my gilt headed Wangee rod, an instrument indispensably necessary in my left hand, in the moment of inspiration and rapture; and stride, stride-quick and quicker-out skipt I among the broomy banks of Nith, to muse over my joy by retail. To keep within the bounds of prose was impossible. Mrs. Little's is a more elegant but not a more sincere compliment to the sweet little fellow, than I, extempore almost, poured out to him, in the following verses. See the poem, vol. iii. p. 365.—On the Birth of a Posthumous Child.

I am much flattered by your approbation of my Tam o' Shanter, which you express in your former letter; though, by the bye, you load me in that said letter with accusations heavy and many; to all which I plead, not guilty! Your book is, I hear, on the road to reach me. As to printing of poetry, when you prepare it for the press, you have only to spell it right, and place the capital letters properly as to the punctuation, the printers do that themselves.

I have a copy of Tam o' Shanter ready to send you by the first opportunity: it is too heavy to send by post.

I heard

I heard of Mr. Corbet lately. He, in consequence of your recommendation, is most zealous to serve me. Please favour me soon with an account of your good folks; if Mrs. H. is recovering, and the young gentleman doing well.

VOL. II.

Y

No.

No. CIII.

To MR. CUNNINGHAM.

Ellisland, 23d January, 1791.

MANY happy returns of the season to you, my dear friend! As many of the good things of this life as is consistent with the usual mixture of good and evil in the cup of Being!

I have just finished a poem, which you will
It is my first essay

receive inclosed.

of tales.

in the way

I have these several months been hammering at an elegy on the amiable and accomplished Miss Burnet. I have got, and can get no farther than the following fragment, on which please give me your strictures. In all kinds of poetic composition, I set great store by your opinion; but in sentimental verses, in the poetry

3

poetry of the heart, no Roman Catholic ever set more value on the infallibility of the Holy Father than I do on yours.

I mean the introductory couplets as text

verses.

ELEGY

On the late Miss BURNET of MONBODDO.

LIFE ne'er exulted in so rich a prize,
As Burnet lovely from her native skies;
Nor envious death so triumph'd in a blow,
As that which laid th' accomplished Burnet low.

Thy form and mind, sweet maid, can I forget?
In richest ore the brightest jewel set!

In thee, high Heaven above was truest shown,
As by his noblest work the Godhead best is known,

In vain ye flaunt in summer's pride, ye groves;
Thou crystal streamlet with thy flowery shore,
Ye woodland choir that chant your idle loves,
Ye cease to charm-Eliza is no more!

Ye heathy wastes immix'd with reedy fens;

Ye mossy streams, with sedge and rushes stor'd;

Ye rugged cliffs o'erhanging dreary glens,

To you I fly, ye with my soul accord.

Princes whose cumb'rous pride was all their worth,
Shall venal lays their pompous exit hail?
And thou, sweet excellence! forsake our earth,
And not a muse in honest grief bewail?

We saw thee shine in youth and beauty's pride,
And virtue's light that beams beyond the spheres ;
But like the sun eclips'd at morning tide,

Thou left'st us darkling in a world of tears.

Let me hear from

you soon.

Adieu!

No.