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To Miss Cruickshanks, a very young Lady.
Written on the blank leaf of a Book, pre-
sented to her by the Author.
On reading in a Newspaper the Death of John
M'Leod, Esq. Brother to a young Lady, a
particular Friend of the Author's
The Humble Petition of Bruar Water to the
Noble Duke of Athole

On scaring some Water Fowl in Loch-Turit
Written with a Pencil over the Chimney-
piece, in the Parlour of the Inn at Ken.
more, Taymouth
Written with a Pencil, standing by the Fall
of Fyers, near Loch-Ness

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On the Birth of a Posthumous Child, born in peculiar circumstances of Family Dis

tress

The Whistle, a Ballad

A Verse. When Death's dark stream I ferry

Verses written at Selkirk ib. Liberty, a Fragment

Poem, addressed to Mr. Mitchell, collector of Excise, Dumfries, 1796.

81

Sent to a Gentleman whom he had offended Poem on Life, Addressed to Col. De Peyster, Dumfries.

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Epitaph on a Friend

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To the Rev. John M'Math, enclosing a copy

of Holy Willie's Prayer which he had re quested

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Elegy on the late Miss Burnet, of Monboddo. The Rights of Woman

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Had I a cave on some wild distant shore
Here awa, there awa, wandering Willie.
Here's a bottle and an honest friend
Here's a health to ane I lo'e dear

Here's a health to them that's awa
Here is the glen, and here the bower
Her flowing locks, the raven's wing
How can my poor heart be glad
How cruel are the parents.

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Mark yonder pomp of costly fashion Musing on the roaring ocean

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61 My bonny lass, I work in brass.

80 My Chloris, mark how green the groves.

56 My father was a farmer upon the Carrick

My heart is a breaking, dear Tittie

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

OF

THE AUTHOR.

stances, is far inferior to any of his subsequent per formances. He was at this time" an ungainly, awkward boy," unacquainted with the world, but who occasionally had picked up some notions of

ROBERT BURNS was born on the 29th day of January, 1759, in a small house about two miles from the town of Ayr in Scotland. The family name, which the poet modernized into Burns, was originally Burnes or Burness. His father, William, ap-history, literature, and criticism, from the few books pears to have been early inured to poverty and hardships, which he bore with pious resignation, and endeavoured to alleviate by industry and economy. After various attempts to gain a livelihood, he took a lease of seven acres of land, with a view of commencing nurseryman and public gardener; and having built a house upon it with his own hands (an instance of patient ingenuity by no means uncommon among his countrymen in humble life,) he married, December 1757, Agnes Brown. The first fruit of his marriage was Robert, the subject of the present sketch.

within his reach. These, he informs us, were Sal. mon's and Guthrie's Geographical Grammars, the Spectator, Pope's Works, some plays of Shakspeare, Tull and Dickson on Agriculture, the Pantheon Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding, Stackhouse's History of the Bible, Justice's British Gardener's Directory, Boyle's Lectures, Allan Ramsay's Works, Taylor's Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin, a Select Collection of English Songs, and Hervey's Meditations. Of this motley assemblage, it may readily be supposed, that some would be studied, and some read superficially. There is reason to think, however, that he perused the works of the poets with such attention as, assisted by his naturally vigorous capacity, soon directed his taste, and enabled him to discriminate tenderness and sublimity from affectation and bombast.

In his sixth year, Robert was sent to a school, where he made considerable proficiency in reading and writing, and where he discovered an inclination for books not very common at so early an age. About the age of thirteen or fourteen, he was sent to the parish school of Dalrymple, where he inIt appears that from the seventeenth to the twen. creased his acquaintance with English grammar,ty-fourth year of Robert's age, he made no conand gained some knowledge of the French. Latin was also recommended to him: but he did not make any great progress in it.

The far greater part of his time, however, was employed on his father's farm, which, in spite of much industry, became so unproductive as to involve the family in great distress. His father having taken another farm, the speculation was yet more fatal, and involved his affairs in complete ruin. He died, Feb. 13, 1784, leaving behind him the char

acter of a good and wise man, and an affectionate father, who under all his misfortunes, struggled to procure his children an excellent education; and endeavoured, both by precept and example, to form their minds to religion and virtue.

siderable iterary improvement. His accessions of knowledge, or opportunities of reading, could not be frequent, but no external circumstances could prevent the innate peculiarities of his character from displaying themselves. He was distinguished by a vigorous understanding, and an untameable spirit. His resentments were quick, and although not durable, expressed with a volubility of indigna.

tion which could not but silence and overwhelm

his humble and illiterate associates; while the occasional effusions of his muse on temporary sub. jects, which were handed about in manuscript, raised him to. a local superiority that seemed the earnest of a more extended fame. His first motive to compose verses, as has been already noticed, was his early and warm attachment to the fair sex. His favourites were in the humblest walks of It was between the fifteenth and sixteenth year life; but during his passion, he elevated them to of his age, that Robert, first" committed the sin Lauras and Saccharissas. His attachments, how. of rhyme." Having formed a boyish affection for a female who was his companion in the toils of the ever, were of the purer kind, and his constant theme the happiness of the married state; to obfield, he composed a song, which, however extraordinary from one at his age, and in his circum-tain a suitable provision for which, he engaged in partnership with a flax-dresser, hoping, probably,

• This excellent woman is still living in the fa- to attain by degrees the rank of a manufacturer. mily of her son Gilbert. (May, 1813.)

But this speculation was attended with very little

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