page line of a much-valued and much-honoured friend of mine, Mr. Graham, of Fintry. I wrote, on the blank side of the title-page, the following address to the young lady.' In strains divine and sacred numbers join'd. As modest want the secret tale reveals. While virtue, conscious, all the strain endears. 246 I Gilbert Burns doubted whether the Poem on Pastoral Poetry was written by his brother. Few readers, we fancy, can have any doubt on the matter. Burns is, unquestionably, the author. The whole poem is full of lines which are 'like autographs, and the four closing stanzas are in the poet's best manner. 248 With reference to these verses Burns, in 1795, wrote Mr. Thomson- -'Written on the blank leaf of a copy of the last edition of my poems, presented to the lady whom, in so many fictitious reveries of passion, but with the most ardent sentiments of real friendship, I have so often sung under the name of Chloris.' The lady was Miss Jean Lorimer, daughter of a farmer residing at some little distance from Dumfries. Chloris was the most unfortunate of all Burns' heroines. While very young she eloped with a gentleman named Wheĺpdale, and was shortly after deserted by him. She died in 1831, having lived the greater portion of her life in penury. 249 5 Mr. Tytler had published an 'Inquiry, Historical and Critical, into the evidence against Mary Queen of Scots.' 250 9 An artist, named Miers, was then practising in Edinburgh as a maker of silhouette portraits. Burns sat to him, and to Mr. Tytler he forwarded one of Miers' performances. 17 This sketch is descriptive of the family of Mr. Dunlop, of Dunlop. page line 251 5 Afterwards General Dunlop, of Dunlop. 7 Miss Rachel Dunlop was making a sketch of Coila. 8 Miss Keith Dunlop, the youngest daughter. 252 10 Burns and Smellie were members of a club in Edinburgh called the Crochallan Fencibles. 253 8 Mrs. Riddel, of Woodley Park, was the lady satirised in these verses. 256 Miss Jessie Lewars attended Burns in his last illness. 257 11 Mr. John Syme was one of the poet's constant companions. He possessed great talent, and Dr. Currie wished him to undertake the editing of the poet's life and writings. 260 7 Mr. Riddel, of Woodley Park, was the gentleman to whom these lines were addressed. 263 9 In enclosing these verses to Mr. Creech, Burns writes-The enclosed I have just wrote, nearly extempore, in a solitary inn in Selkirk, after a miserable wet day's riding.' 266 4 In a MS. in the possession of the Publisher, two additional stanzas are given : She mourns, sweet tuneful youth, thy hapless fate, Yet Luxury and Wealth lay by in State, And thankless starv'd what they so much admir'd 267 5 On the 25th June, 1794, Burns sent 'Liberty, a Fragment,' to Mrs. Dunlop, with the following remarks. 'Here, in a solitary inn, in a solitary village, am I set by myself to amuse my brooding fancy as I may.. I am just going to trouble your critical patience with the first sketch of a stanza I have been framing as I paced along the road. page line The subject is Liberty. You know, my honoured friend, how dear the subject is to me. I design it as an irregular ode for General Washington's birthday.' 269 1 Ruisseaux-a play upon the poet's own name. 19 Mrs. Scott, of Wauchope, Roxburghshire, had sent a rhymed epistle to Burns, displaying considerable vigour of thought, and neatness of expression. 274 7 Regarding this poem, Burns informed Dr. Moore that, 'The first of my poetic offspring that saw the light was a burlesque lamentation on a quarrel between two reverend Calvinists, both of them dramatis persona in my "Holy Fair." I had a notion myself that the piece had some merit; but to prevent the worst, I gave a copy of it to a friend who was very fond of such things, and told him that I could not guess who was the author of it, but that I thought it pretty clever. With a certain description of the clergy, as well as laity, it met with a roar of applause.' These five and fifty summers past. 17 Var. 275 II Var. 26 Var. 276 5 Var. - 9 Var. 12 Var. 17 Var. 25 Var. Frae Calvin's fountain-head they drank. I trust in Heaven to see them yet. Auld Wodrow lang has wrought mischief. 26 Var. We trusted death wad bring relief. 278 The Rev. Mr. M‘Math was, when Burns addressed him, assistant and successor to the Rev. Peter Wodrow, minister of Torbolton. He is said to have been an excellent preacher. 281 13 'Holy Willie' was William Fisher, the leading elder in the Rev. Mr. Auld's session. He was page line afterwards found guilty of embezzling money from the church offerings, and died in a ditch, into which he had fallen when drunk. 286 I Written while Burns was on a visit to Sir William Murray, of Ochtertyre. 287 15 Master Tootie was a dealer in cows, who lived in Mauchline. It was his practice to disguise the age of his cattle by polishing away the markings on their horns. 290 9 The newspaper contained some strictures on Burns' poetry. 291 17 John Maxwell, Esq. of Terraughty and Munches. He died in 1814. 293 13 It is very doubtful whether Burns is the author of this piece. 294 27 The 'Sketch' is a portion of a work, 'The Poet's Progress,' which Burns meditated, but of which hardly any portion seems to have ever been written. The immediate object of his satire is said to have been his publisher Creech. 300 I This ode was first printed in a London newspaper. 18 Var. Dim, cloudy, sunk beyond the western wave. 302 9 Miss Ferrier, authoress of Marriage and Destiny. 303 13 Burns' illegitimate daughter married Mr. John Bishop, overseer at Polkemmet, and died in 1817. She is said to have been strikingly like her father. 35I INDEX OF FIRST LINES.-VOL. I. A guid New-Year I wish thee, Maggie! A little, upright, pert, tart, tripping wight. A' ye wha live by sowps o' drink Accept the gift a friend sincere Again the silent wheels of time Admiring Nature in her wildest grace All hail! inexorable lord! Among the heathy hills and ragged woods An honest man here lies at rest Page 107 294 150 256 221 146 145 223 263 52 Beauteous rose-bud, young and gay . Curse on ungrateful man, that can be pleas'd. Dear Smith, the sleeest, paukie thief Edina! Scotia's darling seat! Fair Empress of the Poet's soul Guid morning to your Majesty! Guid speed an' furder to you, Johny. Ha! whare ye gaun, ye crawlin ferlie ! 263 211 298 57 183 160 154 293 152 300 268 297 259 63 272 269 158 246 79 291 207 285 245 253 232 |