TO DR. BLACKLOCK. Burns had written a letter about the late changes in his circumstances to his venerable friend Blacklock, and intrusted it to Robert Heron, a young scion of the church connected with the south-western district of Scotland, and who was now beginning to busy himself with literary speculations. Heron had proved a faithless messenger, and Blacklock had addressed Burns a rhyming letter of kind inquiries: to which Burns replied as follows. ELLISLAND, 21st Oct., 1789. Wow, but your letter made me vauntie! elated And are ye hale, and weel, and cantie? merry I kenned it still your wee bit jauntie, Wad bring ye to: Lord send you aye as weel's I want ye, The ill-thief blaw the Heron south! devil I lippened to the chield in trouth, trusted And bade nae better. desired But aiblins honest Master Heron perhaps Had at the time some dainty fair one, To ware his theologic care on, And holy study; spend And tired o' sauls to waste his lear on, learning E'en tried the body. But what d'ye think, my trusty fier? Ye'll now disdain me! And then my fifty pounds a year Ye glaiket, gleesome, dainty damies, Lowp, sing, and lave your pretty limbies, That strang Necessity supreme is ’Mang sons o men. I hae a wife and twa wee laddies, duddies; comrade giddy winding leap pottage suits of clothes Ye ken yoursels my heart right proud is I need na vaunt, But I'll sned besoms thraw saugh woodies,1 Before they want. 1 Cut birches for brooms, and twist willow twigs to bind them. Woodies two or three willow twigs twisted to Lord, help me through this warld o' care! I'm weary sick o't late and air! Not but I hae a richer share Than monie ithers; But why should ae man better fare, Come, firm Resolve, take thou the van, And let us mind, faint heart ne'er wan Wha does the utmost that he can, early Will whyles do mair. sometimes But to conclude my silly rhyme To weans and wife, That's the true pathos and sublime My compliments to Sister Beckie, little ones gether, used for binding the end of a broom or birch besom." Dr. Jamieson. 1 The male hemp, that which bears the seed; "Ye have a stalk o' carl-hemp in you," is a Scotch proverb. - Kelly. 2 Chuckie, a familiar term for a hen, transferred endearingly to a matron of the human species. As e'er tread clay! And gratefully, my guid auld cockie, ROBERT BUrns. ON CAPTAIN GROSE'S PEREGRINATIONS THROUGH SCOTLAND, COLLECTING THE ANTIQUITIES OF THAT KINGDOM. Francis Grose was a broken-down English gentleman who, under the impulse of poverty, had been induced to exercise considerable literary and artistic talents for the benefit of the public. A large work on the Antiquities of England had been completed some years ago. He had also produced a treatise on Arms and Armour, another on Military Antiquities, and several minor works. The genius and social spirit of the man were scarcely more remarkable than his personal figure, which was ludicrously squat and obese. Grose having made an inroad into Scotland, for the purpose of sketching and chronicling its antiquities, Burns met him at Friars' Carse, and was greatly amused by his aspect and conversation. The comic Muse also caught at the antiquarian enthusiasm as a proper subject. HEAR, Land o' Cakes, and brither Scots, 1 1 Maidenkirk is an inversion of the name of Kirkmaiden, in Wigtonshire, the most southerly parish in Scotland. If there's a hole in a' your coats, I rede you tent it: advise give heed to A chiel's amang you taking notes, And, faith, he'll prent it. If in your bounds ye chance to light O' stature short, but genius bright, That's he, mark weel — And wow! he has an unco slight O'cauk and keel.1 plump knack By some auld houlet-haunted biggin, owl — building Or kirk deserted by its riggin', It's ten to ane ye'll find him snug in Some eldritch part, Wi' deils, they say, Lord save's! colleaguin' At some black art. roof elfish Ilk ghaist that haunts auld ha' or chaumer, chamber Ye gipsy-gang that' deal in glamour, necromancy And you deep-read in hell's black grammar, Ye'll quake at his conjuring hammer, Ye midnight bitches. It's tauld he was a sodger bred, But now he's quat the spurtle blade,2 1 Chalk and red or black lead-pencil. fallen 2 A spurtle is a stick with which pottage, gruel, etc., are stirred when boiling; used here like "toasting-iron.” |