Song-Robert Bruce's March to Bannockburn Song-Behold the hour, etc. (Second Version) Song-Down the Burn, Davie love Song-Thou hast left me ever, Jamie Song-Where are the Joys I have met Song-Deluded swain, the pleasure Song Thine am I, my faithful Fair Impromptu on Mrs. Riddell's Birthday Address spoken by Miss Fontenelle Complimentary Epigram to Mrs. Riddell 1794 Monody on a Lady, famed for her Caprice Epitaph on the same Epitaph on Wm. Graham, Esq., of Mossknowe Epitaph on John Busby, Esq., Tinwald Downs Sonnet on the Death of Robert Riddell Song-The Lovely Lass o' Inverness Epigram on the same Laird's Country Seat. Epigram on Dr. Babington's looks Epigram on a Swearing Coxcomb. Song-Behold, my love, how green the groves Song The charming month of May. Song-Lassie wi' the Lint-white Locks Dialogue Song-Philly and Willy Song Contented wi' little, and cantie wi' mair Song-Farewell thou stream that winding flows Song-Craigieburn Wood (Second Version) The Solemn League and Covenant Lines to John Syme, Esq., with a dozen of Porter Inscription on Mr. Syme's crystal goblet Apology to Mr. Syme for not dining with him. Epitaph for Mr. Gabriel Richardson, Brewer Epigram on Mr. James Gracie Song-Bonie Peg-a-Ramsay Inscription at Friars' Carse Hermitage Song-O aye my wife she dang me Song-Guid ale keeps the heart aboon Song-Steer her up and haud her gaun Song O let me in this ae night Song-I'll aye ca' in by yon town Song-O wat ye wha's in yon town Ballad on Mr. Heron's Election-No. 1 Ballad on Mr. Heron's Election-No. 2 Ballad on Mr. Heron's Election-No. 3 INTRODUCTORY NOTE ROBERT BURNS was born near Ayr, Scotland, 25th of January, 1759. He was the son of William Burnes, or Burness, at the time of the poet's birth a nurseryman on the banks of the Doon in Ayrshire. His father, though always extremely poor, attempted to give his children a fair education, and Robert, who was the eldest, went to school for three years in a neighboring village, and later, for shorter periods, to three other schools in the vicinity. But it was to his father and to his own reading that he owed the more important part of his education; and by the time that he had reached manhood he had a good knowledge of English, a reading knowledge of French, and a fairly wide acquaintance with the masterpieces of English literature from the time of Shakespeare to his own day. In 1766 William Burness rented on borrowed money the farm of Mount Oliphant, and in taking his share in the effort to make this undertaking succeed, the future poet seems to have seriously overstrained his physique. In 1771 the family moved to Lochlea, and Burns went to the neighboring town of Irvine to learn flax-dressing. The only result of this experiment, however, was the formation of an acquaintance with a dissipated sailor, whom he afterward blamed as the prompter of his first licentious adventures. His father died in 1784, and with his brother Gilbert the poet rented the farm of Mossgiel; but this venture was as unsuccessful as the others. He had meantime formed an irregular intimacy with Jean Armour, for which he was censured by the Kirk-session. As a result of his farming misfortunes, and the attempts of his father-in-law to overthrow his irregular marriage with Jean, he resolved to emigrate; and in order to raise money for the passage he published (Kilmarnock, 1786) a volume of the poem's which he had been composing from time to time for some years. This volume was unexpectedly successful, so that, instead of sailing for the West Indies, he went up to Edinburgh, and during that winter he was the chief literary celebrity of the season. An enlarged edition of his poems was published there in 1787, and the money derived from this enabled him to aid his brother in Mossgiel, and to take and stock for himself the farm of Ellisland in |
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