THE ALDINE EDITION

OF THE BRITISH

POETS

THE POEMS OF BURNS

THREE VOLUMES

VOL II

POEMS,

CHIEFLY SCOTTISH.

ADDRESS TO THE TOOTHACH,*

WRITTEN WHEN THE AUTHOR WAS GRIEVOUSLY

TORMENTED BY THAT DISORDER.

Y curse upon thy venom'd stang,
That shoots my tortur'd gums alang;
And thro' my lugs gies monie a twang,
Wi' gnawing vengeance;

Tearing my nerves wi' bitter pang,
Like racking engines!

When fevers burn, or ague freezes,
Rheumatics gnaw, or cholic squeezes ;
Our neighbour's sympathy may ease us,
Wi' pitying moan;

But thee-thou hell o' a' diseases,

Aye mocks our groan!

10

* Burns suffered much from this disease. In a letter from

Ellisland, in May, 1789, he complains of ". tooth-ache engrossing all his inner man."

VOL. II.

B

an omnipotent