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Index of the Project Gutenberg Works of Robert Burns

Chapter 8: POEMS.
By Robert Burns
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About This Book

A comprehensive compilation presents the poet’s songs, ballads, lyric and narrative poems, epistles, elegies, epitaphs and fragments collected together for study and reading. Contents are arranged with detailed listings and supporting apparatus such as a glossary and preface to help readers locate individual pieces. The poems employ vernacular phrasing and folk-song forms while shifting between playful conviviality, intimate love lyrics, social and political commentary, and sober reflections on mortality. The selection mixes short songs and popular tunes with longer narrative poems and occasional pieces, offering a broad view of the author’s range and recurring concerns.





THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ROBERT BURNS

Containing His Poems, Songs, And Correspondence

With A New Life Of The Poet By Allan Cunningham

Illustrated



CONTENTS

PAGE
The Life of Robert Burns xxiii
Preface to the Kilmarnock Edition of 1786 lix
Dedication to the Edinburgh Edition of 1787 vii

POEMS.

PAGE
Winter. A Dirge 61
The Death and dying Words of poor Mailie 61
Poor Mailie’s Elegy 62
First Epistle to Davie, a brother Poet 63
Second 65
Address to the Deil 65
The auld Farmer’s New-year Morning Salutation to his auld Mare Maggie 67
To a Haggis 68
A Prayer under the pressure of violent Anguish 69
A Prayer in the prospect of Death 69
Stanzas on the same occasion 69
A Winter Night 70
Remorse. A Fragment 71
The Jolly Beggars. A Cantata 71
Death and Dr. Hornbook. A True Story 76
The Twa Herds; or, the Holy Tulzie 78
Holy Willie’s Prayer 79
Epitaph to Holy Willie 80
The Inventory; in answer to a mandate by the surveyor of taxes 81
The Holy Fair 82
The Ordination 84
The Calf 86
To James Smith 86
The Vision 88
Halloween 92
Man was made to Mourn. A Dirge 95
To Ruin 96
To John Goudie of Kilmarnock, on the publication of his Essays 97
To J. Lapraik, an old Scottish Bard. First Epistle 97
To J. Lapraik. Second Epistle 99
To J. Lapraik. Third Epistle 100
To William Simpson, Ochiltree 101
Address to an illegitimate Child 103
Nature’s Law. A Poem humbly inscribed to G.H., Esq. 103
To the Rev. John M’Math 104
To a Mouse 105
Scotch Drink 106
The Author’s earnest Cry and Prayer to the Scotch Representatives of the House of Commons 107
Address to the unco Guid, or the rigidly Righteous 110
Tam Samson’s Elegy 111
Lament, occasioned by the unfortunate issue of a Friend’s Amour 112
Despondency. An Ode 113
The Cotter’s Saturday Night 114
The first Psalm 117
The first six Verses of the ninetieth Psalm 118
To a Mountain Daisy 118
Epistle to a young Friend 119
To a Louse, on seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church 120
Epistle to J. Rankine, enclosing some Poems 121
On a Scotch Bard, gone to the West Indies 122
The Farewell 123
Written on the blank leaf of my Poems, presented to an old Sweetheart then married 123
A Dedication to Gavin Hamilton, Esq. 123
Elegy on the Death of Robert Ruisseaux 125
Letter to James Tennant of Glenconner 125
On the Birth of a posthumous Child 126
To Miss Cruikshank 126
Willie Chalmers 127
Verses left in the room where he slept 128
To Gavin Hamilton, Esq., recommending a boy 128
To Mr. M’Adam, of Craigen-gillan 129
Answer to a Poetical Epistle sent to the Author by a Tailor 129
To J. Rankine. “I am a keeper of the law.” 130
Lines written on a Bank-note 130
A Dream 130
A Bard’s Epitaph 132
The Twa Dogs. A Tale 132
Lines on meeting with Lord Daer 135
Address to Edinburgh 136
Epistle to Major Logan 137
The Brigs of Ayr 138
On the Death of Robert Dundas, Esq., of Arniston, late Lord President of the Court of Session 141
On reading in a Newspaper the Death of John M’Leod, Esq. 141
To Miss Logan, with Beattie’s Poems 142
The American War, A fragment 142
The Dean of Faculty. A new Ballad 143
To a Lady, with a Present of a Pair of Drinking-glasses 144
To Clarinda 144
Verses written under the Portrait of the Poet Fergusson 144
Prologue spoken by Mr. Woods, on his Benefit-night, Monday, April 16, 1787 145
Sketch. A Character 145
To Mr. Scott, of Wauchope 145
Epistle to William Creech 146
The humble Petition of Bruar-Water, to the noble Duke of Athole 147
On scaring some Water-fowl in Loch Turit 148
Written with a pencil, over the chimney-piece, in the parlour of the Inn at Kenmore, Taymouth 149
Written with a pencil, standing by the Fall of Fyers, near Loch Ness 149
To Mr. William Tytler, with the present of the Bard’s picture 150
Written in Friars-Carse Hermitage, on the banks of Nith, June, 1780. First Copy 150
The same. December, 1788. Second Copy 151
To Captain Riddel, of Glenriddel. Extempore lines on returning a Newspaper 152
A Mother’s Lament for the Death of her Son 152
First Epistle to Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray 152
On the Death of Sir James Hunter Blair 153
Epistle to Hugh Parker 154
Lines, intended to be written under a Noble Earl’s Picture 155
Elegy on the year 1788. A Sketch 155
Address to the Toothache 155
Ode. Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Oswald, of Auchencruive 156
Fragment inscribed to the Right Hon. C.J. Fox 156
On seeing a wounded Hare limp by me, which a Fellow had just shot 157
To Dr. Blacklock. In answer to a Letter 158
Delia. An Ode 159
To John M’Murdo, Esq. 159
Prologue, spoken at the Theatre, Dumfries, 1st January, 1790 159
Scots Prologue, for Mr. Sutherland’s Benefit-night, Dumfries 160
Sketch. New-year’s Day. To Mrs. Dunlop 160
To a Gentleman who had sent him a Newspaper, and offered to continue it free of expense 161
The Kirk’s Alarm. A Satire. First Version 162
The Kirk’s Alarm. A Ballad. Second Version 163
Peg Nicholson 165
On Captain Matthew Henderson, a gentleman who held the patent for his honours immediately from Almighty God 165
The Five Carlins. A Scots Ballad 167
The Laddies by the Banks o’ Nith 168
Epistle to Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray, on the close of the disputed Election between Sir James Johnstone, and Captain Miller, for the Dumfries district of Boroughs 169
On Captain Grose’s Peregrination through Scotland, collecting the Antiquities of that kingdom 170
Written in a wrapper, enclosing a letter to Captain Grose 171
Tam O’ Shanter. A Tale 171
Address of Beelzebub to the President of the Highland Society 174
To John Taylor 175
Lament of Mary Queen of Scots, on the approach of Spring 175
The Whistle 176
Elegy on Miss Burnet of Monboddo 178
Lament for James, Earl of Glencairn 178
Lines sent to Sir John Whitefoord, Bart., of Whitefoord, with the foregoing Poem 179
Address to the Shade of Thomson, on crowning his Bust at Ednam with bays 179
To Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray 180
To Robert Graham, Esq., of Fintray, on receiving a favour 181
A Vision 181
To John Maxwell, of Terraughty, on his birthday 182
The Rights of Women, an occasional Address spoken by Miss Fontenelle, on her benefit-night, Nov. 26, 1792 182
Monody on a Lady famed for her caprice 183
Epistle from Esopus to Maria 184
Poem on Pastoral Poetry 185
Sonnet, written on the 25th January, 1793, the birthday of the Author, on hearing a thrush sing in a morning walk 185
Sonnet on the death of Robert Riddel, Esq., of Glenriddel, April, 1794 186
Impromptu on Mrs. Riddel’s birthday 186
Liberty. A Fragment 186
Verses to a young Lady 186
The Vowels. A Tale 187
Verses to John Rankine 187
On Sensibility. To my dear and much-honoured friend, Mrs. Dunlop, of Dunlop 188
Lines sent to a Gentleman whom he had offended 188
Address spoken by Miss Fontenelle on her Benefit-night 188
On seeing Miss Fontenelle in a favourite character 189
To Chloris 189
Poetical Inscription for an Altar to Independence 189
The Heron Ballads. Balled First 190
The Heron Ballads. Ballad Second 190
The Heron Ballads. Ballad Third 192
Poem addressed to Mr. Mitchell, Collector of Excise, Dumfries, 1796 193
To Miss Jessy Lewars, Dumfries, with Johnson’s Musical Museum 193
Poem on Life, addressed to Colonel de Peyster, Dumfries, 1796 193

EPITAPHS, EPIGRAMS, FRAGMENTS

On the Author’s Father 194
On R.A., Esq. 194
On a Friend 194
For Gavin Hamilton 194
On wee Johnny 195
On John Dove, Innkeeper, Mauchline 195
On a Wag in Mauchline 195
On a celebrated ruling Elder 195
On a noisy Polemic 195
On Miss Jean Scott 195
On a henpecked Country Squire 195
On the same 196
On the same 196
The Highland Welcome 196
On William Smellie 196
Written on a window of the Inn at Carron 196
The Book-worms 196
Lines on Stirling 197
The Reproof 197
The Reply 197
Lines written under the Picture of the celebrated Miss Burns 197
Extempore in the Court of Session 197
The henpecked Husband 197
Written at Inverary 198
On Elphinston’s Translation of Martial’s Epigrams 198
Inscription on the Head-stone of Fergusson 198
On a Schoolmaster 198
A Grace before Dinner 198
A Grace before Meat 198
On Wat 198
On Captain Francis Grose 199
Impromptu to Miss Ainslie 199
The Kirk of Lamington 199
The League and Covenant 199
Written on a pane of glass in the Inn at Moffat 199
Spoken on being appointed to the Excise 199
Lines on Mrs. Kemble 199
To Mr. Syme 200
To Mr. Syme, with a present of a dozen of porter 200
A Grace 200
Inscription on a goblet 200
The Invitation 200
The Creed of Poverty 200
Written in a Lady’s pocket-book 200
The Parson’s Looks 200
The Toad-eater 201
On Robert Riddel 201
The Toast 201
On a Person nicknamed the Marquis 201
Lines written on a window 201
Lines written on a window of the Globe Tavern, Dumfries 201
The Selkirk Grace 202
To Dr. Maxwell, on Jessie Staig’s recovery 202
Epitaph 202
Epitaph on William Nicol 202
On the Death of a Lapdog, named Echo 202
On a noted Coxcomb 202
On seeing the beautiful Seat of Lord Galloway 202
On the same 203
On the same 203
To the same, on the Author being threatened with his resentment 203
On a Country Laird 203
On John Bushby 203
The true loyal Natives 203
On a Suicide 203
Extempore, pinned on a Lady’s coach 203
Lines to John Rankine 204
Jessy Lewars 204
The Toast 204
On Miss Jessy Lewars 204
On the recovery of Jessy Lewars 204
Tam the Chapman 204
“Here’s a bottle and an honest friend” 205
“Tho’ fickle fortune has deceived me” 205
To John Kennedy 205
To the same 205
“There’s naethin’ like the honest nappy” 205
On the blank leaf of a work by Hannah More, presented by Mrs. C 206
To the Men and Brethren of the Masonic Lodge at Tarbolton 206
Impromptu 206
Prayer for Adam Armour 206