THE

Poetical Works

OF

JOHN KENNEDY,

KILMARNOCK.

Ten censure wrong for one who writes amiss.

POPE.

Wink hard, and say the CHIEL has done his best.

BURNS.

AYR:

Printed by D. Macarter & Co.

FOR

THE AUTHOR,

AND SOLD BY JOHN STEWART, KILMARNOCK.

INTRODUCTION.

TO come before the public in the cha racter of an author, without making a few remarks, would not only be a deviation from the common rule, but an act requiring more courage and ingenuity than has fallen to my share.

AN observation or two, will therefore, I hope be neither an intrusion upon the patience of my readers, nor cause any to suspect my sincerity, when I candidly declare, that no man ever made his appearance more conscious of his defects, or more willing to be set right when wrong. Let this observation plead. And though it should not protect me from the censure of Fine Taste, or parry off the cudgel of sound judgment; it may have some influence in smoothing the contracted brow of old En

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