SIR, No. XIII. TO MR JOHN KENNEDY. MOSSGIEL, 3d March, 1786. I HAVE done myself the pleasure of complying with your request in sending you my Cottager. If you have a leisure minute, I should be glad you would copy it and return me either the original or the transcript, as I have not a copy of it by me, and I have a friend who wishes to see it Now Kennedy, if foot or horse E'er bring you in by Mauchline Corse, Lord, man, there's lasses there wad force And down the gate in faith they're worse, But, as I'm sayin', please step to Dows, That you are there; And if we dinna haud a bouze Ise ne'er drink mair. It's no I like to sit and swallow, Then like a swine to puke and wallow; But gie me just a true good fallow, Wi' right engine, And spunkie ance to make us mellow, Now, if ye're ane o' warld's folk, Wi bitter sneer, Wi' you no friendship will I troke, Nor cheap nor dear. But if, as I'm informed weel, Ye hate, as ill's the vera deil, The flinty heart that canna feel, Come, Sir, here's tae you! Hae, there's my haun', I wiss you weel, And gude be wi' you! R. B. No. XIV. TO MR ROBERT MUIR, KILMARNOCK.* DEAR SIR, MOSSGIEL, 20th March, 1786. I AM heartily sorry I had not the pleasure of seeing you as you returned through Mauchline; but as I was engaged, I could not be in town before the evening. I here inclose you my 'Scotch Drink,' and "may the follow with a blessing for your edification." I hope, sometime before we hear the gowk, to have the pleasure of seeing you at Kilmarnock, when I intend we shall have a gill between us, in a mutchkin-stoup; which will be a great comfort and consolation to, Dear Sir, Your humble servant, ROBERT BURNESS. * Mr Muir was a staunch friend of Burns, and did him many good offices. When the Edinburgh edition of his poems was announced, Muir subscribed for 40 copies, as well as used his influence among his friends and acquaintances to induce them to be equally liberal.-M. DEAR SIR, I RECEIVED Your No. XV. TO MR AIKIN. MOSSGIEL, 3d April, 1786. kind letter with double pleasure on ac count of the second flattering instance of Mrs C.'s notice and approbation. I assure you I "Turn out the brunt side o' my shin," as the famous Ramsay, of jingling memory, says, at such a patroness. Present her my most grateful acknowledgments in your very best manner of telling truth. I have inscribed the following stanza on the blank leaf of Miss Mores' work. Thou flattering mark of friendship kind, The dear the beauteous donor: Yet deviating own I must, For so approving me, But kind still, I mind still, The giver in the gift, A friend above the Lift. My proposals for publishing I am just going to send to press. I expect to hear from you by the first opportunity. I am, ever dear Sir, yours, ROBERT BURNESS. No. XVI. TO MR M'WHINNIE, WRITER, AYR.* MOSSGIEL, 17th April, 1786. Ir is injuring some hearts, those hearts that elegantly bear the impression of the good Creator, to say to them you give them the trouble of obliging a friend; for this reason, I only tell you that I gratify my own feelings in requesting your friendly offices with respect to the inclosed, because I know it will gratify yours to assist me in it to the utmost of your power. I have sent you four copies, as I have no less than eight dozen, which is a great deal more than I shall ever need. Be sure to remember a poor poet militant in your prayers. He looks forward with fear and trembling to that, to him, important moment which stamps the die with—with—with, perhaps, the eternal disgrace of, My dear Sir, Your humble, afflicted, tormented, ROBERT BURNS. No. XVII. TO MR ROBERT MUIR, KILMARNOCK. MOSSGIEL, Friday Morning. MY FRIEND, My Brother, WARM recollection of an absent friend presses so hard upon my heart, that I send him the prefixed bagatelle (the This letter inclosed some subscription lists for his poems, and it is gratifying to know that this gentleman, as well as the rest of the Poet's friends, were not backward in fulfilling the Poet's wishes.-M. Calf), pleased with the thought that it will greet the man of my bosom, and be a kind of distant language of friendship. You will have heard that poor Armour has repaid me double. A very fine boy and a girl have awakened a thought and feelings that thrill, some with tender pressure and some with foreboding anguish, through my soul. The poem was nearly an extemporaneous production, on a wager with Mr Hamilton, that I would not produce a poem on the subject in a given time. If you think it worth while, read it to Charles and Mr W. Parker, and if they choose a copy of it, it is at their service, as they are men whose friendship I shall be proud to claim, both in this world and that which is to come. I believe all hopes of staying at home will be abortive; but more of this when, in the latter part of next week, you shall be troubled with a visit from, By some neglect in Mr Hamilton, I did not hear of your kind request for a subscription paper till this day. I will not attempt any acknowledgment for this, nor the manner in which I see your name in Mr Hamilton's subscription list. Allow me only to say, Sir, I feel the weight of the debt. I have here, likewise, inclosed a small piece, the very latest of my productions.* I am a good deal pleased with The piece alluded to was the 'Mountain Daisy;' in the MS. it is entitled, The Gowan.'-M. |