureF the shipis on her ay ho$e that is to take $e out to >a$aicaF an" then,fareell, "ear ol" /cotlan" an" fareell, "ear ungrateful >ean forne!er, ne!er ill ' see you $ore

(ou ill ha!e hear" that ' a$ going to co$$ence poet in printF an"to$orro $y ork goes to the press ' e-pect it ill be a !olu$e ofabout to hun"re" pagesit is just the last foolish action ' inten" to"o, an" then turn a ise $an as fast as possibleBelie!e $e to be,"ear Brice, your frien" an" ellisher R B

) ) ) )

NN''To R >ean sho that penitence that$ight ha!e been e-pecte" .oe!er, the priest,90=a; ' a$ infor$e", illgi!e $e a certificate as a single $an, if ' co$ply ith the rules of thechurch, hich for that !ery reason ' inten" to "o908;

' a$ going to put on sackcloth an" ashes this "ay ' a$ in"ulge" so faras to appear in $y on seat DPecca!i, pater, $iserere $eiD y bookill be rea"y in a fortnight 'f you ha!e any subscribers, return the$by Connell The Lor" stan" ith the righteousF a$en, a$en R B

9+ootnote 0=a4 Re! r 5ul"%a""ie 5ul";

9+ootnote 084 This accor"ingly he "i";


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) ) ) )

NN'''To R >


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re$e$berthe reception ' got hen ' ha" the honour of aiting on you at/tair ' a$ little acJuainte" ith politeness, but ' kno a goo" "eal ofbene!olence of te$per an" goo"ness of heart /urely "i" those in e-alte"stations kno ho happy they coul" $ake so$e classes of their inferiorsby con"escension an" affability, they oul" ne!er stan" so high,$easuring out ith e!ery look the height of their ele!ation, butcon"escen" as seetly as "i" rs /teart of /tair R B

9+ootnote 014 rs /teart, of /tair, as the first person of note to "isco!er in the 5yrshire plough$an a genius of the first or"er;

9+ootnote 674 The Bonnie Lass of Balloch$yle;

) ) ) )

NN''T< R R


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then, ho shoul" ', in the presence of that tre$en"ous Being, the 5uthorof e-istence, ho shoul" ' $eet the reproaches of those ho stan" to $ein the "ear relation of chil"ren, ho$ ' "eserte" in the s$ilinginnocency of helpless infancyH


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your !ery hu$ble ser!ant, R B

9+ootnote 604 %ugal" /teart, Professor of oral Philosophy in the ?ni!ersity of E"inburgh;

) ) ) )

NN'NT< R/ %?@L


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The scenery as nearly taken fro$ real life, though ' "are say, a"a$,you "o not recollect it, as ' belie!e you scarcely notice" the poeticDre!eurD as he an"ere" by you ' ha" ro!e" out as chance "irecte", inthe fa!ourite haunts of $y $use, on the banks of the 5yr, to !ie naturein all the gaiety of the !ernal year The e!ening sun as fla$ing o!erthe "istant estern hillsF not a breath stirre" the cri$son opening

blosso$, or the !er"antsprea"ing leaf 't as a gol"en $o$ent for apoetic heart ' listene" to the feathere" arblers, pouring theirhar$ony on e!ery han", ith a congenial kin"re" regar", an" freJuentlyturne" out of $y path, lest ' shoul" "isturb their little songs, orfrighten the$ to another station /urely, sai" ' to $yself, he $ust be aretch in"ee", ho, regar"less of your har$onious en"ea!our to pleasehi$, can eye your elusi!e flights to "isco!er your secret recesses, an"to rob you of all the property nature gi!es youyour "earest co$forts,your helpless nestlings E!en the hoary hathorn tig that shot acrossthe ay, hat heart at such a ti$e but $ust ha!e been intereste" in itselfare, an" ishe" it preser!e" fro$ the ru"elybrosing cattle, or theithering eastern blastH /uch as the scene, an" such the hour, hen, in

a corner of $y prospect, ' spie" one of the fairest pieces of naturesork$anship that e!er crone" a poetic lan"scape, or $et a poets eye,those !isionary bar"s e-cepte", ho hol" co$$erce ith aerial beings.a" Calu$ny an" illainy taken $y alk, they ha" at that $o$ent sorneternal peace ith such an object

*hat an hour of inspiration for a poet 't oul" ha!e raise" plain "ullhistoric prose into $etaphor an" $easure

The inclose" song as the ork of $y returnF an" perhaps it but poorlyansers hat $ight ha!e been e-pecte" fro$ such a scene' ha!e thehonour to be, a"a$, your $ost obe"ient an" !ery hu$ble ser!ant,

R B

P/*ell, r Burns, an" D"i"D the la"y gi!e you the "esire"per$issionH @oF she as too fine a la"y to DnoticeD so plain aco$pli$ent 5s to her great brothers, ho$ ' ha!e since $et in life on$ore eJual ter$s966; of respectabilityhy shoul" ' Juarrel ith theirant of attention to $eH *hen fate sore that their purses shoul" befull, nature as eJually positi!e that their hea"s shoul" be e$pty enof their fashion ere surely incapable of being unpoliteH (e canna $ak asilkpurse o a sos lug

R B, 0216

9+ootnote 664 5s %epute aster of /t >a$ess Lo"ge, Burns a"$itte" Clau"e 5le-an"er, EsJ, of Balloch$yle, an honorary $e$ber, in >uly 02:1;

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of confoun"ing right an" rong

R'G.T TR?/T(,Be it knon unto you, That hereas in the course of ourcare an" atchings o!er the or"er an" police of all an" sun"ry the$anufacturers, retainers, an" !en"ors of poesyF bar"s, poets,poetasters, rhy$ers, jinglers, songsters, balla"singers, etc, etc,etc, etc, $ale an" fe$ale*e ha!e "isco!ere" a certain nefarious,

abo$inable, an" icke" song or balla", a copy hereof e ha!e hereinclose"F 5E/ %5LR(PLE, E/M, ob, ofafflictionbearing $e$ory, hen they sat "on ith hi$ se!en "ays an"se!en nights, an" spake not a or"

' a$ naturally of a superstitious cast, an" as soon as $y on"erscare"i$agination regaine" its consciousness, an" resu$e" its functions, 'cast about hat this $ania of yours $ight porten" y forebo"ing i"easha" the i"e stretch of possibilityF an" se!eral e!ents, great in their$agnitu"e, an" i$portant in their conseJuences, occurre" to $y fancyThe "onfall of the concla!e, or the crushing of the Cork ru$psF a "ucalcoronet to Lor" George Gor"on, an" the protestant interestF or /tPeters keys to

(ou ant to kno ho ' co$e on ' a$ just in Dstatu JuoD, or, not toinsult a gentle$an ith $y Latin, in &aul" use an" ont& The noble Earlof Glencairn took $e by the han" to"ay, an" intereste" hi$self in $y

concerns, ith a goo"ness like that bene!olent Being hose i$age he sorichly bears .e is a stronger proof of the i$$ortality of the soul thanany that philosophy e!er pro"uce" 5 $in" like his can ne!er "ie Letthe orshipful sJuire . L, or the re!eren" ass > go into their


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pri$iti!e nothing 5t best, they are but ill"igeste" lu$ps of chaos,only one of the$ strongly tinge" ith bitu$inous particles an"sulphureous efflu!ia But $y noble patron, eternal as the heroic sellof $agnani$ity, an" the generous throb of bene!olence, shall look onith princely eye at &the ar of ele$ents, the reck of $atter, an" thecrash of orl"s& R B

) ) ) )

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) ) ) )

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guinea ' ha!e been intro"uce" to a goo" $any of the DnoblesseD, but $ya!oe" patrons an" patrones es are, the %uchess of Gor"onthe Countessof Glencairn, ith $y Lor" an" La"y Betty962;the %ean of +aculty/ir>ohn *hitefoor" ' ha!e likeise ar$ frien"s a$ong the literatiFProfessors /teart, Blair, an" r ackenKiethe an of +eeling 5nunknon han" left ten guineas for the 5yrshire bar" ith r /ibbal",hich ' got ' since ha!e "isco!ere" $y generous unknon frien" to be

Patrick iller, EsJ, brother to the >ustice ClerkF an" "rank a glass ofclaret ith hi$, by in!itation, at his on house yesternight ' a$nearly agree" ith Creech to print $y book, an" ' suppose ' ill beginon on"ay ' ill sen" a subscription bill or to, ne-t postF hen 'inten" riting $y first kin" patron, r 5ikin ' sa his son to"ay,an" he is !ery ell

%ugal" /teart, an" so$e of $y learne" frien"s, put $e in the perio"icalpaper calle" the DLoungerD,96:; a copy of hich ' here enclose you 'as, /ir, hen ' as first honoure" ith your notice, too obscureF no 'tre$ble lest ' shoul" be ruine" by being "ragge" too su""enly into theglare of polite an" learne" obser!ation

' shall certainly, $y e!er honoure" patron, rite you an account of $ye!ery stepF an" better health an" $ore spirits $ay enable $e to $ake itso$ething better than this stupi" $atteroffact epistle' ha!e thehonour to be, goo" /ir, your e!er grateful hu$ble ser!ant, R B

'f any of $y frien"s rite $e, $y "irection is care of r Creech,Bookseller

9+ootnote 684 5 $istake for &a fortnight&;

9+ootnote 624 Cunningha$;

9+ootnote 6:4 The paper here allu"e" to as ritten by ackenKie, the celebrate" author of DThe an of +eelingD;

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( %E5R +R'E@%,' confess ' ha!e sinne" the sin for hich there ishar"ly any forgi!enessingratitu"e to frien"ship, in not riting yousoonerF but of all $en li!ing, ' ha" inten"e" to ha!e sent you anentertaining letterF an" by all the plo""ing, stupi" poers, that inno""ing conceite" $ajesty presi"e o!er the "ull routine of businessahea!ilysole$n oath this' a$ an" ha!e been, e!er since ' ca$e to

E"inburgh, as unfit to rite a letter of hu$our, as to rite aco$$entary on the Re!elation of /t >ohn the %i!ine, ho as banishe" tothe 'sle of Pat$os by the cruel an" bloo"y %o$itian, son to espasianan" brother to Titus, both e$perors of Ro$e, an" ho as hi$self ane$peror, an" raise" the secon" or thir" persecution, ' forget hich,against the Christians, an" after throing the sai" apostle >ohn,brother to the apostle >a$es, co$$only calle" >a$es the Greater, to"istinguish hi$ fro$ another >a$es, ho as on so$e account or otherknon by the na$e of >a$es the Lessafter throing hi$ into a caul"ronof boiling oil fro$ hich he as $iraculously preser!e", he banishe" thepoor son of ebe"ee to a "esert islan" in the 5rchipelago here he asgifte" ith the secon" sight, an" sa as $any il" beasts as ' ha!e seen

since ' ca$e to E"inburghF hich, a circu$stance not unco$$on instorytelling, brings $e back to here ' set out

To $ake you so$e a$en"s for hat, before you reach this paragraph, youill ha!e suffere", ' enclose you to poe$s ' ha!e car"e" an" spun since' passe" Glenbuck


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) ) ) )

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( .


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9+ootnote 614 rs Carfrae, Ba-ters Close, Lan$arket, E"inburgh, accor"ing to >ohn Rich$on", la clerk;

) ) ) )

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an" $o"esty ' ha!e stu"ie" $yself, an" kno hat groun" ' occupyF an"hoe!er a frien" or the orl" $ay "iffer fro$ $e in that particular, 'stan" for $y on opinion, in silent resol!e, ith all the tenaciousnessof property ' $ention this to you once for all to "isburthen $y $in",an" ' "o not ish to hear or say $ore about it But

*hen prou" fortunes ebbing ti"e rece"es,

you ill bear $e itness, that hen $y bubble of fa$e as at the highest' stoo" uninto-icate", ith the inebriating cup in $y han", lookingforar" ith rueful resol!e to the hastening ti$e, hen the blo ofCalu$ny shoul" "ash it to the groun", ith all the eagerness of!engeful triu$ph

(our patronising $e an" interesting yourself in $y fa$e an" character asa poet, ' rejoice inF it e-alts $e in $y on i"eaF an" hether you canor cannot ai" $e in $y subscription is a trifle .as a paltrysubscriptionbill any char$s to the heart of a bar", co$pare" ith thepatronage of the "escen"ant of the i$$ortal *allaceH R B

9+ootnote 374 /tanKa in the &ision,& beginning, &By stately toer or palace fair,& an" en"ing ith the first %uan;

) ) ) )

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NL''To T.E RE G L5*R'E, @E*'L@/, @E5R A'L5R@


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They best can gi!e it ho "eser!e it $ost

(our lor"ship touches the "arling chor" of $y heart, hen you a"!ise $eto fire $y $use at /cottish story an" /cottish scenes ' ish fornothing $ore than to $ake a leisurely pilgri$age through $y nati!ecountryF to sit an" $use on those once har"conten"e" fiel"s, hereCale"onia, rejoicing, sa her bloo"y lion borne through broken ranks to

!ictory an" fa$eF an", catching the inspiration, to pour the "eathlessna$es in song But, $y lor", in the $i"st of these enthusiasticre!eries, a long!isage", "ry $orallooking phanto$ stri"es across $yi$agination, an" pronounces these e$phatic or"s4

&', *is"o$, "ell ith Pru"ence +rien", ' "o not co$e to open the illclose" oun"s of your follies an" $isfortunes, $erely to gi!e you pain4 ' ish through these oun"s to i$print a lasting lesson on your heart ' ill not $ention ho $any of $y salutary a"!ices you ha!e "espise"4 ' ha!e gi!en you line upon line an" precept upon preceptF an" hile ' as chalking out to you the straight ay to ealth an" character, ith au"acious effrontery you ha!e KigKagge" across the

path, conte$ning $e to $y faceF you kno the conseJuences 't is not yet three $onths since ho$e as so hot for you, that you ere on the ing for the estern shore of the 5tlantic, not to $ake a fortune, but to hi"e your $isfortune

&@o that your "earlo!e" /cotia puts it in your poer to return to the situation of your forefathers, ill you follo these illoisp $eteors of fancy an" hi$, till they bring you once $ore to the brink of ruinH ' grant that the ut$ost groun" you can occupy is but half a step fro$ the !eriest po!ertyF but still it is half a step fro$ it 'f all that ' can urge be ineffectual, let her ho sel"o$ calls to you in !ain, let the call of pri"e pre!ail ith you (ou kno ho you

feel at the iron gripe of ruthless oppression4 you kno ho you bear the galling sneer of contu$elious greatness ' hol" you out the con!eniences, the co$forts of life, in"epen"ence an" character, on the one han"F ' ten"er you ser!ility, "epen"ence, an" retche"ness on the other ' ill not insult your un"erstan"ing by bi""ing you $ake a choice&

This, $y lor", is unanserable ' $ust return to $y hu$ble station, an"oo $y rustic $use in $y onte" ay at the ploughtail /till, $y lor",hile the "rops of life ar$ $y heart, gratitu"e to that "earlo!e"country in hich ' boast $y birth, an" gratitu"e to those her"istinguishe" sons, ho ha!e honoure" $e so $uch ith their patronage

an" approbation, shall, hile stealing through $y hu$ble sha"es, e!er"isten" $y boso$, an" at ti$es, as no, "ra forth the selling tear

R B

9+ootnote 364 The Earl of Buchan as the !ery pink of parsi$onious patrons


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rite to you, that ' a$ so "rone" in the into!irarion of goo" fortuneas to be in"ifferent to ol", an" once "ear connections The truth is, 'as "eter$ine" to rite a goo" letter, full of argu$ent, a$plification,eru"ition, an", as Bayes says, Dall thatD ' thought of it, an" thoughtof it, an", by $y soul, ' coul" notF an", lest you shoul" $istake thecause of $y silence, ' just sit "on to tell you so %ont gi!e yourselfcre"it, though, that the strength of your logic scares $eF the truth is,

' ne!er $ean to $eet you on that groun" at all (ou ha!e shon $e onething hich as to be "e$onstrate"4 that strong pri"e of reasoning, itha little affectation of singularity, $ay $islea" the best of hearts 'likeise, since you an" ' ere first acJuainte", in the pri"e of"espising ol" o$ens stories, !enture" in &the "aring path /pinosatro"F& but e-perience of the eakness, not the strength of hu$an poers,$a"e $e gla" to grasp at re!eale" religion

' a$ still, in the 5postle Pauls phrase, &the ol" $an ith his "ee"s,&as hen e ere sporting about the &La"y Thorn& ' shall be four eekshere yet at least4 an" so ' shall e-pect to hear fro$ youF elco$esense, elco$e nonsense' a$, ith the ar$est sincerity, R B

9+ootnote 334 r Can"lish $arrie" iss /$ith, one of the si- DbellesD of auchline Their son as the Re! %r Can"lish, of +ree /t Georges Church, E"inburgh;

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$y shocks, ' shall cast a leisure glance to that "ear, that only featureof $y character, hich ga!e $e the notice of $y country, an" thepatronage of a *allace

Thus, honoure" a"a$, ' ha!e gi!en you the bar", his situation, an" his!ies, nati!e as they are in his on boso$ R B

9+ootnote 34 The procee"s a$ounte" to $oreso$e L=77 or so;

) ) ) )

NL''T< R/ %?@Lohnson an" the pauses of /terne $ay hi"e a selfish heart+or $y part, a"a$, ' trust ' ha!e too $uch pri"e for ser!ility, an" toolittle pru"ence for selfishness ' ha!e this $o$ent broken open your

letter, but

Ru"e a$ ' in speech, 5n" therefore little can ' grace $y cause 'n speaking for $yself

so ' shall not trouble you ith any fine speeches an" hunte" figures 'shall just lay $y han" on $y heart an" say, ' hope ' shall e!er ha!e thetruest, the ar$est sense of your goo"ness

' co$e abroa", in print, for certain on *e"nes"ay (our or"ers ' shallpunctually atten" toF only, by the ay, ' $ust tell you that ' as pai"

before for %r oores an" iss *illia$ss copies, through the $e"iu$ ofCo$$issioner Cochrane in this place, but that e can settle hen ' ha!ethe honour of aiting on you

%r /$ith93=; as just gone to Lon"on the $orning before ' recei!e" yourletter to hi$ R B

9+ootnote 3=4 5"a$ /$ith, the celebrate" author of DThe *ealth of @ationsD;

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an" frien"ships here, but ' a$ afrai" they are all of too ten"er aconstruction to bear carriage a hun"re" an" fifty $iles To the rich,the great, the fashionable, the polite, ' ha!e no eJui!alent to offerFan" ' a$ afrai" $y $eteor appearance ill by no $eans entitle $e to asettle" correspon"ence ith any of you, ho are the per$anent lights ofgenius an" literature

y $ost respectful co$pli$ents to iss *illia$s 'f once this tangentflight of $ine ere o!er, an" ' ere returne" to $y onte" leisurely$otion in $y ol" circle, ' $ay probably en"ea!our to return her poeticco$pli$ent in kin" R B

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soupl", she beets to, beets to, an" aye the hin"$ost hour the tightest' coul" ager her price to a thretty pennies, that for ta or threeooks ri"in at fifty $iles a "ay, the "eilstickit a fi!e gallopersacJueesh Cly"e an" *hithorn coul" cast saut on her tail

' hae "an"er" ore a the kintra frae %unbar to /elcraig, an" haeforgather" i $ony a gui" fallo, an" $ony a eelfar" hiKKie ' $et

i ta "ink Juines in particlar, ane o the$ a sonsie, fine, fo"gellass, baith bra an" bonnieF the tither as a cleanshankit, straught,tight, eelfar" inch, as blythes a linthite on a floerie thorn,an" as seet an" $o"ests a ne blan plu$rose in a haKle sha Theyere baith bre" to $ainers by the beuk, an" onie ane o the$ ha" as$uckle s$e""u$ an" ru$blegu$tion as the half o so$e presbyteries thatyou an" ' baith ken

) ) ) ) )

' as gaun to rite ye a lang pystle, but, Gu"e forgie $e, ' gat $yselsae notouriously fou the "ay after kailti$e that ' can har"ly stoiter

but an" ben

y best respecks to the gui"ife an" a our co$$on friens, especiall ran" rs Cruikshank, an" the honest gui"$an o >ocks Lo"ge932;

'll be in %u$fries the $orn gif the beast be to the fore, an" thebranks bi"e hale

Gu"e be i you, *illie 5$en

R B

9+ootnote 324 Louis Cau!in, teacher of +rench;

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but the stateliness of the patricians in E"inburgh, an" the ser!ility of$y plebeian brethren ho, perhaps, for$erly eye" $e askanceI since 'returne" ho$e, ha!e nearly put $e out of conceit altogether ith $yspecies ' ha!e bought a pocket ilton hich ' carry perpetually aboutith $e, in or"er to stu"y the senti$entsthe "auntless $agnani$ity,the intrepi", unyiel"ing in"epen"ence, the "esperate "aring, an" noble"efiance of har"ship in that great personage, /5T5@ Tis true, ' ha!e

just no a little cashF but ' a$ afrai" the star that hitherto has she"its $alignant, purposeblasting rays full in $y KenithF that no-iousplanet, so baneful in its influence to the rhy$ing tribe' $uch "rea"it is not yet beneath $y horiKon isfortune "o"ges the path of hu$anlifeF the poetic $in" fin"s itself $iserably "erange" in, an" unfit forthe alks of businessF a"" to all, that thoughtless follies an"harebraine" hi$s, like so $any Dignes fatuiD, eternally "i!erging fro$the right line of sober "iscretion, sparkle ith stepbeitching blaKein the i"lygaKing eyes of the poor hee"less Bar", till, pop, &he fallslike Lucifer, ne!er to hope again& Go" grant this $ay be an unrealpicture ith respect to $e but shoul" it not, ' ha!e !ery little"epen"ence on $ankin" ' ill close $y letter ith this tribute $y heart

bi"s $e pay youthe $any ties of acJuaintance an" frien"ship hich 'ha!e, or think ' ha!e in life, ' ha!e felt along the lines, an" "a$nthe$, they are al$ost all of the$ of such frail conte-ture, that ' a$sure they oul" not stan" the breath of the least a"!erse breeKe offortuneF but fro$ you, $y e!er "ear /ir, ' look ith confi"ence for the5postolic lo!e that shall ait on $e &through goo" report an" ba"report&the lo!e hich /olo$on e$phatically says &is strong as "eath&y co$pli$ents to rs @icol an" all the circle of our co$$on frien"s

P/' shall be in E"inburgh about the latter en" of >uly

R B

) ) ) ) )

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the "ear lasses left us, e range" roun" the bol till the goo"fellohour of si-F e-cept a fe $inutes that e ent out to pay our "e!otionsto the glorious la$p of "ay peering o!er the toering top of Benlo$on"*e all kneele"F our orthy lan"lor"s son hel" the bolF each $an a fullglass in his han"F an" ', as priest, repeate" so$e rhy$ing nonsense,like Tho$asaRhy$ers prophecies, ' suppose 5fter a s$all refresh$entof the gifts of /o$nus, e procee"e" to spen" the "ay on Lochlo$on", an"

reache" %u$barton in the e!ening *e "ine" at another goo" felloshouse, an", conseJuently, pushe" the bottleF hen e ent out to $ountour horses e foun" oursel!es &@o !era fou but gaylie yet& y tofrien"s an" ' ro"e soberly "on the Loch si"e, till by ca$e a.ighlan"$an at the gallop, on a tolerably goo" horse, but hich ha"ne!er knon the orna$ents of iron or leather *e scorne" to beoutgallope" by a .ighlan"$an, so off e starte", hip an" spur yco$panions, though see$ingly gaily $ounte", fell sa"ly asternF but $yol" $are, >enny Ge""es, one of the Rosinante fa$ily, she straine" pastthe .ighlan"$an in spite of all his efforts ith the hair halter4 justas ' as passing hi$, %onal" heele" his horse, as if to cross before $eto $ar $y progress, hen "on ca$e his horse, an" thre his ri"ers

breekless a in a clipt he"geF an" "on ca$e >enny Ge""es o!er all, an"$y har"ship beteen her an" the .ighlan"$ans horse >enny Ge""es tro"eo!er $e ith such cautious re!erence, that $atters ere not so ba" as$ight ell ha!e been e-pecte"F so ' ca$e off ith a fe cuts an"bruises, an" a thorough resolution to be a pattern of sobriety forthe future

' ha!e yet fi-e" on nothing ith respect to the serious business oflife ' a$, just as usual, a rhy$ing, $ason$aking, raking, ai$less,i"le fello .oe!er, ' shall so$ehere ha!e a far$ soon ' as going tosay, a ife tooF but that $ust ne!er be $y blesse" lot ' a$ but ayounger son of the house of Parnassus, an" like other younger sons of

great fa$ilies, ' $ay intrigue, if ' choose to run all risks, but $ustnot $arry

' a$ afrai" ' ha!e al$ost ruine" one source, the principal one in"ee",of $y for$er happinessF that eternal propensity ' alays ha" to fall inlo!e y heart no $ore glos ith fe!erish rapture ' ha!e nopara"isiacal e!ening inter!ies, stolen fro$ the restless cares an"prying inhabitants of this eary orl" ' ha!e only This last isone of your "istant acJuaintances, has a fine figure, an" elegant$annersF an" in the train of so$e great folks ho$ you kno, has seenthe politest Juarters in Europe ' "o like her a "ealF but hat piJues$e is her con"uct at the co$$ence$ent of our acJuaintance ' freJuently

!isite" her hen ' as in , an" after passing regularly theinter$e"iate "egrees beteen the "istant for$al bo an" the fa$iliargrasp roun" the aist, ' !enture", in $y careless ay, to talk offrien"ship in rather a$biguous ter$sF an" after her return to , 'rote to her in the sa$e style iss, construing $y or"s farther, 'suppose, than e!en ' inten"e", fle off in a tangent of fe$ale "ignityan" reser!e, like a $ounting lark in an 5pril $orningF an" rote $e ananser hich $easure" $e out !ery co$pletely hat an i$$ense ay ' ha"to tra!el before ' coul" reach the cli$ate of her fa!our But ' a$ anol" hak at the sport, an" rote her such a cool, "eliberate, pru"entreply, as brought $y bir" fro$ her aerial toerings, pop "on at $yfoot, like Corporal Tri$s hat

5s for the rest of $y acts, an" $y ars, an" all $y ise sayings, an"hy $y $are as calle" >enny Ge""es, they shall be recor"e" in a feeeks hence at Linlithgo, in the chronicles of your $e$ory, by


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R B

9+ootnote 314 /cotch tunes;

) ) ) ) )

L'To R >ulyD 02:2

( %E5R R'C.ulyD 02:2

( %E5R 5'@/L'E,There is one thing for hich ' set great store by youas a frien", an" it is this, that ' ha!e not a frien" upon earth,besi"es yourself, to ho$ ' can talk nonsense ithout forfeiting so$e"egree of his estee$ @o, to one like $e, ho ne!er cares for speaking

anything else but nonsense, such a frien" as you is an in!aluabletreasure ' as ne!er a rogue, but ha!e been a fool all $y lifeF an", inspite of all $y en"ea!ours, ' see no plainly that ' shall ne!er beise @o it rejoices $y heart to ha!e $et ith such a fello as you,


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ho, though you are not just such a hopeless fool as ', yet ' trust youill ne!er listen so $uch to te$ptation as to gro so !ery ise that youill in the least "isrespect an honest fello because he is a fool 'nshort, ' ha!e set you "on as the staff of $y ol" age, hen the holelist of $y frien"s ill, after a "ecent share of pity, ha!e forgot $e

Though in the $orn co$es sturt an" strife,

(et joy $ay co$e at noonF 5n" ' hope to li!e a $erry, $erry life *hen a thir "ays are "one

*rite $e soon, ere it but a fe lines, just to tell $e ho that goo",sagacious $an your father is,that kin", "ainty bo"y your $other,that strapping chiel your brother %ouglasan" $y frien" Rachel, ho isas far before Rachel of ol", as she as before her bleareye"sister Leah

R B

) ) ) )

L'To %R


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little pretensions to is"o$ ' ha!e $et ith fe ho un"erstoo" $en,their $anners, an" their ays, eJual to hi$F but stubborn, ungainlyintegrity, an" hea"long, ungo!ernable irascibility are "isJualifyingcircu$stancesF conseJuently, ' as born a !ery poor $ans son +or thefirst si- or se!en years of $y life, $y father as gar"ener to a orthygentle$an of s$all estate in the neighbourhoo" of 5yr .a" he continue"in that station, ' $ust ha!e $arche" off to be one of the little

un"erlings about a far$ houseF but it as his "earest ish an" prayer toha!e it in his poer to keep his chil"ren un"er his on eye, till theycoul" "iscern beteen goo" an" e!ilF so, ith the assistance of hisgenerous $aster, $y father !enture" on a s$all far$ on his estate 5tthose years, ' as by no $eans a fa!ourite ith anybo"y ' as a goo""eal note" for a retenti!e $e$ory, a stubborn stur"y so$ething in $y"isposition, an" an enthusiastic i"iot piety ' say i"iot piety, because' as then but a chil" Though it cost the school$aster so$e thrashings,' $a"e an e-cellent English scholarF an" by the ti$e ' as ten or ele!enyears of age, ' as a critic in substanti!es, !erbs, an" particles 'n$y infant an" boyish "ays, too, ' oe" $uch to an ol" o$an ho resi"e"in the fa$ily, re$arkable for her ignorance, cre"ulity, an"

superstition /he ha", ' suppose, the largest collection in the countryof tales an" songs concerning "e!ils, ghosts, fairies, bronies,itches, arlocks, spunkies, kelpies, elfcan"les, "ea"lights, raiths,apparitions, cantraips, giants, enchante" toers, "ragons, an" othertru$pery This culti!ate" the latent see"s of poetry, but ha" so strongan effect on $y i$agination, that to this hour, in $y nocturnal ra$bles,' so$eti$es keep a sharp look out in suspicious placesF an" thoughnobo"y can be $ore sceptical than ' a$ in such $atters, yet it oftentakes an effort of philosophy to shake off these i"le terrors Theearliest co$position that ' recollect taking pleasure in as &The isionof irKa,& an" a hy$n of 5""isons, beginning, &.o are thy ser!antsblest, < Lor"& ' particularly re$e$ber one halfstanKa hich as $usic

to $y boyish ear

&+or though on "rea"ful hirls e hung .igh on the broken a!e&

' $et ith these pieces in ansons English Collection, one of $yschoolbooks The first to books ' e!er rea" in pri!ate, an" hich ga!e$e $ore pleasure than any to books ' e!er rea" since, ere the DLife of.annibalD, an" the D.istory of /ir *illia$ *allaceD .annibal ga!e $yyoung i"eas such a turn, that ' use" to strut in rapture up an" "onafter the recruiting "ru$ an" bagpipe, an" ish $yself tall enough tobe a sol"ierF hile the story of *allace poure" a /cottish preju"ice

into $y !eins hich ill boil along there, till the floo"gates of lifeshut in eternal rest

Pole$ical "i!inity about this ti$e as putting the country half $a", an"', a$bitious of shining in con!ersation parties on /un"ays, beteenser$ons, at funerals, etc, use" a fe years afterar"s to puKKleCal!inis$ ith so $uch heat an" in"iscretion, that ' raise" a hue an"cry of heresy against $e, hich has not cease" to this hour

y !icinity to 5yr as of so$e a"!antage to $e y social "isposition,hen not checke" by so$e $o"ifications of spirite" pri"e, as like ourcatechis$ "efinition of infinitu"e, ithout boun"s or li$its ' for$e"

se!eral connections ith other younkers, ho possesse" superiora"!antagesF the youngling actors ho ere busy in the rehearsal ofparts, in hich they ere shortly to appear on the stage of life, here,alas ' as "estine" to "ru"ge behin" the scenes 't is not co$$only at


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this green stage that our young gentry ha!e a just sense of the i$$ense"istance beteen the$ an" their ragge" playfellos 't takes a fe"ashes into the orl", to gi!e the young great $an that proper, "ecent,unnoticing "isregar" for the poor, insignificant, stupi" "e!ils, the$echanics an" peasantry aroun" hi$, ho ere, perhaps, born in the sa$e!illage y young superiors ne!er insulte" the clouterly appearance of$y ploughboy carcase, the to e-tre$es of hich ere often e-pose" to

all the incle$encies of all the seasons They oul" gi!e $e stray!olu$es of booksF a$ong the$, e!en then, ' coul" pick up so$eobser!ationsF an" one, hose heart, ' a$ sure, not e!en the &unnyBegu$& scenes ha!e tainte", helpe" $e to a little +rench Parting iththese $y young frien"s an" benefactors, as they occasionally ent offfor the East or *est 'n"ies, as often to $e a sore afflictionF but 'as soon calle" to $ore serious e!ils y fathers generous $aster "ie"Fthe far$ pro!e" a ruinous bargainF an" to clench the $isfortune, e fellinto the han"s of a factor, ho sat for the picture ' ha!e "ran of onein $y tale of &Ta %ogs& y father as a"!ance" in life hen he$arrie"F ' as the el"est of se!en chil"ren, an" he, orn out by earlyhar"ships, as unfit for labour y fathers spirit as soon irritate",

but not easily broken There as a free"o$ in his lease in to years$ore, an" to eather these to years, e retrenche" our e-penses *eli!e" !ery poorly4 ' as a "e-terous plough$an for $y ageF an" the ne-tel"est to $e as a brother GilbertI, ho coul" "ri!e a plough !eryell, an" help $e to thrash the corn 5 no!elriter $ight, perhaps,ha!e !iee" these scenes ith so$e satisfaction, but so "i" not 'F $yin"ignation yet boils at the recollection of the scoun"rel factorsinsolent threatening letters, hich use" to set us all in tears

This kin" of lifethe cheerless gloo$ of a her$it ith the unceasing$oil of a galleysla!e, brought $e to $y si-teenth yearF a little beforehich perio" ' first co$$itte" the sin of rhy$e (ou kno our country

custo$ of coupling a $an an" o$an together as partners in the laboursof har!est 'n $y fifteenth autu$n, $y partner as a beitchingcreature, a year younger than $yself y scarcity of English "enies $ethe poer of "oing her justice in that language, but you kno the/cottish i"io$4 she as a &bonnie, seet, sonsie lass& 'n short, she,altogether unittingly to herself, initiate" $e in that "eliciouspassion, hich, in spite of aci" "isappoint$ent, ginhorse pru"ence, an"bookor$ philosophy, ' hol" to be the first of hu$an joys, our "earestblessing here belo .o she caught the contagion ' cannot tellF you$e"ical people talk $uch of infection fro$ breathing the sa$e air, thetouch, etcF but ' ne!er e-pressly sai" ' lo!e" her 'n"ee", ' "i" notkno $yself hy ' like" so $uch to loiter behin" ith her, hen

returning in the e!ening fro$ our laboursF hy the tones of her !oice$a"e $y heartstrings thrill like an 5eolian harpF an" particularly hy$y pulse beat such a furious ratan, hen ' looke" an" fingere" o!er herlittle han" to pick out the cruel nettlestings an" thistles 5$ong herother lo!einspiring Jualities, she sung seetlyF an" it as herfa!ourite reel to hich ' atte$pte" gi!ing an e$bo"ie" !ehicle in rhy$e' as not so presu$ptuous as to i$agine that ' coul" $ake !erses likeprinte" ones, co$pose" by $en ho ha" Greek an" LatinF but $y girl sunga song hich as sai" to be co$pose" by a s$all country lair"s son, onone of his fathers $ai"s, ith ho$ he as in lo!eF an" ' sa no reasonhy ' $ight not rhy$e as ell as heF for, e-cepting that he coul" s$earsheep, an" cast peats, his father li!ing in the $oorlan"s, he ha" no

$ore scholarcraft than $yself

Thus ith $e began lo!e an" poetryF hich at ti$es ha!e been $y only,an" till ithin the last tel!e $onths, ha!e been $y highest enjoy$ent


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y father struggle" on till he reache" the free"o$ in his lease, hen heentere" on a larger far$, about ten $iles farther in the country Thenature of the bargain he $a"e as such as to thro a little rea"y $oneyinto his han"s at the co$$ence$ent of his lease, otherise the affairoul" ha!e been i$practicable +or four years e li!e" co$fortably here,but a "ifference co$$encing beteen hi$ an" his lan"lor" as to ter$s,after three years tossing an" hirling in the !orte- of litigation, $y

father as just sa!e" fro$ the horrors of a jail, by a consu$ption,hich, after to years pro$ises, kin"ly steppe" in, an" carrie" hi$aay, to here the icke" cease fro$ troubling, an" here the earyare at rest

't is "uring the ti$e that e li!e" on this far$ that $y little story is$ost e!entful ' as, at the beginning of this perio", perhaps the $ostungainly akar" boy in the parishno DsolitaireD as less acJuainte"ith the ays of the orl" *hat ' kne of ancient story as gathere"fro$ /al$ons an" Guthries Geographical Gra$$arsF an" the i"eas ' ha"for$e" of $o"ern $anners, of literature, an" criticis$, ' got fro$ theD/pectatorD These, ith Popes *orks, so$e Plays of /hakespeare, Tull

an" %ickson on 5griculture, DThe PantheonD, Lockes DEssay on the .u$an?n"erstan"ingD, /tackhouses D.istory of the BibleD, >ustices DBritishGar"eners %irectoryD, Boyles DLecturesD, 5llan Ra$sayss *orks,Taylors D/cripture %octrine of


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tin"er, an" as eternally lighte" up by so$e go""ess or otherF an", asin e!ery other arfare in this orl", $y fortune as !ariousF so$eti$es' as recei!e" ith fa!our, an" so$eti$es ' as $ortifie" ith arepulse 5t the plough, scythe, or reaphook, ' feare" no co$petitor,an" thus ' set absolute ant at "efianceF an" as ' ne!er care" furtherfor $y labours than hile ' as in actual e-ercise, ' spent the e!eningsin the ay after $y on heart 5 country la" sel"o$ carries on a lo!e

a"!enture ithout an assisting confi"ant ' possesse" a curiosity, Keal,an" intrepi" "e-terity that reco$$en"e" $e as a proper secon" on theseoccasionsF an" ' "are say ' felt as $uch pleasure in being in the secretof half the lo!es of the parish of Tarbolton, as e!er "i" states$an inknoing the intrigues of half the courts of Europe The !erygoosefeather in $y han" see$s to kno instincti!ely the ellorn pathof $y i$agination, the fa!ourite the$e of $y song, an" is ith"ifficulty restraine" fro$ gi!ing you a couple of paragraphs on thelo!ea"!entures of $y co$peers, the hu$ble in$ates of the far$house an"cottageF but the gra!e sons of science, a$bition, or a!arice, baptisethese things by the na$e of follies To the sons an" "aughters of labouran" po!erty they are $atters of the $ost serious nature4 to the$ the

ar"ent hope, the stolen inter!ie, the ten"er fareell, are the greatestan" $ost "elicious parts of their enjoy$ents

5nother circu$stance in $y life hich $a"e so$e alteration in $y $in"an" $anners, as, that ' spent $y nineteenth su$$er on a s$ugglingcoast, a goo" "istance fro$ ho$e, at a note" school, to learn$ensuration, sur!eying, "ialling, etc, in hich ' $a"e a pretty goo"progress But ' $a"e a greater progress in the knole"ge of $ankin" Thecontraban" tra"e as at that ti$e !ery successful, an" it so$eti$eshappene" to $e to fall in ith those ho carrie" it on /cenes ofsaggering riot an" roaring "issipation ere, till this ti$e, ne to $e4but ' as no ene$y to social life .ere, though ' learne" to fill $y

glass, an" to $i- ithout fear in a "runken sJuabble, yet ' ent on itha high han" ith $y geo$etry, till the sun entere" irgo, a $onth hichis alays a carni!al in $y boso$, hen a char$ing fillette, ho li!e"ne-t "oor to the school, o!erset $y trigono$etry, an" set $e off at atangent fro$ the spheres of $y stu"ies ', hoe!er, struggle" on ith $ysines an" cosines for a fe "ays $oreF but stepping into the gar"en onechar$ing noon, to take the suns altitu"e, there ' $et $y angel,

Like Proserpine gathering floers, .erself a fairer floer

't as in !ain to think of "oing any $ore goo" at school

The re$aining eek ' stai" ' "i" nothing but craKe the faculties of $ysoul about her, or steal out to $eet herF an" the to last nights of $ystay in the country, ha" sleep been a $ortal sin, the i$age of this$o"est an" innocent girl ha" kept $e guiltless

' returne" ho$e !ery consi"erably i$pro!e" y rea"ing as enlarge" iththe !ery i$portant e"ition of Tho$sons an" /henstones *orksF ' ha"seen hu$an nature in a ne phasisF an" ' engage" se!eral of $yschoolfellos to keep up a literary correspon"ence ith $e Thisi$pro!e" $e in co$position ' ha" $et ith a collection of letters bythe its of Mueen 5nnes reign, an" ' pore" o!er the$ $ost "e!outly '

kept copies of any of $y on letters that please" $e, an" a co$parisonbeteen the$ an" the co$position of $ost of $y correspon"ents flattere"$y !anity ' carrie" this hi$ so far, that though ' ha" notthreefarthings orth of business in the orl", yet al$ost e!ery post


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brought $e as $any letters as if ' ha" been a broa" plo""ing son of"aybook an" le"ger

y life floe" on $uch in the sa$e course till $y tentythir" yearDi!e la$our, et !i!e la bagatelleD, ere $y sole principles of actionThe a""ition of to $ore authors to $y library ga!e $e great pleasureF/terne an" ackenKieDTristra$ /han"yD an" the Dan of +eelingD ere $y

boso$ fa!ourites Poesy as still a "arling alk for $y $in", but it asonly in"ulge" in accor"ing to the hu$our of the hour ' ha" usuallyhalfa"oKen or $ore pieces on han"4 ' took up one or other, as itsuite" the $o$entary tone of the $in", an" "is$isse" the ork as itbor"ere" on fatigue y passions, hen once lighte" up, rage" like so$any "e!ils, till they got !ent in rhy$eF an" then the conning o!er $y!erses, like a spell, soothe" all into Juiet @one of the rhy$es ofthose "ays are in print, e-cept &*inter, a %irge,& the el"est of $yprinte" piecesF &The %eath of Poor aillie,& &>ohn Barleycorn,& an"songs first, secon", an" thir" /ong secon" as the ebullition of thatpassion hich en"e" the fore$entione" school business

y tentythir" year as to $e an i$portant era Partly through hi$,an" partly that ' ishe" to set about "oing so$ething in life, ' joine"a fla-"resser in a neighbouring ton 'r!ineI, to learn his tra"e Thisas an unlucky affair y partner as a scoun"rel of the first aterFan" to finish the hole, as e ere gi!ing a elco$e carousal to the @e(ear, the shop took fire an" burnt to ashes, an" ' as left, like a truepoet, not orth a si-pence

' as oblige" to gi!e up this sche$eF the clou"s of $isfortune eregathering thick roun" $y fathers hea"F an", hat as orst of all, heas !isibly far gone in a consu$ptionF an", to cron $y "istresses, aDbelle filleD, ho$ ' a"ore", an" ho ha" ple"ge" her soul to $eet $e in

the fiel" of $atri$ony, jilte" $e, ith peculiar circu$stances of$ortification The finishing e!il that brought up the rear of thisinfernal file, as $y constitutional $elancholy being increase" to sucha "egree that for three $onths ' as in a state of $in" scarcely to been!ie" by the hopeless retches ho ha!e got their $itti$us&%epartfro$ $e, ye curse"&

+ro$ this a"!enture ' learne" so$ething of a ton lifeF but theprincipal thing hich ga!e $y $in" a turn as a frien"ship ' for$e" itha young fello, a !ery noble character, but a hapless son of$isfortune97; .e as the son of a si$ple $echanicF but a great $an inthe neighbourhoo" taking hi$ un"er his patronage, ga!e hi$ a genteel

e"ucation, ith a !ie of bettering his situation in life The patron"ying just as he as rea"y to launch out into the orl", the poorfello, in "espair, ent to seaF here, after a !ariety of goo" an" illfortune, a little before ' as acJuainte" ith hi$ he ha" been sent onshore by an 5$erican pri!ateer, on the il" coast of Connaught, strippe"of e!erything ' cannot Juit this poor fellos story ithout a""ing,that he is at this ti$e $aster of a large *est'n"ia$an belonging tothe Tha$es

.is $in" as fraught ith in"epen"ence, $agnani$ity, an" e!ery $anly!irtue ' lo!e" an" a"$ire" hi$ to a "egree of enthusias$, an" of coursestro!e to i$itate hi$

'n so$e $easure ' succee"e"F ' ha" pri"e before, but he taught it toflo in proper channels .is knole"ge of the orl" as !astly superiorto $ine, an" ' as all attention to learn .e as the only $an ' e!er

Documents

Robert Burns - Letters