Transcriber’s Note.

1.The hyphenation and accent of words is not uniform throughout the book. No change has been made in this.

2.The relative indentations of Poems, Epitaphs, and Songs are as printed in the original book.

THE

COMPLETE WORKS

OF

ROBERT BURNS:

CONTAINING HIS

POEMS, SONGS, AND CORRESPONDENCE.

WITH

A NEW LIFE OF THE POET,

AND

NOTICES, CRITICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL,

BY ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.

ELEGANTLY ILLUSTRATED.

BOSTON:

PHILLIPS, SAMPSON, AND COMPANY.

NEW YORK: J.C. DERBY.

1855

TO

ARCHIBALD HASTIE, ESQ.,

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR PAISLEY

THIS

EDITION

OF

THE WORKS AND MEMOIRS OF A GREAT POET,

IN WHOSE SENTIMENTS OF FREEDOM HE SHARES,

AND WHOSE PICTURES OF SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC LIFE HE LOVES,

IS RESPECTFULLY AND GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED

BY

ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.

[vii]

DEDICATION.

TO THE

NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN

OF THE

CALEDONIAN HUNT.

[On the title-page of the second or Edinburgh edition, were thesewords: “Poems, chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, by Robert Burns,printed for the Author, and sold by William Creech, 1787.” The mottoof the Kilmarnock edition was omitted; a very numerous list ofsubscribers followed: the volume was printed by the celebratedSmellie.]

My Lords and Gentlemen:

A Scottish Bard, proud of the name, and whose highest ambition is tosing in his country’s service, where shall he so properly look forpatronage as to the illustrious names of his native land: those whobear the honours and inherit the virtues of their ancestors? Thepoetic genius of my country found me, as the prophetic bard Elijah didElisha—at the plough, and threw her inspiring mantle overme. She bade me sing the loves, the joys, the rural scenes and ruralpleasures of my native soil, in my native tongue; I tuned my wild,artless notes as she inspired. She whispered me to come to thisancient metropolis of Caledonia, and lay my songs under your honouredprotection: I now obey her dictates.

Though much indebted to your goodness, I do not approach you, my Lordsand Gentlemen, in the usual style of dedication, to thank you for pastfavours: that path is so hackneyed by prostituted learning that honestrusticity is ashamed of it. Nor do I present this address with thevenal soul of a servile author, looking for a continuation of thosefavours: I was bred to the plough, and am independent. I come to claimthe common Scottish name with you, my illustrious countrymen; and totell the world that I glory in the title. I come to congratulate mycountry that the blood of her ancient heroes still runsuncontaminated, and that from your courage, knowledge, and public[viii]spirit, she may expect protection, wealth, and liberty. In the lastplace, I come to proffer my warmest wishes to the great fountain ofhonour, the Monarch of the universe, for your welfare and happiness.

When you go forth to waken the echoes, in the ancient and favouriteamusement of your forefathers, may Pleasure ever be of your party: andmay social joy await your return! When harassed in courts or campswith the jostlings of bad men and bad measures, may the honestconsciousness of injured worth attend your retur

...

THE