KILMARNOCK POPULAR EDITION. THE COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS OF ROBERT BURNS, ARRANGED IN THE ORDER OF THEIR FIRST PUBLICATION. VOLUME SECOND, CONTAINING ALL HIS POSTHUMOUS PIECES; WITH NEW ANNOTATIONS, BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, &c., WRITTEN EXPRESSLY FOR THE PRESENT WORK BY WILLIAM SCOTT DOUGLAS. "O DEEM not, midst this worldly strife, Let high philosophy control, And sages calm the stream of life; "Tis HE refines its fountain-springs- The nobler passions of the soul."-Campbell. KILMARNOCK: JAMES M'KIE. PREFACE. "Our Poet shewed himself among us with a soul like an Eolian harp, in whose strings the vulgar wind, as it passeth among them, changed itself into articulate melody."-CARLYLE. EACH and all of the Poems and Songs that compose the text of the preceding volume underwent the revising care, and were published under the eye of their author. On the other hand, not one of the productions in the volume now laid before the reader, obtained that advantage,hence the difficulty and increased responsibility of its editorship. Mrs. Maria Riddel, the accomplished and very talented friend of the poet during his latter years, forgetting the unhappy lampoons, which had been produced against her by the Bard under temporary irritation, came generously forward immediately after his death, and published a noble tribute to his memory and his genius. That testimony, from one who had known him so intimately, and could so well appreciate his rare gifts, whether it be considered as a truthful estimate of his personal and mental qualities, |