Rake them like Sodom and Gomorrah, In brunstane stoure! brimstone dust But for thy friends, and they are monie, Wi' mornings blithe, and e'enings funny, Fareweel, auld birkie! Lord be near ye, If niest my heart I dinna wear ye, While BURNS they ca' me! loving old boy molest ye: next SONG OF DEATH. AIR- Oran an Aoig. Scene A Field of Battle. -Time of the day, Evening. The wounded and dying of the victorious army are supposed to join in the following song. FAREWELL, thou fair day, thou green earth, and ye skies, Now gay with the bright setting sun; Farewell loves and friendships, ye dear tender ties, Our race of existence is run! Thou grim King of Terrors, thou life's gloomy foe! Go frighten the coward and slave; Go teach them to tremble, fell tyrant! but know No terrors hast thou to the brave! Thou strik'st the dull peasant he sinks in the dark, Nor saves e'en the wreck of a name; Thou strik'st the young hero a glorious mark! He falls in the blaze of his fame! In the field of proud honour, our swords in our hands, Our king and our country to save, While victory shines on life's last ebbing sands, Oh! who would not die with the brave? FOURTH EPISTLE TO MR. GRAHAM OF FINTRY. The third Epistle to Mr. Graham, which has been assigned to the summer of 1791, expresses, though hintingly, the eager wishes of the poet for a better appointment in the Excise, and at length, by the kindness of that gentleman, it was obtained, towards the close of the year. He had expected, as we have seen, a supervisorship; but this was to remain a hope deferred. The arrangement was, that Burns should perform duty in Dumfries as an ordinary exciseman, and enjoy a salary of £70 per annum. This was an advance of £20 upon his Ellisland income, and as he did not now require to keep a horse, the advantage must be reckoned at a still higher sum. However this was, Burns considered himself as for the mean time independent of the farm. The income was indeed a small one, and it was something of a declension to be the common exciseman only; but hope at this time made up for all. He was led to expect an advance in the service, which, though increasing his toils, would put him comparatively at ease in his circumstances. I CALL no goddess to inspire my strains; Friend of my life! my ardent spirit burns, And all the tribute of my heart returns, For boons accorded, goodness ever new, The gift still dearer, as the giver you. Thou orb of day! thou other paler light! SWEET SENSIBILITY, HOW CHARMING. We have but an obscure notice of a visit which Burns paid to Edinburgh in the November of 1791, being the last he ever made to that capital. Up to nearly this time, Mrs. M'Lehose had maintained the unforgiving distance which she assumed after his final union with Jean, notwithstanding his having sent her several exculpatory letters. She had lately written to him in a style which drew forth a letter in which Burns asks her opinion of the following verses. SWEET Sensibility, how charming, Thou, my friend, canst truly tell; But how Distress with horrors arming, Fairest Flower, behold the lily, Hear the woodlark charm the forest, Dearly bought the hidden treasure 1 "I have sent in the verses On Sensibility, altered to 'Sensibility, how charming, Dearest Nancy, thou canst tell,' etc., to the editor of the Scots Songs, of which you have three volumes, to set to a most beautiful air out of compliment to the first of women, my ever-beloved, my ever-sacred Clarinda."- Burns to Mrs. M'Lehose. |