page line 4I I These verses were first printed by Cromek. 9 These lines occur in one of the letters to Clarinda. 42 5 Mr. Cobbett, who first printed these lines, says: 'It is our fortune to know a Mr. Kennedy, an aged gentleman, a native of Scotland, and the early friend and associate of Robert Burns. Both were born in Ayrshire, near the town of Ayr, so frequently celebrated in the poems of the bard. Burns, as is well known, was a poor peasant's son; and in the "Cotter's Saturday Night" gives a noble picture of what we may presume to be the family circle of his father. Kennedy, whose boyhood was passed in the labours of a farm, subsequently became the agent to a mercantile house in a neighbouring town. Hence he is called, in an epitaph which his friend the Poet wrote on him, "The Chapman.' These lines, omitted in all editions of Burns' works, were composed on Kennedy's recovery from a severe illness. On his way to kirk on a bright Sabbath morning, he was met by the Poet, who, having rallied him on the sombre expression of his countenance, fell back, and soon rejoined him, presenting him with the epitaph scrawled on a bit of paper with a pencil.' 43 5 In some MS. copies these stanzas conclude 'The Epistle to John Lapraik, an Old Scottish Bard.' 45 5 These verses, inscribed to Gavin Hamilton, were printed for the first time in Pickering's edition. 47 I These lines occur in a letter addressed by Burns to Mr. Robert Ainslie. 8 Burns in early life sketched the outlines of a tragedy, and the Tragic Fragment' was 'an exclamation from a great character-great in occasional instances of generosity, and daring at times in villanies. He is supposed to meet a child of misery and exclaims to himself,' A A page line 48 5 The following fragments are extracted from Burns' commonplace book, but the authorship is doubtful. 52 18 The Tailor's epistle is as follows. Burns' reply was first published at Glasgow in 1801. EPISTLE FROM A TAILOR TO ROBERT BURNS. What waefu' news is this I hear, Frae greeting I can scarce forbear, Aur lasses wham ye lo'e sae dear Weel wad I like war ye to stay, May He protect us night and day Whar thou art gaun, keep mind frae me, An' live at peace an' unity Ayont the moon. Some tell me, Rab, ye dinna fear To get a wean, an' curse an' swear; Cou'd I persuade ye to forbear Fu' weel ye ken ye'll gang to hell, Waes me! ye're hurlin' down the hill An' ye'll get leave to swear your fill There, walth o' women ye'll get near, page line Ye'll never say, my bonie dear, Nae kissing then-ye'll grin an' sneer, O Rab! lay by thy foolish tricks, Or some day ye'll come through the pricks, Ye'll fin' hard living wi' Auld Nicks: But what's this comes wi' sic a knell, While it does mak' my conscience tell I'm but a ragget cowt mysel', We're owre like those wha think it fit, To let them see down to the pit, But farewell, Rab, I maun awa', Lad, ye wad never mend ava' 56 11 This epitaph, and the following epigrams, appeared in the Kilmarnock, but were omitted in the first Edinburgh and subsequent editions. 57 9 These lines first appeared in the edition published at Glasgow in 1801. 58 These lines first appeared in the edition published at Glasgow in 1801. 5 On Burns' arrival at Inverary the Castle and Inn were filled with visitors to the Duke, and the Innkeeper was too busy to pay attention to the page line бо Poet and his friend. The epigram, which was first published in the Glasgow edition, is supposed to have been written on one of the windows. I These lines first appeared in the edition published at Glasgow in 1801. 12 John Stewart, eighth Earl of Galloway, who died in 1796. Burns disliked this nobleman, and his dislike descended in a shower of brilliant epigrams. 63 I Printed in Cromek's Reliques. 5 Printed in the Glasgow Collection, 1801. 64 II Printed in Cromek's Reliques. This 65 19 Printed in the Glasgow Collection, 1801. 66 I Captain Grose was extremely corpulent. Epigram was printed in the Glasgow Collection, 1801. 7 Printed in the Glasgow Collection, 1801. In a letter to Clarinda in 1787, Burns refers to this epigram. 'Did I ever repeat to you an epigram I made on a Mr. Elphinstone, who has given a translation of Martial, a famous Latin poet? The poetry of Elphinstone can only equal his prosenotes. I was sitting in a merchant's shop of my acquaintance, waiting somebody; he put Elphinstone into my hand, and asked my opinion of it; I begged leave to write it on a blank leaf, which I did." 67 This epitaph was printed in the Kilmarnock edition. Jamie' was James Humphrey, a mason in Mauchline, who was wont to hold theological disputations with the Poet. 67 5 'Wee Johnie,' was John Wilson, the printer of the Kilmarnock edition, in which edition Burns wickedly inserted the epitaph. Wilson printed, unconscious that he had any other interest in the matter than a commercial one. -- 9 This, and the two following epitaphs, were printed in the Kilmarnock edition. page line 68 5 In the Kilmarnock, Edinburgh, and several subsequent editions, the first line of the 'Bard's Epitaph' is printed : Is there a whim-inspir'd fool.' 69 13 Printed in the Kilmarnock edition. In a copy in the poet's handwriting the first line reads: "O ye who sympathize with virtue's pains. 20 Goldsmith. R. B. 21 Printed in the Glasgow edition, 1801. 70 12 Burns' friend, James Smith, of Mauchline. This epitaph was printed in the Glasgow collection. I These lines were inscribed on a pane of glass in 16 The Right Worshipful Master, Major-General I This song was composed in honour of Miss Wilhelmina Alexander, sister of the Laird of Ballochmyle, whom Burns had met in one of his evening walks. In a letter addressed to the lady, he gives the following account of its composition : 'Madam,- Poets are such outre beings, so much the children of wayward fancy and capricious whim, that I believe the world generally allows them a larger latitude in the laws of propriety than the sober sons of judgment and prudence. I mention this as an apology for the liberties that a nameless stranger has taken with you in the enclosed poem, which he begs leave to present you with. Whether it has poetical merit any way worthy of the theme, I am not the proper judge; but it is the best my abilities can produce; and what to a good heart will, perhaps, |