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Title: Poems And Songs Of Robert Burns

Author: Robert Burns

Release Date: January 25, 2005 [EBook #1279]

Language: English


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POEMS AND SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS


by Robert Burns





Introductory Note

1771 - 1779

Song--Handsome Nell
Song--O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day
Song--I Dream'd I Lay
Song--I Dream'd I Lay
Song--In The Character Of A Ruined Farmer
Tragic Fragment--All villain as I am
The Tarbolton Lasses
Ah, Woe Is Me, My Mother Dear
Song--Montgomerie's Peggy
The Ploughman's Life

1780

The Ronalds Of The Bennals
Song--Here's To Thy Health
Song--The Lass Of Cessnock Banks
Song--Bonie Peggy Alison
Song--Mary Morison

1781

Winter: A Dirge
A Prayer, Under The Pressure Of Violent Anguish
Paraphrase Of The First Psalm
The First Six Verses Of The Ninetieth Psalm Versified
Prayer, In The Prospect Of Death
Stanzas, On The Same Occasion

1782
Fickle Fortune: A Fragment
Song--Raging Fortune--Fragment Of
I'll Go And Be A Sodger
Song--"No Churchman Am I"
My Father Was A Farmer
John Barleycorn: A Ballad

1783

Death And Dying Words Of Poor Mailie
Poor Mailie's Elegy
Song--The Rigs O' Barley
Song Composed In August
Song--My Nanie, O!
Song--Green Grow The Rashes
Song--Wha Is That At My Bower-Door

1784

Remorse: A Fragment
Epitaph On Wm. Hood, Senr. , In Tarbolton
Epitaph On James Grieve, Laird Of Boghead, Tarbolton
Epitaph On My Own Friend And My Father's Friend, Wm. Muir In Tarbolton
Mill
Epitaph On My Ever Honoured Father
Ballad On The American War
Reply To An Announcement By J. Rankine
Epistle To John Rankine
A Poet's Welcome To His Love-Begotten Daughter^1
Song--O Leave Novels!
The Mauchline Lady: A Fragment
My Girl She's Airy: A Fragment
The Belles Of Mauchline
Epitaph On A Noisy Polemic
Epitaph On A Henpecked Country Squire
Epigram On The Said Occasion
Another On The said Occasion
On Tam The Chapman
Epitaph On John Rankine
Lines On The Author's Death
Man Was Made To Mourn: A Dirge
The Twa Herds; Or, The Holy Tulyie

1785

Epistle To Davie, A Brother Poet
Holy Willie's Prayer
Epitaph On Holy Willie
Death and Doctor Hornbook
Epistle To J. Lapraik, An Old Scottish Bard
Second Epistle To J. Lapraik
Epistle To William Simson
One Night As I Did Wander
Tho' Cruel Fate Should Bid Us Part
Song--Rantin', Rovin' Robin
Elegy On The Death Of Robert Ruisseaux
Epistle To John Goldie, In Kilmarnock
The Holy Fair
Third Epistle To J. Lapraik
Epistle To The Rev. John M'math
Second Epistle to Davie
Song--Young Peggy Blooms
Song--Farewell To Ballochmyle
Fragment--Her Flowing Locks
Halloween
To A Mouse
Epitaph On John Dove, Innkeeper
Epitaph For James Smith
Adam Armour's Prayer
The Jolly Beggars: A Cantata
Song--For A' That
Song--Merry Hae I Been Teethin A Heckle
The Cotter's Saturday Night
Address To The Deil
Scotch Drink

1786

The Auld Farmer's New-Year--Morning Salutation To His Auld Mare,
Maggie
The Twa Dogs
The Author's Earnest Cry And Prayer
The Ordination
Epistle To James Smith
The Vision
Suppressed Stanza's Of "The Vision"
The Rantin' Dog, The Daddie O't
Here's His Health In Water
Address To The Unco Guid, Or The Rigidly Righteous
The Inventory
To John Kennedy, Dumfries House
To Mr. M'Adam, Of Craigen-Gillan
To A Louse
Inscribed On A Work Of Hannah More's
Song, Composed In Spring
To A Mountain Daisy,
To Ruin
The Lament
Despondency: An Ode
To Gavin Hamilton, Esq. , Mauchline, Recommending a Boy.
Versified Reply To An Invitation
Song--Will Ye Go To The Indies, My Mary?
My Highland Lassie, O
Epistle To A Young Friend
Address Of Beelzebub
A Dream
A Dedication To Gavin Hamilton, Esq.
Versified Note To Dr. Mackenzie, Mauchline
The Farewell To the Brethren of St. James' Lodge, Tarbolton.
On A Scotch Bard, Gone To The West Indies
Song--Farewell To Eliza
A Bard's Epitaph
Epitaph For Robert Aiken, Esq.
Epitaph For Gavin Hamilton, Esq.
Epitaph On "Wee Johnie"
The Lass O' Ballochmyle
Lines To An Old Sweetheart
Motto Prefixed To The Author's First Publication
Lines To Mr. John Kennedy
Lines Written On A Banknote
Stanzas On Naething
The Farewell
The Calf
Nature's Law--A Poem
Song--Willie Chalmers
Reply To A Trimming Epistle Received From A Tailor
The Brigs Of Ayr
Fragment Of Song
Epigram On Rough Roads
Prayer--O Thou Dread Power
Song--Farewell To The Banks Of Ayr
Address To The Toothache
Lines On Meeting With Lord Daer
Masonic Song
Tam Samson's Elegy
Epistle To Major Logan
Fragment On Sensibility
A Winter Night
Song--Yon Wild Mossy Mountains
Address To Edinburgh
Address To A Haggis

1787

To Miss Logan, With Beattie's Poems, For A New-Year's Gift, Jan. 1,
1787.
Mr. William Smellie--A Sketch
Rattlin', Roarin' Willie
Song--Bonie Dundee
Extempore In The Court Of Session
Inscribed Under Fergusson's Portrait
Epistle To Mrs. Scott of Wauchope-House
Verses Intended To Be Written Below A Noble Earl's Picture^1
Prologue, Spoken by Mr. Woods at Edinburgh.
Song--The Bonie Moor-Hen
Song--My Lord A-Hunting he is gane
Epigram At Roslin Inn
The Book-Worms
On Elphinstone's Translation Of Martial's Epigrams
Song--A Bottle And Friend
Lines Written Under The Picture Of The Celebrated Miss Burns
Epitaph For William Nicol, Of The High School, Edinburgh
Epitaph For Mr. William Michie
Boat song--Hey, Ca' Thro'
Address To Wm. Tytler, Esq. , Of Woodhouselee
Epigram To Miss Ainslie In Church
Burlesque Lament For The Absence Of William Creech' s Absence
Note To Mr. Renton Of Lamerton
Elegy On "Stella"
The Bard At Inverary
Epigram To Miss Jean Scott
On The Death Of John M'Leod, Esq,
Elegy On The Death Of Sir James Hunter Blair
Impromptu On Carron Iron Works
To Miss Ferrier
Written By Somebody On The Window Of an Inn at Stirling
The Poet's Reply To The Threat Of A Censorious Critic
The Libeller's Self-Reproof
Verses Written With A Pencil at the Inn at Kenmore
Song--The Birks Of Aberfeldy
The Humble Petition Of Bruar Water
Lines On The Fall Of Fyers Near Loch-Ness.
Epigram On Parting With A Kind Host In The Highlands
Song--Strathallan's Lament
Verses on Castle Gordon
Song--Lady Onlie, Honest Lucky
Song--Theniel Menzies' Bonie Mary
The Bonie Lass Of Albany
On Scaring Some Water-Fowl In Loch-Turit
Song--Blythe Was She
Song--A Rose--Bud By My Early Walk
Epitaph For Mr. W. Cruikshank
Song--The Banks Of The Devon

Song--Braving Angry Winter's Storms
Song--My Peggy's Charms
Song--The Young Highland Rover
Birthday Ode For 31st December, 1787^1
On The Death Of Robert Dundas, Esq. , Of Arniston,
Sylvander To Clarinda

1788
Song--Love In The Guise Of Friendship
Song--Go On, Sweet Bird, And Sooth My Care
Song--Clarinda, Mistress Of My Soul
Song--I'm O'er Young To Marry Yet
Song--To The Weavers Gin Ye Go
Song--M'Pherson's Farewell
Song--Stay My Charmer
Song--My Hoggie
Song--Raving Winds Around Her Blowing
Song--Up In The Morning Early
Song--How Long And Dreary Is The Night
Song--Hey, The Dusty Miller
Song--Duncan Davison
Song--The Lad They Ca'Jumpin John
Song--Talk Of Him That's Far Awa
Song--To Daunton Me
Song--The Winter It Is Past
Song--The Bonie Lad That's Far Awa
Verses To Clarinda, with Drinking Glasses
Song--The Chevalier's Lament
Epistle To Hugh Parker
Song--Of A' The Airts The Wind Can Blaw
Song--I Hae a Wife O' My Ain
Lines Written In Friars'-Carse Hermitage
To Alex. Cunningham, ESQ. , Writer, Edinburgh
Song. --Anna, Thy Charms
The Fete Champetre
Epistle To Robert Graham, Esq. , Of Fintry
Song. --The Day Returns
Song. --O, Were I On Parnassus Hill
A Mother's Lament
Song--The Fall Of The Leaf
Song--I Reign In Jeanie's Bosom
Song--It Is Na, Jean, Thy Bonie Face
Song--Auld Lang Syne
Song--My Bonie Mary
Verses On Aa Parting Kiss
Written In Friars Carse Hermitage (Second Version)
The Poet's Progress
Elegy On The Year 1788
The Henpecked Husband
Versicles On Sign-Posts

1789

Robin Shure In Hairst
Ode, Sacred To The Memory Of Mrs. Oswald Of Auchencruive
Pegasus At Wanlockhead
Sappho Redivivus--A Fragment
Song--She's Fair And Fause
Impromptu Lines To Captain Riddell
Lines To John M'Murdo, Esq. Of Drumlanrig
Rhyming Reply To A Note From Captain Riddell
Caledonia--A Ballad
Verses To Miss Cruickshank
Beware O' Bonie Ann
Ode On The Departed Regency Bill
Epistle To James Tennant Of Glenconner
A New Psalm For The Chapel Of Kilmarnock
Sketch In Verse Inscribed to the Right Hon. C. J. Fox.
The Wounded Hare
Delia, An Ode
Song--The Gard'ner Wi' His Paidle
Song--On A Bank Of Flowers
Song--Young Jockie Was The Blythest Lad
Song--The Banks Of Nith
Song--Jamie, Come Try Me
Song--I Love My Love In Secret
Song--Sweet Tibbie Dunbar
Song--The Captain's Lady
Song--John Anderson, My Jo
Song--My Love, She's But A Lassie Yet
Song--Tam Glen
Song--Carle, An The King Come
Song--The Laddie's Dear Sel'
Song--Whistle O'er The Lave O't
Song--My Eppie Adair
On The Late Captain Grose's Peregrinations Thro' Scotland
Epigram On Francis Grose The Antiquary
The Kirk Of Scotland's Alarm
Sonnet to Robert Graham, Esq. , On Receiving A Favour
Extemporaneous Effusion On being appointed to an Excise division.
Song--Willie Brew'd A Peck O' Maut^1
Song--Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes
Song--I Gaed A Waefu' Gate Yestreen
Song--Highland Harry Back Again
Song--The Battle Of Sherramuir
Song--The Braes O' Killiecrankie
Song--Awa' Whigs, Awa'
Song--A Waukrife Minnie
Song--The Captive Ribband
Song--My Heart's In The Highlands
The Whistle--A Ballad
Song--To Mary In Heaven
Epistle To Dr. Blacklock
The Five Carlins
Election Ballad For Westerha'
Prologue Spoken At The Theatre Of Dumfries

1790

Sketch--New Year's Day [1790]
Scots' Prologue For Mr. Sutherland
Lines To A Gentleman,
Elegy On Willie Nicol's Mare
Song--The Gowden Locks Of Anna
Song--I Murder Hate
Song--Gudewife, Count The Lawin
Election Ballad At the close of the contest
for representing the Dumfries Burghs, 1790.
Elegy On Captain Matthew Henderson
The Epitaphon Captain Matthew Henderson
Verses On Captain Grose
Tam O' Shanter: A Tale
On The Birth Of A Posthumous Child
Elegy On The Late Miss Burnet Of Monboddo

1791

Lament Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, On The Approach Of Spring
There'll Never Be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame
Song--Out Over The Forth
The Banks O' Doon (First Version)
The Banks O' Doon (Second Version)
The Banks O' Doon (Third Version)
Lament For James, Earl Of Glencairn
Lines Sent To Sir John Whiteford, Bart
Song--Craigieburn Wood
Song--The Bonie Wee Thing
Epigram On Miss Davies
Song--The Charms Of Lovely Davies
Song--What Can A Young Lassie Do Wi' An Auld Man
Song--The Posie
On Glenriddell's Fox Breaking His Chain
Poem On Pastoral Poetry
Verses On The Destruction Of The Woods Near Drumlanrig
Song--The Gallant Weaver
Epigram At Brownhill Inn^1
Song--You're Welcome, Willie Stewart
Song--Lovely Polly Stewart
Song--Fragment,--Damon And Sylvia
Song--Fragment--Johnie Lad, Cock Up Your Beaver
Song--My Eppie Macnab
Song--Fragment--Altho' He Has Left Me
Song--O For Ane An' Twenty, Tam
Song--Thou Fair Eliza
Song--My Bonie Bell
Song--Sweet Afton
Address To The Shade Of Thomson
Song--Nithsdale's Welcome Hame
Song--Frae The Friends And Land I Love
Song--Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation
Song--Ye Jacobites By Name
Song--I Hae Been At Crookieden
Epistle To John Maxwell, ESQ. , Of Terraughty
Second Epistle To Robert Graham, ESQ. , Of Fintry
The Song Of Death
Poem On Sensibility
Epigram--The Toadeater
Epigram--Divine Service In The Kirk Of Lamington
Epigram--The Keekin'-Glass
A Grace Before Dinner
A Grace After Dinner
Song--O May, Thy Morn
Song--Ae Fond Kiss, And Then We Sever
Song--Behold The Hour, The Boat, Arrive
Song--Thou Gloomy December
Song--My Native Land Sae Far Awa

1792

Song--I do Confess Thou Art Sae Fair
Lines On Fergusson, The Poet
Song--The Weary Pund O' Tow
Song--When She Cam' Ben She Bobbed
Song--Scroggam, My Dearie
Song--My Collier Laddie
Song--Sic A Wife As Willie Had
Song--Lady Mary Ann
Song--Kellyburn Braes
Song--The Slave's Lament
Song--O Can Ye Labour Lea?
Song--The Deuks Dang O'er My Daddie
Song--The Deil's Awa Wi' The Exciseman
Song--The Country Lass
Song--Bessy And Her Spinnin' Wheel
Song--Fragment--Love For Love
Song--Saw Ye Bonie Lesley
Song--Fragment Of Song
Song--I'll Meet Thee On The Lea Rig
Song--My Wife's A Winsome Wee Thing
Song--Highland Mary
Song--Auld Rob Morris
The Rights Of Woman--Spoken by Miss Fontenelle
Epigram On Miss Fontenelle
Extempore On Some Commemorations Of Thomson
Song--Duncan Gray
Song--A Health To Them That's Awa
A Tippling Ballad--When Princes and Prelates

1793

Song--Poortith Cauld And Restless Love
Epigram On Politics
Song--Braw Lads O' Galla Water
Sonnet Written On The Author's Birthday,
Song--Wandering Willie
Wandering Willie (Revised Version)
Lord Gregory: A Ballad
Song--Open The Door To Me, Oh
Song--Lovely Young Jessie
Song--Meg O' The Mill
Song--Meg O' The Mill (Another Version)
The Soldier's Return: A Ballad
Epigram--The True Loyal Natives
Epigram--On Commissary Goldie's Brains
Lines Inscribed In A Lady's Pocket Almanac
Epigram--Thanksgiving For A National Victory
Epigram--The Raptures Of Folly
Epigram--Kirk and State Excisemen
Extempore Reply To An Invitation
A Grace After Meat
Grace Before And After Meat
Impromptu On General Dumourier's Desertion From The French Republican
Army
Song--The Last Time I Came O'er The Moor
Song--Logan Braes
Song--Blythe Hae I been On Yon Hill
Song--O Were My Love Yon Lilac Fair
Bonie Jean--A Ballad
Lines On John M'Murdo, ESQ.
Epitaph On A Lap-Dog
Epigrams Against The Earl Of Galloway
Epigram On The Laird Of Laggan
Song--Phillis The Fair
Song--Had I A Cave
Song. --By Allan Stream
Song--Whistle, And I'll Come To You, My Lad
Song--Phillis The Queen O' The Fair
Song--Come, Let Me Take Thee To My Breast
Song--Dainty Davie
Song--Robert Bruce's March To Bannockburn
Song--Behold The Hour, The Boat Arrive
Song--Down The Burn, Davie
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
Song--My Spouse Nancy
Address Spoken by Miss Fontenelle
Complimentary Epigram On Maria Riddell

1794

Remorseful Apology
Song--Wilt Thou Be My Dearie?
Song--A Fiddler In The North
The Minstrel At Lincluden
A Vision
Song--A Red, Red Rose
Song--Young Jamie, Pride Of A' The Plain
Song--The Flowery Banks Of Cree
Monody On a lady famed for her Caprice.
The Epitaph On the Same
Epigram Pinned To Mrs. Walter Riddell's Carriage
Epitaph For Mr. Walter Riddell
Epistle From Esopus To Maria
Epitaph On A Noted Coxcomb
Epitaph On Capt. Lascelles
Epitaph On Wm. Graham, Esq. , Of Mossknowe
Epitaph On John Bushby, Esq. , Tinwald Downs
Sonnet On The Death Of Robert Riddell
Song--The Lovely Lass O' Inverness
Song--Charlie, He's My Darling
Song--Bannocks O' Bear Meal
Song--The Highland Balou
The Highland Widow's Lament
Song--It Was A' For Our Rightfu' King
Ode For General Washington's Birthday
Inscription To Miss Graham Of Fintry
Song--On The Seas And Far Away
Song--Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes
Song--She Says She Loes Me Best Of A'
Epigram--On Miss Jessy Staig's recovery.
To The Beautiful Miss Eliza J-N On her Principles of Liberty and
Equality.
On Chloris Requesting me to give her a Spring of Blossomed Thorn.
On Seeing Mrs. Kemble In Yarico
Epigram On A Country Laird (Cardoness)
Epigram on the Same Laird's Country Seat
Epigram on Dr. Babinton's Looks
Epigram On A Suicide
Epigram On A Swearing Coxcomb
Epigram On An Innkeeper Nicknamed (The Marquis)
Epigram On Andrew Turner
Song--Pretty Peg
Esteem For Chloris
Song--Saw Ye My Dear, My Philly
Song--How Lang And Dreary Is The Night
Song--Inconstancy In Love
The Lover's Morning Salute To His Mistress
Song--The Winter Of Life
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
Song--Canst Thou Leave Me Thus, My Katie
Song--My Nanie's Awa
Song--The Tear-Drop--Wae is my heart
Song--For The Sake O' Somebody

1795

Song--A Man's A Man For A' That
The Solemn League And Covenant
Lines to John Syme 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
Epigram On Mr. James Gracie
Song--Bonie Peg-a-Ramsay
Inscription At Friars' Carse Hermitage
Song--Fragment--There Was A Bonie Lass
Song--Fragment--Wee Willie Gray
Song--O Aye My Wife She Dang Me
Song--Gude Ale Keeps The Heart Aboon
Song--O Steer Her Up An' Haud Her Gaun
Song--The Lass O' Ecclefechan
Song--O Let Me In Thes Ae Night
Song--I'll Aye Ca' In By Yon Town
Ballads on Mr. Heron's Election--Ballad First
Ballads on Mr. Heron's Election--Ballad Second
Ballads on Mr. Heron's Election--Ballad Third
Inscription For An Altar Of Independence
Song--The Cardin O't, The Spinnin O't
Song--The Cooper O' Cuddy
Song--The Lass That Made The Bed To Me
Song--Had I The Wyte? She Bade Me
Song--Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat?
Song--Address To The Woodlark
Song. --On Chloris Being Ill
Song--How Cruel Are The Parents
Song--Yonder Pomp Of Costly Fashion
Song--'Twas Na Her Bonie Blue E'e
Song--Their Groves O'Sweet Myrtle
Song--Forlorn, My Love, No Comfort Near
Song--Fragment,--Why, Why Tell The Lover
Song--The Braw Wooer
Song--This Is No My Ain Lassie
Song--O Bonie Was Yon Rosy Brier
Song--Song Inscribed To Alexander Cunningham
Song--O That's The Lassie O' My Heart

Inscription to Chloris
Song--Fragment. --The Wren's Nest
Song--News, Lassies, News
Song--Crowdie Ever Mair
Song--Mally's Meek, Mally's Sweet
Song--Jockey's Taen The Parting Kiss
Verses To Collector Mitchell

1796

The Dean Of Faculty
Epistle To Colonel De Peyster
Song--A Lass Wi' A Tocher
Song--The Trogger.
Complimentary Versicles To Jessie Lewars
1. The Toast
2. The Menagerie
3. Jessie's illness
4. On Her Recovery
Song--O Lay Thy Loof In Mine, Lass
Song--A Health To Ane I Loe Dear
Song--O Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast
Inscription To Miss Jessy Lewars
Song--Fairest Maid On Devon Banks
Glossary





POEMS AND SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS




Preface

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 move 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 poems 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
Dumfriesshire. His fame as poet had reconciled the Armours to the
connection, and having now regularly married Jean, he brought her to
Ellisland, and once more tried farming for three years. Continued
ill-success, however, led him, in 1791, to abandon Ellisland, and he moved
to Dumfries, where he had obtained a position in the Excise. But he was
now thoroughly discouraged; his work was mere drudgery; his tendency to
take his relaxation in debauchery increased the weakness of a
constitution early undermined; and he died at Dumfries in his
thirty-eighth year.

[See Burns' Birthplace: The living room in the Burns birthplace
cottage. ]

It is not necessary here to attempt to disentangle or explain away the
numerous amours in which he was engaged through the greater part of his
life. It is evident that Burns was a man of extremely passionate nature
and fond of conviviality; and the misfortunes of his lot combined with
his natural tendencies to drive him to frequent excesses of
self-indulgence. He was often remorseful, and he strove painfully, if
intermittently, after better things. But the story of his life must be
admitted to be in its externals a painful and somewhat sordid chronicle.
That it contained, however, many moments of joy and exaltation is proved
by the poems here printed.

Burns' poetry falls into two main groups: English and Scottish. His
English poems are, for the most part, inferior specimens of conventional
eighteenth-century verse. But in Scottish poetry he achieved triumphs of
a quite extraordinary kind. Since the time of the Reformation and the
union of the crowns of England and Scotland, the Scots dialect had
largely fallen into disuse as a medium for dignified writing. Shortly
before Burns' time, however, Allan Ramsay and Robert Fergusson had been
the leading figures in a revival of the vernacular, and Burns received
from them a national tradition which he succeeded in carrying to its
highest pitch, becoming thereby, to an almost unique degree, the poet of
his people.

He first showed complete mastery of verse in the field of satire. In
"The Twa Herds," "Holy Willie's Prayer," "Address to the Unco Guid,"
"The Holy Fair," and others, he manifested sympathy with the protest of
the so-called "New Light" party, which had sprung up in opposition to
the extreme Calvinism and intolerance of the dominant "Auld Lichts. " The
fact that Burns had personally suffered from the discipline of the Kirk
probably added fire to his attacks, but the satires show more than
personal animus. The force of the invective, the keenness of the wit,
and the fervor of the imagination which they displayed, rendered them an
important force in the theological liberation of Scotland.

The Kilmarnock volume contained, besides satire, a number of poems like
"The Twa Dogs" and "The Cotter's Saturday Night," which are vividly
descriptive of the Scots peasant life with which he was most familiar;
and a group like "Puir Mailie" and "To a Mouse," which, in the
tenderness of their treatment of animals, revealed one of the most
attractive sides of Burns' personality. Many of his poems were never
printed during his lifetime, the most remarkable of these being "The
Jolly Beggars," a piece in which, by the intensity of his imaginative
sympathy and the brilliance of his technique, he renders a picture of
the lowest dregs of society in such a way as to raise it into the realm
of great poetry.

But the real national importance of Burns is due chiefly to his songs.
The Puritan austerity of the centuries following the Reformation had
discouraged secular music, like other forms of art, in Scotland; and as
a result Scottish song had become hopelessly degraded in point both of
decency and literary quality. From youth Burns had been interested in
collecting the fragments he had heard sung or found printed, and he came
to regard the rescuing of this almost lost national inheritance in the
light of a vocation. About his song-making, two points are especially
noteworthy: first, that the greater number of his lyrics sprang from
actual emotional experiences; second, that almost all were composed to
old melodies. While in Edinburgh he undertook to supply material for
Johnson's "Musical Museum," and as few of the traditional songs could
appear in a respectable collection, Burns found it necessary to make
them over. Sometimes he kept a stanza or two; sometimes only a line or
chorus; sometimes merely the name of the air; the rest was his own. His
method, as he has told us himself, was to become familiar with the
traditional melody, to catch a suggestion from some fragment of the old
song, to fix upon an idea or situation for the new poem; then, humming
or whistling the tune as he went about his work, he wrought out the new
verses, going into the house to write them down when the inspiration
began to flag. In this process is to be found the explanation of much of
the peculiar quality of the songs of Burns. Scarcely any known author
has succeeded so brilliantly in combining his work with folk material,
or in carrying on with such continuity of spirit the tradition of
popular song. For George Thomson's collection of Scottish airs he
performed a function similar to that which he had had in the "Museum";
and his poetical activity during the last eight or nine years of his
life was chiefly devoted to these two publications. In spite of the fact
that he was constantly in severe financial straits, he refused to accept
any recompense for this work, preferring to regard it as a patriotic
service. And it was, indeed, a patriotic service of no small magnitude.
By birth and temperament he was singularly fitted for the task, and this
fitness is proved by the unique extent to which his productions were
accepted by his countrymen, and have passed into the life and feeling of
his race.





1771 - 1779




Song--Handsome Nell^1

Tune--"I am a man unmarried. "


[Footnote 1: The first of my performances. --R. B. ]

Once I lov'd a bonie lass,
Ay, and I love her still;
And whilst that virtue warms my breast,
I'll love my handsome Nell.

As bonie lasses I hae seen,
And mony full as braw;
But, for a modest gracefu' mein,
The like I never saw.

A bonie lass, I will confess,
Is pleasant to the e'e;
But, without some better qualities,
She's no a lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,
And what is best of a',
Her reputation is complete,
And fair without a flaw.

She dresses aye sae clean and neat,
Both decent and genteel;
And then there's something in her gait
Gars ony dress look weel.

A gaudy dress and gentle air
May slightly touch the heart;
But it's innocence and modesty
That polishes the dart.

'Tis this in Nelly pleases me,
'Tis this enchants my soul;
For absolutely in my breast
She reigns without control.




Song--O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day

Tune--"Invercauld's Reel, or Strathspey. "


Choir. --O Tibbie, I hae seen the day,
Ye wadna been sae shy;
For laik o' gear ye lightly me,
But, trowth, I care na by.

Yestreen I met you on the moor,
Ye spak na, but gaed by like stour;
Ye geck at me because I'm poor,
But fient a hair care I.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

When coming hame on Sunday last,
Upon the road as I cam past,
Ye snufft and ga'e your head a cast--
But trowth I care't na by.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

I doubt na, lass, but ye may think,
Because ye hae the name o' clink,
That ye can please me at a wink,
Whene'er ye like to try.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But sorrow tak' him that's sae mean,
Altho' his pouch o' coin were clean,
Wha follows ony saucy quean,
That looks sae proud and high.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

Altho' a lad were e'er sae smart,
If that he want the yellow dirt,
Ye'll cast your head anither airt,
And answer him fu' dry.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But, if he hae the name o' gear,
Ye'll fasten to him like a brier,
Tho' hardly he, for sense or lear,
Be better than the kye.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But, Tibbie, lass, tak' my advice:
Your daddie's gear maks you sae nice;
The deil a ane wad speir your price,
Were ye as poor as I.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

There lives a lass beside yon park,
I'd rather hae her in her sark,
Than you wi' a' your thousand mark;
That gars you look sae high.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.




Song--I Dream'd I Lay

I dream'd I lay where flowers were springing
Gaily in the sunny beam;
List'ning to the wild birds singing,
By a falling crystal stream:
Straight the sky grew black and daring;
Thro' the woods the whirlwinds rave;
Tress with aged arms were warring,
O'er the swelling drumlie wave.

Such was my life's deceitful morning,
Such the pleasures I enjoyed:
But lang or noon, loud tempests storming
A' my flowery bliss destroy'd.
Tho' fickle fortune has deceiv'd me--
She promis'd fair, and perform'd but ill,
Of mony a joy and hope bereav'd me--
I bear a heart shall support me still.




Song--In The Character Of A Ruined Farmer

Tune--"Go from my window, Love, do. "


The sun he is sunk in the west,
All creatures retired to rest,
While here I sit, all sore beset,
With sorrow, grief, and woe:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

The prosperous man is asleep,
Nor hears how the whirlwinds sweep;
But Misery and I must watch
The surly tempest blow:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

There lies the dear partner of my breast;
Her cares for a moment at rest:
Must I see thee, my youthful pride,
Thus brought so very low!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

There lie my sweet babies in her arms;
No anxious fear their little hearts alarms;
But for their sake my heart does ache,
With many a bitter throe:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

I once was by Fortune carest:
I once could relieve the distrest:
Now life's poor support, hardly earn'd
My fate will scarce bestow:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

No comfort, no comfort I have!
How welcome to me were the grave!
But then my wife and children dear--
O, wither would they go!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

O whither, O whither shall I turn!
All friendless, forsaken, forlorn!
For, in this world, Rest or Peace
I never more shall know!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!




Tragic Fragment

All devil as I am--a damned wretch,
A hardened, stubborn, unrepenting villain,
Still my heart melts at human wretchedness;
And with sincere but unavailing sighs
I view the helpless children of distress:
With tears indignant I behold the oppressor
Rejoicing in the honest man's destruction,
Whose unsubmitting heart was all his crime. --
Ev'n you, ye hapless crew! I pity you;
Ye, whom the seeming good think sin to pity;
Ye poor, despised, abandoned vagabonds,
Whom Vice, as usual, has turn'd o'er to ruin.
Oh! but for friends and interposing Heaven,
I had been driven forth like you forlorn,
The most detested, worthless wretch among you!
O injured God! Thy goodness has endow'd me
With talents passing most of my compeers,
Which I in just proportion have abused--
As far surpassing other common villains
As Thou in natural parts has given me more.




Tarbolton Lasses, The

If ye gae up to yon hill-tap,
Ye'll there see bonie Peggy;
She kens her father is a laird,
And she forsooth's a leddy.

There Sophy tight, a lassie bright,
Besides a handsome fortune:
Wha canna win her in a night,
Has little art in courtin'.

Gae down by Faile, and taste the ale,
And tak a look o' Mysie;
She's dour and din, a deil within,
But aiblins she may please ye.

If she be shy, her sister try,
Ye'll maybe fancy Jenny;
If ye'll dispense wi' want o' sense--
She kens hersel she's bonie.

As ye gae up by yon hillside,
Speir in for bonie Bessy;
She'll gie ye a beck, and bid ye light,
And handsomely address ye.

There's few sae bonie, nane sae guid,
In a' King George' dominion;
If ye should doubt the truth o' this--
It's Bessy's ain opinion!

Ah, Woe Is Me, My Mother Dear

Paraphrase of Jeremiah, 15th Chap.
, On Receiving A Favour
Extemporaneous Effusion On being appointed to an Excise division.
Song--Willie Brew'd A Peck O' Maut^1
Song--Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes
Song--I Gaed A Waefu' Gate Yestreen
Song--Highland Harry Back Again
Song--The Battle Of Sherramuir
Song--The Braes O' Killiecrankie
Song--Awa' Whigs, Awa'
Song--A Waukrife Minnie
Song--The Captive Ribband
Song--My Heart's In The Highlands
The Whistle--A Ballad
Song--To Mary In Heaven
Epistle To Dr. Blacklock
The Five Carlins
Election Ballad For Westerha'
Prologue Spoken At The Theatre Of Dumfries

1790

Sketch--New Year's Day [1790]
Scots' Prologue For Mr. Sutherland
Lines To A Gentleman,
Elegy On Willie Nicol's Mare
Song--The Gowden Locks Of Anna
Song--I Murder Hate
Song--Gudewife, Count The Lawin
Election Ballad At the close of the contest
for representing the Dumfries Burghs, 1790.
Elegy On Captain Matthew Henderson
The Epitaphon Captain Matthew Henderson
Verses On Captain Grose
Tam O' Shanter: A Tale
On The Birth Of A Posthumous Child
Elegy On The Late Miss Burnet Of Monboddo

1791

Lament Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, On The Approach Of Spring
There'll Never Be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame
Song--Out Over The Forth
The Banks O' Doon (First Version)
The Banks O' Doon (Second Version)
The Banks O' Doon (Third Version)
Lament For James, Earl Of Glencairn
Lines Sent To Sir John Whiteford, Bart
Song--Craigieburn Wood
Song--The Bonie Wee Thing
Epigram On Miss Davies
Song--The Charms Of Lovely Davies
Song--What Can A Young Lassie Do Wi' An Auld Man
Song--The Posie
On Glenriddell's Fox Breaking His Chain
Poem On Pastoral Poetry
Verses On The Destruction Of The Woods Near Drumlanrig
Song--The Gallant Weaver
Epigram At Brownhill Inn^1
Song--You're Welcome, Willie Stewart
Song--Lovely Polly Stewart
Song--Fragment,--Damon And Sylvia
Song--Fragment--Johnie Lad, Cock Up Your Beaver
Song--My Eppie Macnab
Song--Fragment--Altho' He Has Left Me
Song--O For Ane An' Twenty, Tam
Song--Thou Fair Eliza
Song--My Bonie Bell
Song--Sweet Afton
Address To The Shade Of Thomson
Song--Nithsdale's Welcome Hame
Song--Frae The Friends And Land I Love
Song--Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation
Song--Ye Jacobites By Name
Song--I Hae Been At Crookieden
Epistle To John Maxwell, ESQ. , Of Terraughty
Second Epistle To Robert Graham, ESQ. , Of Fintry
The Song Of Death
Poem On Sensibility
Epigram--The Toadeater
Epigram--Divine Service In The Kirk Of Lamington
Epigram--The Keekin'-Glass
A Grace Before Dinner
A Grace After Dinner
Song--O May, Thy Morn
Song--Ae Fond Kiss, And Then We Sever
Song--Behold The Hour, The Boat, Arrive
Song--Thou Gloomy December
Song--My Native Land Sae Far Awa

1792

Song--I do Confess Thou Art Sae Fair
Lines On Fergusson, The Poet
Song--The Weary Pund O' Tow
Song--When She Cam' Ben She Bobbed
Song--Scroggam, My Dearie
Song--My Collier Laddie
Song--Sic A Wife As Willie Had
Song--Lady Mary Ann
Song--Kellyburn Braes
Song--The Slave's Lament
Song--O Can Ye Labour Lea?
Song--The Deuks Dang O'er My Daddie
Song--The Deil's Awa Wi' The Exciseman
Song--The Country Lass
Song--Bessy And Her Spinnin' Wheel
Song--Fragment--Love For Love
Song--Saw Ye Bonie Lesley
Song--Fragment Of Song
Song--I'll Meet Thee On The Lea Rig
Song--My Wife's A Winsome Wee Thing
Song--Highland Mary
Song--Auld Rob Morris
The Rights Of Woman--Spoken by Miss Fontenelle
Epigram On Miss Fontenelle
Extempore On Some Commemorations Of Thomson
Song--Duncan Gray
Song--A Health To Them That's Awa
A Tippling Ballad--When Princes and Prelates

1793

Song--Poortith Cauld And Restless Love
Epigram On Politics
Song--Braw Lads O' Galla Water
Sonnet Written On The Author's Birthday,
Song--Wandering Willie
Wandering Willie (Revised Version)
Lord Gregory: A Ballad
Song--Open The Door To Me, Oh
Song--Lovely Young Jessie
Song--Meg O' The Mill
Song--Meg O' The Mill (Another Version)
The Soldier's Return: A Ballad
Epigram--The True Loyal Natives
Epigram--On Commissary Goldie's Brains
Lines Inscribed In A Lady's Pocket Almanac
Epigram--Thanksgiving For A National Victory
Epigram--The Raptures Of Folly
Epigram--Kirk and State Excisemen
Extempore Reply To An Invitation
A Grace After Meat
Grace Before And After Meat
Impromptu On General Dumourier's Desertion From The French Republican
Army
Song--The Last Time I Came O'er The Moor
Song--Logan Braes
Song--Blythe Hae I been On Yon Hill
Song--O Were My Love Yon Lilac Fair
Bonie Jean--A Ballad
Lines On John M'Murdo, ESQ.
Epitaph On A Lap-Dog
Epigrams Against The Earl Of Galloway
Epigram On The Laird Of Laggan
Song--Phillis The Fair
Song--Had I A Cave
Song. --By Allan Stream
Song--Whistle, And I'll Come To You, My Lad
Song--Phillis The Queen O' The Fair
Song--Come, Let Me Take Thee To My Breast
Song--Dainty Davie
Song--Robert Bruce's March To Bannockburn
Song--Behold The Hour, The Boat Arrive
Song--Down The Burn, Davie
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
Song--My Spouse Nancy
Address Spoken by Miss Fontenelle
Complimentary Epigram On Maria Riddell

1794

Remorseful Apology
Song--Wilt Thou Be My Dearie?
Song--A Fiddler In The North
The Minstrel At Lincluden
A Vision
Song--A Red, Red Rose
Song--Young Jamie, Pride Of A' The Plain
Song--The Flowery Banks Of Cree
Monody On a lady famed for her Caprice.
The Epitaph On the Same
Epigram Pinned To Mrs. Walter Riddell's Carriage
Epitaph For Mr. Walter Riddell
Epistle From Esopus To Maria
Epitaph On A Noted Coxcomb
Epitaph On Capt. Lascelles
Epitaph On Wm. Graham, Esq. , Of Mossknowe
Epitaph On John Bushby, Esq. , Tinwald Downs
Sonnet On The Death Of Robert Riddell
Song--The Lovely Lass O' Inverness
Song--Charlie, He's My Darling
Song--Bannocks O' Bear Meal
Song--The Highland Balou
The Highland Widow's Lament
Song--It Was A' For Our Rightfu' King
Ode For General Washington's Birthday
Inscription To Miss Graham Of Fintry
Song--On The Seas And Far Away
Song--Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes
Song--She Says She Loes Me Best Of A'
Epigram--On Miss Jessy Staig's recovery.
To The Beautiful Miss Eliza J-N On her Principles of Liberty and
Equality.
On Chloris Requesting me to give her a Spring of Blossomed Thorn.
On Seeing Mrs. Kemble In Yarico
Epigram On A Country Laird (Cardoness)
Epigram on the Same Laird's Country Seat
Epigram on Dr. Babinton's Looks
Epigram On A Suicide
Epigram On A Swearing Coxcomb
Epigram On An Innkeeper Nicknamed (The Marquis)
Epigram On Andrew Turner
Song--Pretty Peg
Esteem For Chloris
Song--Saw Ye My Dear, My Philly
Song--How Lang And Dreary Is The Night
Song--Inconstancy In Love
The Lover's Morning Salute To His Mistress
Song--The Winter Of Life
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
Song--Canst Thou Leave Me Thus, My Katie
Song--My Nanie's Awa
Song--The Tear-Drop--Wae is my heart
Song--For The Sake O' Somebody

1795

Song--A Man's A Man For A' That
The Solemn League And Covenant
Lines to John Syme 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
Epigram On Mr. James Gracie
Song--Bonie Peg-a-Ramsay
Inscription At Friars' Carse Hermitage
Song--Fragment--There Was A Bonie Lass
Song--Fragment--Wee Willie Gray
Song--O Aye My Wife She Dang Me
Song--Gude Ale Keeps The Heart Aboon
Song--O Steer Her Up An' Haud Her Gaun
Song--The Lass O' Ecclefechan
Song--O Let Me In Thes Ae Night
Song--I'll Aye Ca' In By Yon Town
Ballads on Mr. Heron's Election--Ballad First
Ballads on Mr. Heron's Election--Ballad Second
Ballads on Mr. Heron's Election--Ballad Third
Inscription For An Altar Of Independence
Song--The Cardin O't, The Spinnin O't
Song--The Cooper O' Cuddy
Song--The Lass That Made The Bed To Me
Song--Had I The Wyte? She Bade Me
Song--Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat?
Song--Address To The Woodlark
Song. --On Chloris Being Ill
Song--How Cruel Are The Parents
Song--Yonder Pomp Of Costly Fashion
Song--'Twas Na Her Bonie Blue E'e
Song--Their Groves O'Sweet Myrtle
Song--Forlorn, My Love, No Comfort Near
Song--Fragment,--Why, Why Tell The Lover
Song--The Braw Wooer
Song--This Is No My Ain Lassie
Song--O Bonie Was Yon Rosy Brier
Song--Song Inscribed To Alexander Cunningham
Song--O That's The Lassie O' My Heart

Inscription to Chloris
Song--Fragment. --The Wren's Nest
Song--News, Lassies, News
Song--Crowdie Ever Mair
Song--Mally's Meek, Mally's Sweet
Song--Jockey's Taen The Parting Kiss
Verses To Collector Mitchell

1796

The Dean Of Faculty
Epistle To Colonel De Peyster
Song--A Lass Wi' A Tocher
Song--The Trogger.
Complimentary Versicles To Jessie Lewars
1. The Toast
2. The Menagerie
3. Jessie's illness
4. On Her Recovery
Song--O Lay Thy Loof In Mine, Lass
Song--A Health To Ane I Loe Dear
Song--O Wert Thou In The Cauld Blast
Inscription To Miss Jessy Lewars
Song--Fairest Maid On Devon Banks
Glossary





POEMS AND SONGS OF ROBERT BURNS




Preface

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 move 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 poems 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
Dumfriesshire. His fame as poet had reconciled the Armours to the
connection, and having now regularly married Jean, he brought her to
Ellisland, and once more tried farming for three years. Continued
ill-success, however, led him, in 1791, to abandon Ellisland, and he moved
to Dumfries, where he had obtained a position in the Excise. But he was
now thoroughly discouraged; his work was mere drudgery; his tendency to
take his relaxation in debauchery increased the weakness of a
constitution early undermined; and he died at Dumfries in his
thirty-eighth year.

[See Burns' Birthplace: The living room in the Burns birthplace
cottage. ]

It is not necessary here to attempt to disentangle or explain away the
numerous amours in which he was engaged through the greater part of his
life. It is evident that Burns was a man of extremely passionate nature
and fond of conviviality; and the misfortunes of his lot combined with
his natural tendencies to drive him to frequent excesses of
self-indulgence. He was often remorseful, and he strove painfully, if
intermittently, after better things. But the story of his life must be
admitted to be in its externals a painful and somewhat sordid chronicle.
That it contained, however, many moments of joy and exaltation is proved
by the poems here printed.

Burns' poetry falls into two main groups: English and Scottish. His
English poems are, for the most part, inferior specimens of conventional
eighteenth-century verse. But in Scottish poetry he achieved triumphs of
a quite extraordinary kind. Since the time of the Reformation and the
union of the crowns of England and Scotland, the Scots dialect had
largely fallen into disuse as a medium for dignified writing. Shortly
before Burns' time, however, Allan Ramsay and Robert Fergusson had been
the leading figures in a revival of the vernacular, and Burns received
from them a national tradition which he succeeded in carrying to its
highest pitch, becoming thereby, to an almost unique degree, the poet of
his people.

He first showed complete mastery of verse in the field of satire. In
"The Twa Herds," "Holy Willie's Prayer," "Address to the Unco Guid,"
"The Holy Fair," and others, he manifested sympathy with the protest of
the so-called "New Light" party, which had sprung up in opposition to
the extreme Calvinism and intolerance of the dominant "Auld Lichts. " The
fact that Burns had personally suffered from the discipline of the Kirk
probably added fire to his attacks, but the satires show more than
personal animus. The force of the invective, the keenness of the wit,
and the fervor of the imagination which they displayed, rendered them an
important force in the theological liberation of Scotland.

The Kilmarnock volume contained, besides satire, a number of poems like
"The Twa Dogs" and "The Cotter's Saturday Night," which are vividly
descriptive of the Scots peasant life with which he was most familiar;
and a group like "Puir Mailie" and "To a Mouse," which, in the
tenderness of their treatment of animals, revealed one of the most
attractive sides of Burns' personality. Many of his poems were never
printed during his lifetime, the most remarkable of these being "The
Jolly Beggars," a piece in which, by the intensity of his imaginative
sympathy and the brilliance of his technique, he renders a picture of
the lowest dregs of society in such a way as to raise it into the realm
of great poetry.

But the real national importance of Burns is due chiefly to his songs.
The Puritan austerity of the centuries following the Reformation had
discouraged secular music, like other forms of art, in Scotland; and as
a result Scottish song had become hopelessly degraded in point both of
decency and literary quality. From youth Burns had been interested in
collecting the fragments he had heard sung or found printed, and he came
to regard the rescuing of this almost lost national inheritance in the
light of a vocation. About his song-making, two points are especially
noteworthy: first, that the greater number of his lyrics sprang from
actual emotional experiences; second, that almost all were composed to
old melodies. While in Edinburgh he undertook to supply material for
Johnson's "Musical Museum," and as few of the traditional songs could
appear in a respectable collection, Burns found it necessary to make
them over. Sometimes he kept a stanza or two; sometimes only a line or
chorus; sometimes merely the name of the air; the rest was his own. His
method, as he has told us himself, was to become familiar with the
traditional melody, to catch a suggestion from some fragment of the old
song, to fix upon an idea or situation for the new poem; then, humming
or whistling the tune as he went about his work, he wrought out the new
verses, going into the house to write them down when the inspiration
began to flag. In this process is to be found the explanation of much of
the peculiar quality of the songs of Burns. Scarcely any known author
has succeeded so brilliantly in combining his work with folk material,
or in carrying on with such continuity of spirit the tradition of
popular song. For George Thomson's collection of Scottish airs he
performed a function similar to that which he had had in the "Museum";
and his poetical activity during the last eight or nine years of his
life was chiefly devoted to these two publications. In spite of the fact
that he was constantly in severe financial straits, he refused to accept
any recompense for this work, preferring to regard it as a patriotic
service. And it was, indeed, a patriotic service of no small magnitude.
By birth and temperament he was singularly fitted for the task, and this
fitness is proved by the unique extent to which his productions were
accepted by his countrymen, and have passed into the life and feeling of
his race.





1771 - 1779




Song--Handsome Nell^1

Tune--"I am a man unmarried. "


[Footnote 1: The first of my performances. --R. B. ]

Once I lov'd a bonie lass,
Ay, and I love her still;
And whilst that virtue warms my breast,
I'll love my handsome Nell.

As bonie lasses I hae seen,
And mony full as braw;
But, for a modest gracefu' mein,
The like I never saw.

A bonie lass, I will confess,
Is pleasant to the e'e;
But, without some better qualities,
She's no a lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,
And what is best of a',
Her reputation is complete,
And fair without a flaw.

She dresses aye sae clean and neat,
Both decent and genteel;
And then there's something in her gait
Gars ony dress look weel.

A gaudy dress and gentle air
May slightly touch the heart;
But it's innocence and modesty
That polishes the dart.

'Tis this in Nelly pleases me,
'Tis this enchants my soul;
For absolutely in my breast
She reigns without control.




Song--O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day

Tune--"Invercauld's Reel, or Strathspey. "


Choir. --O Tibbie, I hae seen the day,
Ye wadna been sae shy;
For laik o' gear ye lightly me,
But, trowth, I care na by.

Yestreen I met you on the moor,
Ye spak na, but gaed by like stour;
Ye geck at me because I'm poor,
But fient a hair care I.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

When coming hame on Sunday last,
Upon the road as I cam past,
Ye snufft and ga'e your head a cast--
But trowth I care't na by.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

I doubt na, lass, but ye may think,
Because ye hae the name o' clink,
That ye can please me at a wink,
Whene'er ye like to try.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But sorrow tak' him that's sae mean,
Altho' his pouch o' coin were clean,
Wha follows ony saucy quean,
That looks sae proud and high.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

Altho' a lad were e'er sae smart,
If that he want the yellow dirt,
Ye'll cast your head anither airt,
And answer him fu' dry.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But, if he hae the name o' gear,
Ye'll fasten to him like a brier,
Tho' hardly he, for sense or lear,
Be better than the kye.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

But, Tibbie, lass, tak' my advice:
Your daddie's gear maks you sae nice;
The deil a ane wad speir your price,
Were ye as poor as I.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

There lives a lass beside yon park,
I'd rather hae her in her sark,
Than you wi' a' your thousand mark;
That gars you look sae high.
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.




Song--I Dream'd I Lay

I dream'd I lay where flowers were springing
Gaily in the sunny beam;
List'ning to the wild birds singing,
By a falling crystal stream:
Straight the sky grew black and daring;
Thro' the woods the whirlwinds rave;
Tress with aged arms were warring,
O'er the swelling drumlie wave.

Such was my life's deceitful morning,
Such the pleasures I enjoyed:
But lang or noon, loud tempests storming
A' my flowery bliss destroy'd.
Tho' fickle fortune has deceiv'd me--
She promis'd fair, and perform'd but ill,
Of mony a joy and hope bereav'd me--
I bear a heart shall support me still.




Song--In The Character Of A Ruined Farmer

Tune--"Go from my window, Love, do. "


The sun he is sunk in the west,
All creatures retired to rest,
While here I sit, all sore beset,
With sorrow, grief, and woe:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

The prosperous man is asleep,
Nor hears how the whirlwinds sweep;
But Misery and I must watch
The surly tempest blow:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

There lies the dear partner of my breast;
Her cares for a moment at rest:
Must I see thee, my youthful pride,
Thus brought so very low!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

There lie my sweet babies in her arms;
No anxious fear their little hearts alarms;
But for their sake my heart does ache,
With many a bitter throe:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

I once was by Fortune carest:
I once could relieve the distrest:
Now life's poor support, hardly earn'd
My fate will scarce bestow:
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

No comfort, no comfort I have!
How welcome to me were the grave!
But then my wife and children dear--
O, wither would they go!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!

O whither, O whither shall I turn!
All friendless, forsaken, forlorn!
For, in this world, Rest or Peace
I never more shall know!
And it's O, fickle Fortune, O!




Tragic Fragment

All devil as I am--a damned wretch,
A hardened, stubborn, unrepenting villain,
Still my heart melts at human wretchedness;
And with sincere but unavailing sighs
I view the helpless children of distress:
With tears indignant I behold the oppressor
Rejoicing in the honest man's destruction,
Whose unsubmitting heart was all his crime. --
Ev'n you, ye hapless crew! I pity you;
Ye, whom the seeming good think sin to pity;
Ye poor, despised, abandoned vagabonds,
Whom Vice, as usual, has turn'd o'er to ruin.
Oh! but for friends and interposing Heaven,
I had been driven forth like you forlorn,
The most detested, worthless wretch among you!
O injured God! Thy goodness has endow'd me
With talents passing most of my compeers,
Which I in just proportion have abused--
As far surpassing other common villains
As Thou in natural parts has given me more.




Tarbolton Lasses, The

If ye gae up to yon hill-tap,
Ye'll there see bonie Peggy;
She kens her father is a laird,
And she forsooth's a leddy.

There Sophy tight, a lassie bright,
Besides a handsome fortune:
Wha canna win her in a night,
Has little art in courtin'.

Gae down by Faile, and taste the ale,
And tak a look o' Mysie;
She's dour and din, a deil within,
But aiblins she may please ye.

If she be shy, her sister try,
Ye'll maybe fancy Jenny;
If ye'll dispense wi' want o' sense--
She kens hersel she's bonie.

As ye gae up by yon hillside,
Speir in for bonie Bessy;
She'll gie ye a beck, and bid ye light,
And handsomely address ye.

There's few sae bonie, nane sae guid,
In a' King George' dominion;
If ye should doubt the truth o' this--
It's Bessy's ain opinion!

Ah, Woe Is Me, My Mother Dear

Paraphrase of Jeremiah, 15th Chap. , 10th verse.

Ah, woe is me, my mother dear!
A man of strife ye've born me:
For sair contention I maun bear;
They hate, revile, and scorn me.

I ne'er could lend on bill or band,
That five per cent. might blest me;
And borrowing, on the tither hand,
The deil a ane wad trust me.

Yet I, a coin-denied wight,
By Fortune quite discarded;
Ye see how I am, day and night,
By lad and lass blackguarded!




Montgomerie's Peggy

Tune--"Galla Water. "


Altho' my bed were in yon muir,
Amang the heather, in my plaidie;
Yet happy, happy would I be,
Had I my dear Montgomerie's Peggy.

When o'er the hill beat surly storms,
And winter nights were dark and rainy;
I'd seek some dell, and in my arms
I'd shelter dear Montgomerie's Peggy.

Were I a baron proud and high,
And horse and servants waiting ready;
Then a' 'twad gie o' joy to me,--
The sharin't with Montgomerie's Peggy.




Ploughman's Life, The

As I was a-wand'ring ae morning in spring,
I heard a young ploughman sae sweetly to sing;
And as he was singin', thir words he did say,--
There's nae life like the ploughman's in the month o' sweet May.

The lav'rock in the morning she'll rise frae her nest,
And mount i' the air wi' the dew on her breast,
And wi' the merry ploughman she'll whistle and sing,
And at night she'll return to her nest back again.






1780




Ronalds Of The Bennals, The

In Tarbolton, ye ken, there are proper young men,
And proper young lasses and a', man;
But ken ye the Ronalds that live in the Bennals,
They carry the gree frae them a', man.

Their father's laird, and weel he can spare't,
Braid money to tocher them a', man;
To proper young men, he'll clink in the hand
Gowd guineas a hunder or twa, man.

There's ane they ca' Jean, I'll warrant ye've seen
As bonie a lass or as braw, man;
But for sense and guid taste she'll vie wi' the best,
And a conduct that beautifies a', man.

The charms o' the min', the langer they shine,
The mair admiration they draw, man;
While peaches and cherries, and roses and lilies,
They fade and they wither awa, man,

If ye be for Miss Jean, tak this frae a frien',
A hint o' a rival or twa, man;
The Laird o' Blackbyre wad gang through the fire,
If that wad entice her awa, man.

The Laird o' Braehead has been on his speed,
For mair than a towmond or twa, man;
The Laird o' the Ford will straught on a board,
If he canna get her at a', man.

Then Anna comes in, the pride o' her kin,
The boast of our bachelors a', man:
Sae sonsy and sweet, sae fully complete,
She steals our affections awa, man.

If I should detail the pick and the wale
O' lasses that live here awa, man,
The fau't wad be mine if they didna shine
The sweetest and best o' them a', man.

I lo'e her mysel, but darena weel tell,
My poverty keeps me in awe, man;
For making o' rhymes, and working at times,
Does little or naething at a', man.

Yet I wadna choose to let her refuse,
Nor hae't in her power to say na, man:
For though I be poor, unnoticed, obscure,
My stomach's as proud as them a', man.

Though I canna ride in weel-booted pride,
And flee o'er the hills like a craw, man,
I can haud up my head wi' the best o' the breed,
Though fluttering ever so braw, man.

My coat and my vest, they are Scotch o' the best,
O'pairs o' guid breeks I hae twa, man;
And stockings and pumps to put on my stumps,
And ne'er a wrang steek in them a', man.

My sarks they are few, but five o' them new,
Twal' hundred, as white as the snaw, man,
A ten-shillings hat, a Holland cravat;
There are no mony poets sae braw, man.

I never had frien's weel stockit in means,
To leave me a hundred or twa, man;
Nae weel-tocher'd aunts, to wait on their drants,
And wish them in hell for it a', man.

I never was cannie for hoarding o' money,
Or claughtin't together at a', man;
I've little to spend, and naething to lend,
But deevil a shilling I awe, man.




Song--Here's To Thy Health

Tune--"Laggan Burn. "


Here's to thy health, my bonie lass,
Gude nicht and joy be wi' thee;
I'll come nae mair to thy bower-door,
To tell thee that I lo'e thee.
O dinna think, my pretty pink,
But I can live without thee:
I vow and swear I dinna care,
How lang ye look about ye.

Thou'rt aye sae free informing me,
Thou hast nae mind to marry;
I'll be as free informing thee,
Nae time hae I to tarry:
I ken thy frien's try ilka means
Frae wedlock to delay thee;
Depending on some higher chance,
But fortune may betray thee.

I ken they scorn my low estate,
But that does never grieve me;
For I'm as free as any he;
Sma' siller will relieve me.
I'll count my health my greatest wealth,
Sae lang as I'll enjoy it;
I'll fear nae scant, I'll bode nae want,
As lang's I get employment.

But far off fowls hae feathers fair,
And, aye until ye try them,
Tho' they seem fair, still have a care;
They may prove waur than I am.
But at twal' at night, when the moon shines bright,
My dear, I'll come and see thee;
For the man that loves his mistress weel,
Nae travel makes him weary.




Lass Of Cessnock Banks, The^1

[Footnote 1: The lass is identified as Ellison Begbie, a servant
wench, daughter of a "Farmer Lang". ]

A Song of Similes

Tune--"If he be a Butcher neat and trim. "


On Cessnock banks a lassie dwells;
Could I describe her shape and mein;
Our lasses a' she far excels,
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

She's sweeter than the morning dawn,
When rising Phoebus first is seen,
And dew-drops twinkle o'er the lawn;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

She's stately like yon youthful ash,
That grows the cowslip braes between,
And drinks the stream with vigour fresh;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

She's spotless like the flow'ring thorn,
With flow'rs so white and leaves so green,
When purest in the dewy morn;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her looks are like the vernal May,
When ev'ning Phoebus shines serene,
While birds rejoice on every spray;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her hair is like the curling mist,
That climbs the mountain-sides at e'en,
When flow'r-reviving rains are past;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her forehead's like the show'ry bow,
When gleaming sunbeams intervene
And gild the distant mountain's brow;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her cheeks are like yon crimson gem,
The pride of all the flowery scene,
Just opening on its thorny stem;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her bosom's like the nightly snow,
When pale the morning rises keen,
While hid the murm'ring streamlets flow;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her lips are like yon cherries ripe,
That sunny walls from Boreas screen;
They tempt the taste and charm the sight;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her teeth are like a flock of sheep,
With fleeces newly washen clean,
That slowly mount the rising steep;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her breath is like the fragrant breeze,
That gently stirs the blossom'd bean,
When Phoebus sinks behind the seas;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

Her voice is like the ev'ning thrush,
That sings on Cessnock banks unseen,
While his mate sits nestling in the bush;
An' she has twa sparkling roguish een.

But it's not her air, her form, her face,
Tho' matching beauty's fabled queen;
'Tis the mind that shines in ev'ry grace,
An' chiefly in her roguish een.




Song--Bonie Peggy Alison

Tune--"The Braes o' Balquhidder. "


Chor. --And I'll kiss thee yet, yet,
And I'll kiss thee o'er again:
And I'll kiss thee yet, yet,
My bonie Peggy Alison.