To step aside is human:

One point must still be greatly dark,
The moving why they do it:
And just as lamely can ye mark
How far perhaps they rue it.

Who made the heart, 'tis He alone
Decidedly can try us;

He knows each chord its various tone,

Each spring- its various bias.

Then at the balance let's be mute;
We never can adjust it;

What's done we partly may compute,
But know not what's resisted.

THE INVENTORY.

IN ANSWER TO A MANDATE BY THE SURVEYOR OF THE

TAXES.

In May 1785, in order to liquidate ten millions of unfunded debt, Mr. Pitt made a considerable addition to the number of taxed articles, amongst which were female-servants. The poem seems to have been called forth by the bard's receipt of the next annual mandate from Mr. Aiken of Ayr, surveyor of taxes for the dis

trict.

SIR, as your mandate did request,
I send you here a faithfu' list

O' gudes and gear, and a' my graith, furnishing To which I'm clear to gie my aith.

Imprimis, then, for carriage-cattle,
I have four brutes o' gallant mettle,
As ever drew afore a pettle.
My han' afore's1 a gude auld has-been,

plough-stick

And wight and wilfu' a' his days been. strong My han' abin's a weel-gaun filly,

2

must needs

That aft has borne me hame frae Killie,"
And your auld burro' monie a time,
In days when riding was nae crime.
But ance, whan in my wooing pride,
I like a blockhead boost to ride,
The wilfu' creature sae I pat to
(L-, pardon all my sins, and that too!)
I played my filly sic a shavie,
She's a' bedevil'd wi' the spavie.
My fur ahin's a wordy beast,
As e'er in tug or tow was traced.
The fourth's a Highland Donald hastie,
A d-d red wud Kilburnie blastie! 5
Forbye a cowte o' cowtes the wale, colt-choice

1 The fore-horse on the left hand in the plough.

2 The hindmost on the left hand in the plough.

8 Kilmarnock.

trick

worthy hide or rope

4 The hindmost horse on the right hand in the plough.

mad

5 (Shrivelled old thing.) Burns had bought this horse at a Kilburnie fair, from one William Kirkwood, a noted horsecouper, who lived at Baillieston in that neighborhood, and who realized a fortune by his trade.

As ever ran afore a tail,

If he be spared to be a beast,

He'll draw me fifteen pun' at least.
Wheel-carriages I hae but few,

Three carts, and twa are feckly new; mostly Ae auld wheelbarrow, mair for token

Ae leg and baith the trams are broken; shafts I made a poker o' the spin'le,

And my auld mither brunt the trin'le. wheel

For men, I've three mischievous boys,
Run deils for rantin' and for noise ; Run wild
A gaudsman ane, a thrasher t'other, ploughman
Wee Davock hauds the nowt in fother.1

I rule them, as I ought, discreetly,
And aften labour them completely;
And aye on Sundays duly, nightly,

thrash

I on the Questions targe them tightly; examine
Till, faith, wee Davock's turned sae gleg, quick
Though scarcely langer than your leg,
He'll screed you aff Effectual Calling,2
As fast as ony in the dwalling.
I've nane in female servin' station

(L- keep me aye frae a' temptation!)

1 Keeps the cattle in fodder.

2 In the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly of Divines-universally used in Scotland, and commonly called The Questions - What is Effectual Calling? is one of the interrogations.

And ye have laid nae tax on misses.
Wi' weans I'm mair than weel contented,
Heaven sent me ane mae than I wanted.
My sonsie, smirking, dear-bought Bess, comely
She stares the daddy in her face,
Enough of ought ye like but grace;
But her, my bonny sweet wee lady,
I've paid enough for her already,
And gin ye tax her or her mither,
B' the L-! ye'se get them a' thegither.

And now, remember, Mr. Aiken,
Nae kind of licence out I'm takin';
My travel a' on foot I'll shank it,
I've sturdy bearers, Gude be thankit. *
Sae dinna put me in your buke,
Nor for my ten white shillings luke.

This list wi' my ain hand I've wrote it, The day and date as under noted;

Then know all ye whom it concerns,

Subscripsi huic,

MOSSGIEL, February 22, 1786.

ROBERT BURNS.

1 The poet's child, then an inmate of Mossgiel, and abo fifteen months old.

TO MR. JOHN KENNEDY.

The letter which follows was the consequence of a request for a sight of his Cotter's Saturday Night, from a person named John Kennedy, who then resided as clerk or sub-factor at Dumfries House, the seat of the Earl of Dumfries, a few miles from Mauchline. It is characteristic of the frankness of Burns, and expresses some of his predominant feelings.

MOSSGIEL, 3d March, 1786.

SIR-I have done myself the pleasure of comply. ing with your request in sending you my Cottager. If you have a leisure minute, I should be glad you would copy it, and return me either the original or the transcript, as I have not a copy of it by me, and I have a friend who wishes to see it.

Now, Kennedy, if foot or horse

E'er bring you in by Mauchline Corse,1
L—, man, there's lasses there wad force
A hermit's fancy;

And down the gate, in faith, they're worse, road
And mair unchancy.

But, as I'm sayin', please step to Dow's,
And taste sic gear as Johnnie brews,

1 The market-cross of the village