DEDICATION

Of the Second Edition of the Poems formerly printed.

TO THE

NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN

OF THE

CALEDONIAN HUNT.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

A SCOTTISH Bard, proud of the name, and whose highest ambition is to sing in his Country's service—where shall he so properly look for patronage as to the illustrious names of his native land; those who bear the honours and inherit the virtues of their ancestors? The Poetic Genius of my Country found me, as the prophetic bard Elijah did Elisha-at the PLOUGH; and threw her inspiring mantle over me. She bade me sing the loves, the joys, the rural scenes and rural pleasures of my native soil, in my native tongue: I tuned my wild, artless notes, as she inspired. She whispered me to come to this ancient Metropolis of Caledonia, and lay my Songs under your honoured protection: I now obey her dictates.

Though much indebted to your goodness, I do not approach you, my Lords and Gentlemen, in the usual style of dedication, to thank you for past favours: that path

VOL. III.

b

is

is so hackneyed by prostituted learning, that honest rusti-
city is ashamed of it. Nor do I present this Address with
the venal soul of a servile Author, looking for a conti-
nuation of those favours: I was bred to the plough, and
am independent. I come to claim the common Scottish
name with you, my illustrious Countrymen; and to tell
the world that I glory in the title. I come to congratu-
late my Country, that the blood of her ancient Heroes
still runs uncontaminated: and that from your courage,
knowledge, and public spirit, she may expect protection,
wealth, and liberty. In the last place, I come to proffer
my warmest wishes to the Great Fountain of Honour, the
Monarch of the Universe, for your welfare and happiness.

When you go forth to waken the Echoes, in the an-

cient and favourite amusement of your Forefathers, may

Pleasure ever be of your party; and may social Joy

await your return! When harassed in courts or camps

with the justlings of bad men and bad measures, may the

honest consciousness of injured Worth attend your return

to your native seats; and may Domestic Happiness, with

a smiling welcome meet you at your gates! May cor-

ruption shrink at your kindling indignant glance, and

may Tyranny in the Ruler, and Licentiousness in the

People, equally find you an inexorable foe!

I have the honour to be,

With the sincerest gratitude, and highest respect,

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Your most devoted, humble servant,

ROBERT BURNS.

EDINBURGH,

April 4th, 1787.

CONTENTS

The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer to the Scotch

Representatives in the House of Commons

The Holy Fair

Death and Dr. Hornbook

The Brigs of Ayr

The Ordination.

The Calf

Address to the Deil

The Death and Dying Words of Poor Mailie

Poor Mailie's Elegy

To J. Smith

Address to the Unco Guid, or the Rigidly Righteous 113

A Dream

The Vision

Tam Samson's Elegy

117

Halloween

124

Page

To a Mountain Daisy :

202

To Ruin

205

To Miss Logan, with Beattie's Poems, for a New-

To the Same

On a Scotch Bard gone to the West Indies

To a Haggis

A Dedication to Gavin Hamilton, Esq.

To a Louse, on seeing one on a Lady's Bonnet at

Church

Address to Edinburgh

Epistle to J. Lapraik, an old Scottish Bard

Epistle to W. Simpson, Ochiltree

Epistle to J. Rankine, inclosing some Poems

Written in Friar's Carse Hermitage.

Ode to the Memory of Mrs.

of

Elegy on Captain Matthew Henderson

268

Lines sent to Sir John Whitefoord with the foregoing

Poem

288

Tam o' Shanter. A Tale

289

On seeing a wounded Hare a fellow had shot at

Address to the Shade of Thomson

Epitaph on a celebrated Ruling Elder

on a noisy Polemic

for the Author's Father

303

304

ibid.

ibid.

305

ibid.

306

On Captain Grose's Peregrinations

To Miss Cruikshanks

On the Death of John M'Leod.

Humble Petition of Bruar Water

On scaring some Water-fowl.

Written at the Inn at Taymouth

at the Fall of Fyers

On the Birth of a Posthumous Child

Second Epistle to Davie, a Brother Poet

308

Address to Mr. William Tytler

To a Gentleman who had sent a Newspaper, and

offered to continue it

On Pastoral Poetry.

New Year's Day

Extempore on the late Mr. W. Smellie

Inscription for an Altar to Independence

On the Death of Robert Riddel, Esq.

On a Lady famed for her Caprice

Answer to a Surveyor's Mandate

Impromptu on Mrs.

To Miss Jessy Lewars.

On a Thrush

Extempore to Mr. S**e

To Mr. Mitchell

-'s Birth Day

To a Gentleman whom he had offended

On Life, addressed to Col. De Peyster

Address to the Tooth-ache

To R. Graham, Esq. on receiving a Favor

Epitaph on a Friend

A Grace before Dinner

On Sensibility, to Mrs. Dunlop.

Page

336

539

341

344

347

348

On taking Leave at a Place in the Highlands

The Toast

Epitaph on Miss Jessy Lewars

On her Recovery

Lines to the same

Epitaph for Mr. Gabriel Richardson

Lines written on a Bank Note

APPENDIX, containing some particulars of the His-

tory of the Poems in this Volume, by GILBERT

BURNS.