Th' increasing blast roar'd round the beetling rocks,
The clouds swift-wing'd flew o'er the starry sky,
The groaning trees untimely shed their locks,
And shooting meteors caught the startled eye.

The paly moon rose in the livid east,

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And 'mong the cliffs disclos'd a stately Form,
In weeds of woe that frantic beat her breast,
And mix'd her wailings with the raving storm.

Wild to my heart the filial pulses glow,

'Twas Caledonia's trophied shield I view'd: Her form majestic droop'd in pensive woe, The lightning of her eye in tears imbued. Revers'd that spear, redoubtable in war,

Reclin'd that banner, erst in fields unfurl'd, That like a deathful meteor gleam'd afar,

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And brav'd the mighty monarchs of the world.

My patriot son fills an untimely grave!"

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With accents wild and lifted arms she cried; "Low lies the hand that oft was stretch'd to save, Low lies the heart that swell'd with honest1 pride!

"A weeping country joins a widow's tear,

The helpless poor mix with the orphan's cry;
The drooping arts surround their patron's bier, 31
And grateful science heaves the heartfelt sigh.-
"I saw my sons resume their ancient fire;
I saw fair Freedom's blossoms richly blow;
But, ah! how hope is born but to expire!
Relentless fate has laid their guardian low.-

VAR. honor's.

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My patriot falls, but shall he lie unsung, While empty greatness saves a worthless name? No: every Muse shall join her tuneful tongue, And future ages hear his growing fame.

"And I will join a mother's tender cares,

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Thro' future times to make his virtues last, That distant years may boast of other Blairs,"She said, and vanish'd with the sweeping blast.

WRITTEN ON THE BLANK LEAF

OF A COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION [OF HIS POEMS],

WHICH I PRESENTED TO AN OLD SWEET

NCE fondly lov'd, and still remember'd dear,

Sweet early object of my youthful

Vows,

Accept this mark of friendship, warm, sincere;
Friendship! 'tis all cold duty now allows.

And when you read the simple artless rhymes,
One friendly sigh for him, he asks no more,
Who distant burns in flaming torrid climes,
Or haply lies beneath th' Atlantic roar.

The name of the person to whom these verses are addressed is not known. They were evidently written in 1786, soon after the publication of the first edition of his Poems, and when he contemplated settling in the West Indies. He did not insert them in any edition of his Works.

THE

POET'S WELCOME TO HIS ILLEGITIMATE

CHILD.*

HOU'S welcome, wean! mishanter fa’me,
If ought of thee, or of thy mammy,
Shall ever danton me, or awe me,
My sweet wee lady,

Or if I blush when thou shalt ca' me

Tit-ta or daddy.

* Burns had an illegitimate daughter by Elizabeth Paton, of Largieside, who was doubtless the "Sonsie, smirking, dear-bought Bess," mentioned in "The Inventory," in February. 1786; (vide p. 12, ante,) and the "bonnie Betty" of these verses. In consequence of his intention to go to Jamaica, be executed a deed at Mossgiel, on the 22nd of July, 1786, whereby he "acknowledged himself the father of a child named Elizabeth, begot upon Elizabeth Paton, in Largieside," and after stating that his brother, Gilbert Burns, had undertaken to support and educate the infant, he assigned to him all such effects as he should leave behind him on his departure from this kingdom, together with the profits arising from the publication of his Poems then in the press; and he gave the copyright thereof to him in trust for her after she should attain the age of fifteen. This interesting document has been printed in Mr. Allan Cunningham's edition of Burns' Works (vol. viii. p. 217).

The connection to which the child owed its existence, seems to be figuratively alluded to in Burns' Epistle to Rankine, (vol. i. p. 204). She married Mr. John Bishop, overseer at Polkemmet, and is said to have resembled the Poet more than any of his other children. Mrs. Bishop died on the 8th December, 1817. The "Welcome" was not inserted in any edition of the Poet's works prepared by himself, but was printed in a collection of some of his pieces at Glasgow, in 1801.

Wee image of my bonnie Betty,
I fatherly will kiss and daut thee,
As dear an' near my heart I set thee,
Wi' as gude will,

As a' the priests had seen me get thee
That's out o' hell.

What tho' they ca' me fornicator,
An' tease my name in kintra clatter:
The mair they talk I'm kent the better,
E'en let them clash;

An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter
To gie ane fash.

Sweet fruit o' monie a merry dint,
My funny toil is now a' tint,

Sin' thou came to the world asklent,

Which fools may scoff at ;
In my last plack thy part's be in't—
The better haff o't.

An' if thou be what I wad hae thee,
An' tak the counsel I shall gie thee,
A lovin' father I'll be to thee,

If thou be spar'd;

Thro' a' thy childish years I'll ee thee,

An' think't weel war'd.

Gude grant that thou may aye

inherit

Thy mither's person, grace, an' merit,
An' thy poor worthless daddy's spirit,

Without his failins,

"Twill please me mair to hear an' see't, Than stockit mailins.

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LETTER TO JOHN GOUDIE, KILMARNOCK,

ON THE PUBLICATION OF HIS ESSAYS.

GOUDIE! terror o' the Whigs,

*

Dread o' black coats and rev'rend wigs,
Sour Bigotry, on her last legs,
Girnin' looks back,

Wishin' the ten Egyptian plagues
Wad seize you quick.

Poor gapin' glowrin' Superstition,
Waes me! she's in a sad condition;
Fy, bring Black-Jock, her state physician,
To see her water;

Alas! there's ground o' great suspicion

She'll ne'er get better.

Auld Orthodoxy lang did grapple,
But now she's got an unco ripple ;
Haste, gie her name up i' the chapel,

Nigh unto death;

See how she fetches at the thrapple,
An' gasps for breath.

Enthusiasm's past redemption,

Gaen in a galloping consumption,

Not a' the quacks, wi' a' their gumption,

Will ever mend her,

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This was printed at Glasgow with other of the Poet's pieces in 1801.