The works of Robert Burns; with an account of his life, and a criticism on his writings. To which are prefixed, some observations on the character and condition of the Scottish peasantry. As ed. by J. Currie, Issue 670, Volume 11816 |
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Page 3
... passed during the commonwealth , as not being sanctioned by the royal assent . It slept during the reigns of Charles and James , but was re - enacted precisely in the same terms , by the Scottish parliament , after the Revolu- B 2 ...
... passed during the commonwealth , as not being sanctioned by the royal assent . It slept during the reigns of Charles and James , but was re - enacted precisely in the same terms , by the Scottish parliament , after the Revolu- B 2 ...
Page 47
... passing through a variety of difficulties . Still , however , he endeavoured to spare something for the support of his ... passed westward into the county of Ayr , where he engaged himself as a gardener to the laird of Fairly , with whom ...
... passing through a variety of difficulties . Still , however , he endeavoured to spare something for the support of his ... passed westward into the county of Ayr , where he engaged himself as a gardener to the laird of Fairly , with whom ...
Page 50
... passing the evening , he began to read the play aloud . We were all attention for some time , till presently the whole party was dis- solved in tears . A female in the play ( I have but a confused remembrance of it ) had her hands chopt ...
... passing the evening , he began to read the play aloud . We were all attention for some time , till presently the whole party was dis- solved in tears . A female in the play ( I have but a confused remembrance of it ) had her hands chopt ...
Page 79
... passed through the sward , or the grass fell under the sweep of his scythe , he was humming the songs of his country , musing on the deeds of ancient valour , or wrapt in the illusions of Fancy , as her enchantments rose on his view ...
... passed through the sward , or the grass fell under the sweep of his scythe , he was humming the songs of his country , musing on the deeds of ancient valour , or wrapt in the illusions of Fancy , as her enchantments rose on his view ...
Page 83
... passed his days in constant labour as a flax - dresser , and his food consisted chiefly of oatmeal , sent to him from his father's family . The store of this humble , though , wholesome nutri- ment , it appears was nearly exhausted ...
... passed his days in constant labour as a flax - dresser , and his food consisted chiefly of oatmeal , sent to him from his father's family . The store of this humble , though , wholesome nutri- ment , it appears was nearly exhausted ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance afterwards Allan Ramsay appears Ayrshire ballad banks bard beautiful Blind Harry bonny lass brother Burns's character charms composition conversation degree delicacy delight dialect Dumfries Edinburgh Editor effect Ellisland English excelled expression fancy farm father favour Fergusson Fochabers friendship genius Gilbert Burns give happiness heart Highland honour House of Stuart humble humour imagination impression inhabitants interesting Jedburgh Jenny Geddes Kilmarnock kind labour lady language letter lived manners Mauchline melancholy ment mind moral muse nae-body native nature never night o'er objects observations occasion parish particular passion perhaps persons pleasure poems poet poet's poetical poetry powers present produced racter Ramsay received respect Robert Burns rural rustic scene scenery Scot Scotland Scottish peasantry Scottish songs seemed sensibility sentiments society species strain stream sublime superior talents Tarbolton taste temper tender thou tion verses virtue William Burnes writing young
Popular passages
Page 103 - Time but the impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear. My Mary, dear departed shade ! Where is thy place of blissful rest ? Seest thou thy lover lowly laid ? Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast ? 256.
Page 70 - Then kneeling down, to Heaven's Eternal King, The saint, the father, and the husband prays : Hope " springs exulting on triumphant wing," That thus they all shall meet in future days : There ever bask in uncreated rays, No more to sigh, or shed the bitter tear, Together hymning their Creator's praise, In such society, yet still more dear ; While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere.
Page 31 - I owed much to an old woman who resided in the family, remarkable for her ignorance, credulity, and superstition. She had, I suppose, the largest collection in the country of tales and songs concerning devils, ghosts, fairies, brownies, witches, warlocks, spunkies, kelpies, elf-candles, dead-lights, wraiths, apparitions, cantraips, giants, enchanted towers, dragons, and other trumpery.
Page 70 - How His first followers and servants sped; The precepts sage they wrote to many a land; How he, who lone in Patmos banished, Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand, And heard great Bab'lon's doom pronounced by Heaven's command. Then kneeling down to Heaven's Eternal King, The saint, the father, and the husband prays; Hope 'springs exulting on triumphant wing...
Page 213 - When youthful Love, warm-blu.shing strong, Keen-shivering shot thy nerves along, Those accents, grateful to thy tongue, Th' adored Name, I taught thee how to pour in song, To soothe thy flame "I saw thy pulse's maddening play, Wild send thee Pleasure's devious way. Misled by Fancy's meteor ray, By Passion driven; But yet the light that led astray, Was light from Heaven.
Page 307 - ... for the attentive mind, By this harmonious action on her powers, Becomes herself harmonious : wont so oft In outward things to meditate the charm Of sacred order, soon she seeks at home To find a kindred order, to exert Within herself this elegance of love, This fair inspired delight : her temper'd powers Refine at length, and every passion wears A chaster, milder, more attractive mien.
Page 44 - I resolved to publish my poems. I weighed my productions as impartially as was in my power ; I thought they had merit ; and it was a delicious idea that I should be called a clever fellow, even though it should never reach my ears...
Page 103 - Mary, dear departed shade, where is thy place of blissful rest? seest thou thy lover lowly laid? hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast? That sacred hour can I forget, can I forget the hallowed grove where by the winding Ayr we met, to live one day of parting love!
Page 83 - As for this world, I despair of ever making a figure in it. I am not formed for the bustle of the busy, nor the flutter of the gay. I shall never again be capable of entering into such scenes. Indeed I am altogether unconcerned at the thoughts of this life. I foresee that poverty and obscurity probably await me, and I am in some measure prepared, and daily preparing to meet them.
Page 34 - You know our country custom of coupling a man and woman together as partners in the labors of harvest. In my fifteenth autumn, my partner was a bewitching creature, a year younger than myself. My scarcity of English denies me the power of doing her justice in that language, but you know the Scottish idiom: she was a "bonnie, sweet, sonsie lass.