MOSSGIEL.

1784-(TWENTY-FIVE).

February 13th.—Wilham Burnes died at Lochlea, in his 64th year, his affairs in utter ruin. His sons and two grown-up daughters ranked as creditors of their father for arrears of wages, and raised a little money to stock another farm. This new farm was that of Mossgiel, parish of Mauchline, which had been sub-let to them by Gavin Hamilton, writer (or attorney) in Mauchline. They entered on the farm in March: "Come, go to, I will be wise," resolved the poet, but bad seed and a late harvest deprived them of half their expected crop. Poetry was henceforth to be the only successful vocation of Robert Burns. To this year may be assigned the Epistle to John Rankine (a strain of rich humour, but indelicate), and some minor pieces. In April or May he commenced his acquaintance with "Bonie Jean"Jean Armour-an event which coloured all his future life, imparting to it its brightest lights and its darkest shadows.

1785 (TWENTY-SIX).

In January the Epistle to Davie completed: Death and Doctor Hornbook written about February. Epistles to J. Lapraik, April 1, 21, and September 13. Epistle to W. Simpson in May. The Twa Herds, or the Holy Tulsie: this satire was the first of his poetic offspring that saw the light (excepting some of his songs), and it was received by a certain description of the clergy, as well as laity, with a "roar of applause." Burns had now taken his side with the New Light, or rationalistic section of the church, then in violent antagonism to the Auld Light, or evangelistic party, which comprised the great bulk of the lower and middling classes. To this year belong The Jolly Beggars, Halloween, The Cotter's Saturday Night, Man was made to Mourn, Address to the Deil, To a Mouse, A Winter Night, Holy Willie's Prayer, and The Holy Fair (early MS. in British Museum), Epistle to James Smith, &c.

1786 (TWENTY-SEVEN).

In rapid succession were produced Scotch Drink, The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer, The Twa Dogs, The Ordination, Address to the Unco Guid, To a Mountain Daisy, Epistle to a Young Friend, A Bard's Epitaph, The Lament, Despondency, &c. Such a body of original poetry, written within about twelve months-poetry so natural, forcible, and picturesque, so quaint, sarcastic, humorous, and tender—had unquestionably not appeared since Shakespeare. Misfortunes, however, were gathering round the poet. The farm had proved a failure, and the connexion with Jean Armour brought grief and shame. He gave her a written acknowledgment of marriage, but at the urgent entreaty of her father she consented that this document should be destroyed. The poet was frantic with distress and indignation. He resolved on quitting the country, engaged to go out to Jamaica as book-keeper on

an estate, and to raise money for his passage arranged to publish his poems. Subscription papers were issued in April. In the meantime, in bitter resentment of the perfidy, as he esteemed it, of the unfortunate Jean Armour, he renewed his intimacy with a former love, Mary Campbell, or "Highland Mary," who had been a servant in the family of Gavin Hamilton, and was now dairy-maid at Coilsfield. He proposed marriage to Mary Campbell, was accepted, and Mary left her service and went to her parents in Argyleshire, preliminary to her union with the poet. They parted on the banks of the Ayr, on Sunday, May 14th, exchanging Bibles and vowing eternal fidelity. No more is heard of Mary until after her death, which took place in October of this year. The Poems were published in August, an edition of 600 copies, and were received with enthusiastic applause. The poet cleared about 20/. by the volume, took a passage in the first ship that was to sail from the Clyde (nothing is said of Mary accompanying him), and was preparing to embark, when a letter from Dr. Blacklock, offering encouragement for a second edition, roused his poetic ambition, and led him to try his fortune in Edinburgh. Before starting he made the acquaintance of Mrs. Dunlop, of Dunlop, the most valued and one of the most accomplished of his correspondents.

EDINBURGH.

November 28th, 1786.-Burns reaches the Scottish capital, and instantly becomes the lion of the season. He is courted and caressed by the witty, the fashionable, and the learned-by Dugald Stewart, Harry Erskine, Hugh Blair, Adam Ferguson, Dr. Robertson, Lord Monboddo, Dr. Gregory, Fraser Tytler, Lord Glencairn, Lord Eglinton, Patrick Miller (the ingenious laird of Dalswinton), the fascinating Jane, Duchess of Gordon, Miss Burnet, &c. Henry Mackenzie, the "Man of Feeling," writes a critique on the Poems in the Lounger-the members of the Caledonian Hunt subscribe for a hundred copies of the new edition--and the poet is in a fair way, as he says, of becoming as eminent as Thomas à Kempis or John Bunyan.

1787 - (TWENTY-EIGHT).

Burns applies for and obtains permission to erect a tombstone in Canongate Churchyard over the remains of Fergusson the poet. In April appears the second edition of the Poems, consisting of 3,000 copies, with a list of subscribers prefixed, and a portrait of the poet. In this edition appeared Death and Doctor Hornbook, the Ordination, and Address to the Unco Guid, which were excluded from the first edition, and several new pieces, the best of which are the Brigs of Ayr and Tam Samson's Elegy. On 5th of May the poet sets off on a tour with a young friend, Robert Ainslie, in order to visit the most interesting scenes in the south of Scotland. Crossing the Tweed over Coldstream bridge, Burns knelt down on the English side and poured forth, uncovered, and with strong emotion, the prayer for Scotland contained in the two last stanzas of the Cotter's Saturday Night. June 4th, he was made an honorary burgess of the town of Dumfries, after which he proceeded to

Ayrshire, and arrived at Mauchline on the 9th of June. "It will easily be conceived," says Dr. Currie, "with what pleasure and pride he was received by his mother, his brothers, and sisters. He had left them poor and comparatively friendless; he returned to them high in public estimation, and easy in his circumstances." At this time the poet renewed his intimacy with Jean Armour. Towards the end of the month he made a short Highland tour, in which he visited Loch Lomond and Dumbarton, and returning to Mauchline, we find him (July 25th) presiding as Depute Grand Master of the Tarbolton Mason Lodge, and admitting Professor Dugald Stewart, Mr. Alexander of Ballochmyle, and others, as honorary members of the Lodge. On the 25th of August the poet set off from Edinburgh on a northern tour with William Nicol of the High School. They visited Bannockburn, spent two days at Blair with the Duke of Athole and family, proceeded as far as Inverness, then by way of Elgin, Fochabers (dining with the Duke and Duchess of Gordon), on to Aberdeen, Stonehaven, and Montrose, where he met his relatives the Burneses. Arrived at Edinburgh on the 16th September. In December made the acquaintance of Clarinda, or Mrs. M'Lehose, with whom he kept up a passionate correspondence for about three months. Overset by a drunken coachman, and sent home with a severely bruised knee, which confined him for several weeks. Mr. A. Wood, surgeon "lang sandy Wood," applies to Mr. Graham of Fintry, Commissioner of Excise, and gets Burns's name enrolled among the number of expectant Excise officers. During all this winter the poet zealously assists Mr. James Johnson in his publication, the Scots Musical Museum.

1788-(TWENTY-NINE).

Left Edinburgh for Dumfries to inspect Mr. Miller's lands at Dalswinton. Stopped by the way at Mossgiel, February 23d. Poor Jean Armour, who had again loved not wisely, but too well, was living apart, separated from her parents, and supported by Burns. He visited her the day before his departure for Dumfries (apparently February 24th), and it is painful to find him writing thus to Clarinda—“I this morning, as I came home, called for a certain woman. I am disgusted with her. I cannot endure her. I, while my heart smote me for the profanity, tried to compare her with my Clarinda; 'twas setting the expiring glimmer of a farthing taper beside the cloudless glory of the meridian sun. Here was tasteless insipidity, vulgarity of soul, and mercenary fawning; there, polished good sense, Heaven-born genius, and the most generous, the most delicate, the most tender passion. I have done with her, and she with me.' In less than two months they were married! In this, as in the Highland Mary episode, Burns's mobility, or “excessive susceptibility of immediate impressions" + seems something marvellous, and more akin to the French than the Scotch character. Returned to Edinburgh in March, and on the 13th took a lease of the farm of Ellisland, on the *From the original, published in Banffshire Journal.

So defined by Byron, who was himself a victim to this "unhappy attribute." See "Don Juan," canto xvi. 97.

banks of the Nith. On the 19th settled with Creech, the profits from the Edinburgh edition and copyright being about 500/., of which the poet gave 180l. to his brother Gilbert, as a loan, to enable him to continue (with the family) at Mossgiel. In the latter end of April Burns was privately married to Jean Armour, and shortly afterwards wrote on her his two charming songs Of a' the airts the wind can blaw and O, were I on Parnassus hill!

ELLISLAND.

In June the poet went to reside on his farm, his wife remaining at Mauchline until a new house should be built at Ellisland. Formed the acquaintance of Captain Riddel of Glenriddel, a gentleman of literary and antiquarian tastes, who resided at Friars Carse, within a mile of Ellisland. On 28th June wrote Verses in Friars Carse Hermitage. August 5th, the poet at Mauchline made public acknowledgment of his marriage before the Kirk Session, at the same time giving “a guinea note for behoof of the poor." In December conducted Mrs. Burns to the banks of the Nith. I hae a wife o' my ain!

1789—(THIRTY).

Visited Edinburgh in February, and received about 50/. more of copyright money from Creech. August 18, son born to the poet, named Francis Wallace. About the same time received appointment to the Excise. October 16, the great bacchanalian contest for the Whistle took place at Friars Carse in presence of the poet. On the 20th of October (as calculated, and indeed proved by Mr. Chambers) the sublime and affecting lyric, To Mary in Heaven, was composed. Met Grose the antiquary at Friars Carse, and afterwards wrote the humorous poem On Captain Grose's Peregrinations. In December was written the election ballad The Five Carlines.

1790 (THIRTY-ONE).

January 11.-Writes to Gilbert that his farm is a ruinous affair. On the 14th, addressing his friend Mr. Dunbar, W.S. relative to his Excise appointment, he says: "I found it a very convenient business to have 50l. per annum; nor have I yet felt any of those mortifying circumstances in it I was led to fear." The duties were hard; he had to ride at least 200 miles every week, but he still contributed largely to the Scots Musical Museum, wrote the elegy On Captain Matthew Henderson (one of the most exquisite of the poet's productions), and in autumn produced Tam O'Shanter, by universal assent the crowning glory and masterpiece of its author.

1791-(THIRTY-TWO).

In February wrote Lament of Mary Queen of Scots, and Lament for James Earl of Glencairn. In March had his right arm broken by the fall of his horse, and

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was for some weeks disabled from writing. In this month also occurred an event which probably caused deeper pain than the broken arm. First, as Mr. Chambers says, we have a poor girl lost to the reputable world ;" (this was Anna with the gowden locks," niece to the hostess of the Globe Tavern ;) “next we have Burns seeking an asylum for a helpless infant at his brother's; then a magnanimous wife interposing with the almost romantically generous offer to become herself its nurse and guardian.' April 9, a third son born to the poet, and named William Nicol. At the close of the month the poet sold his crop at Ellisland, "and sold it well.” Declined to attend the crowning of Thomson's bust at Ednam, but wrote verses for the occasion. In November made a short visit—his last—to Edinburgh, and shortly afterwards wrote his inimitable farewell to Clarinda, Ae fond kiss and then The fourth stanza of this song Sir Walter Scott said contained "the essence of a thousand love tales."

we sever.

DUMFRIES.

At Martinmas (Nov. 11) the poet having disposed of his stock and other effects at Ellisland, and surrendered the lease of the farm to Mr. Miller the proprietor, removed with his family to the town of Dumfries. He occupied for a year and a half three rooms of a second floor on the north side of Bank Street (then called the Wee Vennel). On taking up his residence in the town, Burns was well received by the higher class of inhabitants and the neighbouring gentry. One of the most accomplished of the latter was Mrs. Walter Riddel (née Maria Woodley), then aged only about eighteen. This lady, with her husband, a brother of Captain Riddel of Glenriddel, lived on a small estate about four miles from Dumfries, which in compliment to the lady they called Woodley Park (now Goldielea).

1792—(THIRTY-THREE).

February 27.-Burns behaved gallantly in seizing and boarding a smuggling brig in the Solway. The vessel, with her arms and stores, was sold by auction in Dumfries, and Burns purchased four carronades or small guns, for which he paid 3. These he sent, with a letter, to the French Convention, but they were retained at Dover by the Custom-house authorities. This circumstance is supposed to have drawn on the poet the notice of his jealous superiors. He warmly sympathised with the French people in their struggle against despotism, and the Board of Excise ordered an inquiry into the poet's political conduct, though it is doubtful whether any reprimand was ever given him. In September Mr. George Thomson, Edinburgh, commenced his publication of national songs and melodies, and Burns

* Mrs. Burns was much attached to the child, who remained with her till she was seventeen years of age, when she married a soldier, John Thomson of the Stirling Militia. She is still living, and strongly resembles her father. Poor Anna the mother felt deeply the disgrace; she, however, made a decent marriage in Leith, but died comparatively young, without any family by her husband.