TO MISS Douglas was persuaded that 'ruffian' was a clerical error for 'ruffled.' But 'ruffian' is the word in the original inscription as well as in the copy sent to Thomson. GRAHAM STANZA III. LINE 3. While Virtue, conscious, all the strain endears,' original inscription. REMORSEFUL APOLOGY PROBABLY sent to Mrs. Walter Riddell, but printed in Currie (1800) as 'sent to a gentleman whom he had offended.' The Ms. is in the British Museum. TO COLLECTOR MITCHELL WRITTEN towards the close of '95; published in Currie (1800). Burns was on very friendly terms with Mitchell, and often sent him first drafts for criticism. TO COLONEL DE PEYSTER COLONEL ARENTZ SCHULYER DE PEYSTER was descended from a Huguenot family settled in America, and served with distinction in the American War. He took up house at Mavis Grove, near Dumfries; and on 24th May 1795 was appointed colonel of the Dumfries Volunteers, in which Burns was a private. He was a brother-in-law of John McMurdo (see ante, p. 375). He died 26th November 1822, in his 96th year. The Epistle-written, after the recrudescence of the poet's illness in 1796—was published in Currie (1800). STANZA IV. " LINE I. Carmagnole ' violent Jacobin. Derived from the collarless jacket, not from the revolutionary song and dance. = TO MISS JESSIE LEWARS CURRIE (1800). The volumes are in the possession of the INSCRIPTION TO CHLORIS CURRIE (1800). For Chloris, see Prefatory Note to Lassie wi' the Lint-white Locks, Vol. iii. The copy sent to George Thomson, now at Brechin Castle, corresponds with the text. An early draft is in the Clarke-Adam Collection. The stanza is that of much English Eighteenth Century verse: among the rest of Goldsmith's Edwin and Angelina. STANZA II. in the draft originally read thus : 'Since thou, though all in youthful charms, Bidd'st public life adieu, And shunn'st a world of woes and harms To bless the friendly few.' LINE 2. Hast bid the world adieu,' final reading in draft. Stanza III. LINE 2. Succeeds the tempest's lour,' draft. STANZA IV. LINE 1. 'Though life's gay scenes delight no more,' draft; 'pleasures charm,' deleted reading for 'life's gay scenes.' 3. Still rich art thou in nobler store,' draft. STANZA VI. LINE 3. 'And doubly is the Poet blest,' deleted reading in draft :-' were' is the original reading in the draft, which is deleted for 'is,' but this is again deleted for were.' 4. These joys should he improve,' deleted reading in draft. THEATRICAL PIECES PROLOGUE SPOKEN BY MR. WOODS 16th April 1787 WILLIAM WOODS, born 1751, was originally a printer, but joined (c. 1768) a strolling company at Southampton. After appearing in London, he removed, about 1771, to Edinburgh, where he played leading parts in tragedy and sentimental comedy. He died 14th December 1802, and was buried in the Old Calton Cemetery. He was author of two plays: The Volunteers (1778) and The Twins (1780); the last one published in '83. Burns's interest in Woods PROLOGUE was probably quickened by the player's friendship with Fergusson, who, in his Last Will, bequeaths him his Shakespeare: "To Woods, whose genius can provoke My passions to the bowl or sock: For love to thee and to the Nine, Be my immortal Shakespeare thine.' The piece-which, like the others in this category, is on the traditional lines originally laid down by Drydenappeared on Thursday, 19th April, in both The Edinburgh Courant and The Caledonian Mercury; and was included in Oliver (Edinburgh 1801) and Duncan (Glasgow 1801), as well as in Stewart's Poems Ascribed to Robert Burns (Glasgow 1801): the common source being the newspaper version. For an opportunity of inspecting the first draft we are indebted to Mr. Greenshiels of Kerse. LINES 7-8 in the MS. read thus :— 'Small is the task to please a gaping throng: They were meant to be followed by four lines-afterwards or 'Heavy stupidity all rueful views The Tyburn humours of the tragic Muse; Or roars at times the rude rough laugh between, 'The vacant staring crowd all rueful views As horseplay nonsense thunders on the stage, 10. In taste and learning high, as great in war,' MS.; but To wide civilization's utmost bound; Philosophy, no more a pedant's dream, Here makes his search by heaven-taught Reason's beam.' 18. 'Philosophy':-The reference is to Dugald Stewart. See PROLOGUE 'May never sallow Want her bounty stint, But may her virtues ever be her prop: These her best stay, and Thou her surest hope, Till Fate on worlds the eternal curtain drop.' 41. In PROLOGUE FOR DUMFRIES THEATRE New Year's Day Evening, 1790 Or Sutherland Burns wrote (9th February 1790) to A copy-мs. (B)—in the possession of Mr. Lennox, PROLOGUE Collection. On the 14th January 1790 the piece FOR appeared in The St. James's Chronicle and British Evening DUMFRIES Post, probably sent by Sutherland. THEATRE LINE 8. Not here to preach but tell this simple story,' MS. (A). 9. 'The sage, good Ancient, cough'd and bade me To please you be our task all times and seasons.' SCOTS PROLOGUE FOR MRS. SUTHERLAND FIRST published, not as Scott Douglas states, in Stewart's It has been hitherto designated as for Mr. Sutherland, but that it was for his wife is proved, first by an unpublished letter to Mrs. Dunlop (Lochryan мss.):-'The following is a Prologue I made for his wife' (the Prologue is |