into expenses which, with all my economy, I have not yet rubbed off. Be so kind as write me. Your disinterested friendship has made an impression which time cannot efface. Believe me, my dear Burns, yours in sincerity, JAMES CLARKE,1 Miss Grace Aiken, a very young lady, the daughter of Burns's early patron, Mr Robert Aiken of Ayr, had occasion during spring to pass through Dumfries, on her way to pay a visit in Liverpool. In walking along the street towards the residence of her friend, Mrs Copland, she passed a tall, slovenly-looking man, of sickly aspect, who presently uttered an exclamation which caused her to turn about to see who it was. It was Burns; but so changed from his former self, that she could hardly have recognised him, except for the sound of his voice in addressing her. On her asking him playfully, if he had been going to pass her without notice, he spoke as if he had felt that it was proper for him, now-a-days, to leave his old friends to be the first to hold forth the hand of friendship. At her pressing request, he accompanied her to the house of Mrs Copland; he even yielded, but not till after much entreaty, to go home and put himself in order, that he might return at four to dinner. He spent the evening cheerfully in their temperate society, and retired about midnight. The circumstance is worthy of notice, because neither Mrs Copland nor any of her friends-all members of the best society in Dumfries-had any objection to entertaining or meeting Burns. The hostess had not seen him for a considerable time, but from no cause affecting the reputation of the poet-only, she understood that he had of late shewn a preference for what might positively as well as comparatively be called low society-a circumstance she greatly lamented. All this shews that Burns's social discredit in his latter days must have been the result of no universal feeling among his fellow-citizens. The fact seems to be, that while many condemned and forsook him-the provincial clergy to a man on the other hand, many, sensible that his faults were rather allied to imprudence and indecorum than to turpitude, regarded him with forbearance, if not with undiminished esteem and affection. The state of Burns's health on the 14th of April, was such as to allow him to be present at a meeting of the Mason Lodge tha. evening. On this occasion, Captain Adam Gordon, brother of his friend Mr Gordon of Kenmure, was admitted apprentice. It is not unlikely that, both on this occasion and on the 28th ot The original of this letter is in possession of Robert Cole, Esq., Upper Norton Place, London. REDUCTION OF SALARY. 191 January, Burns made an effort, if not a sacrifice, for the honour of persons whom he regarded as friends.1 'It was hoped by some of his friends,' says Dr Currie,' that if he could live through the months of spring, the succeeding season might restore him. But they were disappointed.' The month of May came in with more than its poetical beauty and geniality;2 but it only could charm the poet's feeling, it could infuse no new vigour into his languid frame. The summer wind blew unrefreshing for him. Being now entirely laid aside from duty, Burns understood that, as usual in such cases, his salary would be reduced; and this, we may well believe, was no small addition to the distresses he suffered. Dr Currie informs us, that the Board, to their honour, continued his full emoluments; but it appears that this resolution was not taken, or at least not intimated, while the poor poet was capable of being comforted by the intelligence. It is certain that the duty, necessary, we presume, for keeping up the reduced pay, was all the time performed out of kindness for Burns by a young expectant of Excise named Stobie; to whom, therefore, in reality, the gratitude of those who love the memory of the bard must be considered as chiefly due. Dr Currie also states, that 'Mr Graham of Fintry, hearing of the poet's illness, though unacquainted with its dangerous nature, made an offer of his assistance towards procuring him the means of preserving his health.' The letter containing this offer was 1 The following memoranda from the record of the Lodge may be perused with some interest. They refer to all the meetings which took place during the period of Burns's connection with the Lodge. 27th Dec. 1791.-Burns present. 6th Feb. 1792.-Burns present. On this occasion, Philip Ditcher, Esq., of 3d regt. of Dragoons, now quartered in Dumfries, is entered apprentice. 14th May, 1792.-Burns present. Chas. Pye, Captains Waller, Watson, and Parslow, of 3d regt. of Dragoons, all admitted as apprentices. 31st May 1792.-Burns present. 5th June 1792.-Burns present. Ed. Andrews of the Dragoons, and John Syme, Esq. of Barncailzie, admitted brethren, without fees. 22d Nov. 1792.-Burns present. 30th Nov. 1792.-Burns present, and elected senior warden. 30th Nov. 1793.-The senior warden [Burns] present. Sam. Clark, Junr., admitted a member. 27th Dec. 1793.-Burns not present. [He was at this time indisposed.] 6th May 1794.-Burns not mentioned. 29th Nov. 1794.-Burns present. 30th Nov. 1795.-Burns not mentioned. D. M'Culloch admitted a member. 28th Jan. 1796.-Burns present. Appeared Mr James Georgeson, mercht. it Liverpool, who being recommended by Brother Burns, was admitted apprentice His fees applied towards defraying the expenses of the night. 14th April 1796.-Burns present. Capt. Adam Gordon admitted apprentice. 16th April 1796.-Burns not mentioned. 2 'It is the finest weather in the world. The whole country is covered with green and blossoms; and the sun shines perpetually through a light east wind, which would have brought you here from Boston since it began to blow.'-Jeffrey, to his brother, 20th May 1796. Cockburn's Life of Lord Jeffrey. dated on the 15th July, so that the poet could not have received it more than a couple of days before consciousness left him.1 BURNS TO MR THOMSON. April 1796. ALAS! my dear Thomson, I fear it will be some time ere I tune my lyre again! By Babel streams I have sat and wept' almost ever since I wrote you last: I have only known existence by the pressure of the heavy hand of sickness, and have counted time by the repercussions of pain! Rheumatism, cold, and fever, have formed to me a terrible combination. I close my eyes in misery, and open them without hope. I look on the vernal day, and say with poor Fergusson 'Say wherefore has an all-indulgent Heaven Light to the comfortless and wretched given ?' This will be delivered to you by a Mrs Hyslop, landlady of the Globe Tavern here, which for these many years has been my howff,2 and where our friend Clarke and I have had many a merry squeeze. I mention this, because she will be a very proper hand to bring that seal you talk of. I am highly delighted with Mr Allan's etchings. Woo'd an' married an' a', is admirable! The grouping is beyond all praise. The expression of the figures, conformable to the story in the ballad, is absolutely faultless perfection. I next admire Turnimspike. What I like least is Jenny said to Jocky. Besides the female being in her appearance quite a virago, if you take her stooping into the account, she is at least two inches taller than her lover. Poor Cleghorn! I sincerely sympathise with him. Happy I am to think that he yet has a well-grounded hope of health and enjoyment in this world. As for me-1 -but that is a damning subject! Farewell! R. B. 1 'Another charge of cruelty has been brought forward against the Board-that of refusing his full salary during his illness, which a little explanation will set to rights. A few years previous to this period, an addition of L.15 per annum had been made to the salaries, accompanied with the condition of being stopped to officers not doing duty. This still existed in Burns's time, and he was no worse treated than others in similar circumstances of indisposition. It is here incumbent on me to mention, that Commissioner Graham, regretting, I have no doubt, his inability to comply with the poet's wishes as to the full salary, sent him a private donation of L.5, which, I believe, nearly or totally compensated the loss.'-FINDLATER, in Glasgow Courier, March 1834. 2 A place of resort much frequented by any person is, in Scotland, called his houff. The windows of that common room in the Globe Tavern, which might be more particularly called Burns's Howff, still bear some scribblings in his handwriting. SONGS ON JESSY LEWARS. MR THOMSON TO BURNS. 193 4th May 1796. I NEED not tell you, my good sir, what concern the receipt of your last gave me, and how much I sympathise in your sufferings. But do not, I beseech you, give yourself up to despondency, or speak the language of despair. The vigour of your constitution, I trust, will soon set you on your feet again; and then, it is to be hoped, you will see the wisdom and the necessity of taking due care of a life so valuable to your family, to your friends, and to the world. Trusting that your next will bring agreeable accounts of your convalescence and returning good spirits, I remain, with sincere regard, yours. P.S.-Mrs Hyslop, I doubt not, delivered the gold seal to you in good condition. BURNS TO MR THOMSON. [About May 17, 1796.] MY DEAR SIR-I once mentioned to you an air which I have long admired-Here's a health to them that's awa, hiney, but I forget if you took any notice of it. I have just been trying to suit it with verses, and I beg leave to recommend the air to your attention once more. I have only begun it. JESSY. CHORUS. Here's a health to ane I loe dear! Here's a health to ane I loe dear! Thou art sweet as the smile when fond lovers meet, Although thou maun never be mine, Than aught in the world beside-Jessy! I mourn through the gay, gaudy day, But welcome the dream o' sweet slumber, I guess by the dear angel smile, I guess by the love-rolling ee; But why urge the tender confession, This will be delivered by a Mr Lewars, a young fellow of uncommon merit; indeed by far the cleverest fellow I have met with in this part of the world. His only fault is D-m-cratic heresy. As he will be a day or two in town, you will have leisure, if you choose, to write me by him; and if you have a spare half hour to spend with him, I shall place your kindness to my account. I have no copies of the songs I have sent you, and I have taken a fancy to review them all, and possibly may mend some of them: so, when you have complete leisure, I will thank you for either the originals or copies. I had rather be the author of five well-written songs than of ten otherwise. My verses to Cauld Kail I will suppress; as also those to Laddie lie near me. They are neither worthy of my name nor of your book. I have great hopes that the genial influence of the approaching summer will set me to rights, but as yet I cannot boast of returning health. I have now reason to believe that my complaint is a flying gout-a sad business! Do let me know how Cleghorn is, and remember me to him. This should have been delivered to you a month ago, but my friend's trunk miscarried, and was not recovered till he came here again. I am still very poorly, but should like much to hear from you. Jessy, the heroine of the song above cited, was a sister of Lewars, an amiable young woman, who acted the part of a ministering angel in his house during the whole of this dismal period of distress. It is curious to find him even in his present melancholy circumstances, imagining himself as the lover of his wife's kind-hearted young friend, as if the position of the mistress were the most exalted in which his fancy could place any woman he admired or towards whom he felt gratitude. This is not, however, the only strain of fancied love which Burns addressed to Jessy Lewars. The lady relates that, one morning she had a call from the poet, when he offered, if she would play him any tune of which she was fond, and for which she desired new verses, to gratify her in her wish to the best of his ability. She placed herself at the pianoforte, and played over several times the air of an old song beginning with the words The robin cam to the wren's nest, And keekit in, and keekit in: As lang's I hae an auld clout, 1 The letter appears to have been despatched by post on the 17th June. Currie unaccountably divides the letter into two. * This set of the old song is from Johnson's Museum, v. 419. 1 |