ADDRESS TO WM. TYTLER, Esq., OF WOODHOUSELEE, WITH AN IMPRESSION OF THE AUTHOR'S PORTRAIT."

(CURRIE, 1800.)

REVERED defender of beauteous Stuart,+

Of Stuart, a name once respected;

A name, which to love was the1 mark of a true heart,
But now 'tis despis'd and neglected.

Tho' something like moisture conglobes in my eye,
Let no one misdeem me disloyal;

A poor friendless wand'rer may well claim a sigh,
Still more, if that wand'rer were royal.

My fathers that name have rever'd on a throne:
My fathers have died to right it;

Those fathers would spurn their degenerate son,
That name should he scoffingly slight it.

Still in prayers for King George I most heartily join,
The Queen, and the rest of the gentry :

Be they wise, be they foolish, is nothing of mine;
Their title's avow'd by my country.

But why of that epocha make such a fuss,
That gave us th' Electoral stem?

If bringing them over was lucky for us,

I'm sure 'twas as lucky for them.‡

This presentation copy of Beugo's engraving is now in the possession of David Laing, Esq., LL.D.

+ Mr Tytler's "Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots" appeared in the year our poet was born, and reached a fourth edition. In 1783, he edited the poems of King James I. of Scotland.

Currie gave only the first line of this verse, asterisks supplying the rest.

But loyalty truce! we're on dangerous ground;

Who knows how the fashions may alter? The doctrine, to-day, that is loyalty sound, To-morrow may bring us a halter!

I send you a trifle, a head of a bard,
A trifle scarce worthy your care;
But accept it, good Sir, as a mark of regard,
Sincere as a saint's dying prayer.

Now life's chilly evening dim shades on your eye,
And ushers the long dreary night:

But you,

like the star that athwart gilds the sky,

Your course to the latest is bright.

My muse jilted me here, and turned a corner on me, and I have not got again into her good graces.

.(*)

Do me the justice to believe me sincere in my grateful remembrance of the many civilities you have honored me with since I came to Edinburgh, and in assuring you that I have the honor to be, revered Sir,

Your obliged and very humble servant,

LAWNMARKET, Friday noon.

(Addressed)

ROBERT BURNS.

MR TYTLER of Woodhouselee, New Street.

[It seems evident that the above was forwarded to the poet's venerable correspondent on 4th May 1787,—just the day before he started on his Border tour with Robert Ainslie. The poet had frequent interviews with Mr Tytler, in connection with the music and letter-press for Johnson's Museum which Mr Tytler had hitherto superintended. The first volume of that work appeared about the end of May; and Burns relieved that gentleman of such editorial labours in respect of the succeeding volumes, he being then in his seventy-seventh year.

Mr Tytler survived to 12th Sept. 1792, a healthy and happy old man : his prescription for all who desired to enjoy like blessings, was "temperate meals, good music, and a sound conscience." The original

manuscript of our text is now in possession of Mr Tytler's great grandson, Colonel Fraser Tytler of Aldourie. The following variations are interlined, apparently in the writing of Lord Woodhouselee.

1 once mark.

2 have fallen.

3 the Hanover stem.

(4) three lines of the poet's MS. here carefully obliterated, most likely containing some ultra-Jacobite sally.]

EPIGRAM TO MISS AINSLIE IN CHURCH.

(CROMEK, 1808.)

FAIR maid, you need not take the hint,

Nor idle texts pursue :

"Twas guilty sinners that he meant,

Not Angels such as you.

[Among the intimacies formed by Burns in Edinburgh, a very innocent and agreeable one was that contracted with Mr Robert Ainslie, son of a farmer at Berrywell near Dunse, then a writer's clerk, and afterwards a Writer to the Signet. Having arranged matters, after the publication of his new edition, the poet left Edinburgh to enjoy a tour through the south-eastern and border counties of Scotland. Mr Ainslie accompanied him through the earlier stages of that excursion, the friends setting out on horseback on Saturday the 5th of May, and arriving at Berrywell in the evening. Next day, Burns attended the church at Dunse along with the Ainslie family, and the minister gave out a text containing a heavy denunciation against obstinate sinners. Seeing Miss Ainslie engaged in a search for it, Burns asked for her Bible, and immediately wrote the above lines on the inner board, and presented it for her perusal.

The poet kept a Journal of his tour, and his entry under Sunday May 6th, is the following "Went to church at Dunse, Dr Bowmaker, a man of strong lungs and pretty judicious remark; but ill-skilled in propriety, and altogether unconscious of the want of it."

Of Miss Ainslie, the poet's Journal makes frequent mention, in very complimentary terms. The last of these is under 23d May—“ Found Miss Ainslie-the amiable, the sensible, the good-humoured, the sweet Miss Ainslie-all alone at Berrywell. Heavenly powers, who know the weakness of human hearts, support mine! . . . . Charming Rachel ! may thy bosom never be wrung by the evils of this life of sorrows, or by the villany of this world's sons!"

Chambers informs us that she died unmarried, upwards of sixty years old.]

BURLESQUE LAMENT FOR THE ABSENCE OF WILLIAM CREECH, PUBLISHER.

(CROMEK, 1808.)

AULD chuckie Reekie's* sair distrest,

Down droops her ance weel burnish'd crest,
Nae joy her bonie buskit nest

But now they'll busk her like a fright,—

Willie's awa!

The stiffest o' them a' he bow'd,

The bauldest o' them a' he cow'd;

They durst nae mair than he allow'd,

That was a law:

We've lost a birkied weel worth gowd;

e

Willie 's awa!

Now gawkies, tawpies,f gowks & and fools,

Frae colleges and boarding schools,

May sprout like simmer puddock-stools

In glen or shaw;

He wha could brush them down to mools-h

* Few readers will require to be told that "Auld Reekie" means Edinburgh, so designed from the smoke of its many chimneys hovering over the city. The poet here refers to that city under the figure of the maternal hen with her brood of chickens.

The brethren o' the commerce-chaumer

May mourn their loss wi' doolfu' clamour;
He was a dictionar and grammar

Amang them a' ;

I fear they'll now mak mony a stammer;

Willie 's awa!

Nae mair we see his levee door
Philosophers and Poets pour,
And toothy critics by the score,

In bloody raw !

The adjutant o' a' the core

Willie's awa!

Now worthy Gregory's latin face,
Tytler's and Greenfield's modest grace;
M'Kenzie, Stewart, such a brace

As Rome ne'er saw;

They a' maun meet some ither place,†

Willie 's awa!

Poor Burns ev'n "Scotch Drink" canna quicken,
He cheepsi like some bewilder'd chicken.
Scar'd frae it's minnie and the cleckin, j

By hoodie-craw;

Grief's gien his heart an unco kickin,

Willie's awa!

Now ev'ry sour-mou'd girnin blellum,k

And Calvin's folk, are fit to fell him;

1 chirps.

I mother and brood.

k scolding fellow.

The Chamber of Commerce, of which Creech was Secretary.

+ The breakfasts in Creech's house were attended by the elite of Scotland's learned men.