THE poem of the Jolly Beggars, and some of the other pieces added in this edition of the WORKS of BURNS (and which form the latter part of the third and fourth volumes), were first printed at Glasgow, in 1801, by Mr THOMAS STEWART, and introduced by the following observations. "The following Poems, ascribed to Burns, are presented to the public without any positive affirmation of their authenticity on the part of the Publisher. It must be confessed, that they appear under circumstances rather disadvantageous, as whatever was omitted in the Liverpool edition, might be supposed unworthy of the public eye:-Let readers judge for themselves. "Several of these pieces were received by the Publisher in the Author's own manuscript, others were obligingly communicated by friends and admirers of the Bard, and some were collected from newspapers; but it is presumed, that, on perusal, all will be found to possess indubitable marks of their imputed parent. "To such as think his satires on the Clergy too severe, and of an immoral tendency, it may be answered that the attack was provoked; and that the cause of true religion can never be injured by exposing its abuse, in the canting and self-righteous enthusiast-Many respectable characters are, no doubt, lampooned without reason: the author, exasperated by a few individuals, unjustly extended his resentment to the whole class. “Every piece in this volume possesses some trait, characteristic of Burns; but none, perhaps, is more worthy of attention than the Jolly Beggars, which, independently of the other poems, would be a sufficient recommendation to any collection. "An analysis of this admirable jeu d'esprit might furnish materials for a long essay. At present, suf- · fice it to say, that for humorous description, and nice discrimination of character, it is inferior to no poem of the same length, in the whole range of English poetry. The recitative part is possessed of very considerable merit, but the songs constitute its chief excellence they are sufficiently familiar and witty, without falling too low, or rising too much above the simplicity of a song; the measure is judiciously varied, and always adapted to the subject. : "An approach to licentiousness in some pieces, exposed Burns, when alive, to the scoffs of the illiberal, which still insult his ashes. But let the selfsufficient, who asperse the memory of a Son of Genius for some slight deviations from decorum, remember to appreciate his merits also, and to be more attentive to a declaration sanctioned by greater than human authority, that, "To the pure all things are pure." |