to miss ferrier
enclosing the elegy on sir j. h. blair.
nae heathen name shall i prefix,
frae pindus or parnassus;
auld reekie dings them a' to sticks,
for rhyme-inspiring lasses.
jove's tunefu' dochters three times three
made homer deep their debtor;
but, gien the body half an e'e,
nine ferriers wad done better!
last day my mind was in a bog,
down george's street i stoited;
a creeping cauld prosaic fog
my very sense doited.
do what i dought to set her free,
my saul lay in the mire;
ye turned a neuk—i saw your e'e—
she took the wing like fire!
the mournfu' sang i here enclose,
in gratitude i send you,
and pray, in rhyme as weel as prose,
a' gude things may attend you!
Poems and Songs of Robert Burns written by somebody on the window written by somebody on the window
of an inn at stirling, on seeing the royal palace in ruin.
here stuarts once in glory reigned,
and laws for scotland's weal ordained;
but now unroof'd their palace stands,
their sceptre's sway'd by other hands;
fallen indeed, and to the earth
whence groveling reptiles take their birth.
the injured stuart line is gone,
a race outlandish fills their throne;
an idiot race, to honour lost;
who know them best despise them most.
Poems and Songs of Robert Burns the poets reply to the threat of a censorious critic the poet's reply to the threat of a censorious critic
my imprudent lines were answered, very petulantly, by somebody, i believe, a rev. mr. hamilton. in a ms., where i met the answer, i wrote below:—
with esop's lion, burns says: sore i feel
each other's scorn, but damn that ass' heel!
Poems and Songs of Robert Burns the libellers self-reproof the libeller's self-reproof 注释标题 these are rhymes of dubious authenticity.—lang.
rash mortal, and slanderous poet, thy name
shall no longer appear in the records of fame;
dost not know that old mansfield, who writes like the bible,
says, the more 'tis a truth, sir, the more 'tis a libel!
Poems and Songs of Robert Burns verses written with a pencil verses written with a pencil
over the chimney—piece in the parlour of the inn at kenmore, taymouth.
admiring nature in her wildest grace,
these northern scenes with weary feet i trace;
o'er many a winding dale and painful steep,
th' abodes of covey'd grouse and timid sheep,
my savage journey, curious, i pursue,
till fam'd breadalbane opens to my view.—
the meeting cliffs each deep-sunk glen divides,
the woods wild scatter'd, clothe their ample sides;
th' outstretching lake, imbosomed 'mong the hills,
the eye with wonder and amazement fills;
the tay meand'ring sweet in infant pride,
the palace rising on his verdant side,
the lawns wood-fring'd in nature's native taste,
the hillocks dropt in nature's careless haste,
the arches striding o'er the new-born stream,
the village glittering in the noontide beam—
poetic ardours in my bosom swell,
lone wand'ring by the hermit's mossy cell;
the sweeping theatre of hanging woods,
th' incessant roar of headlong tumbling floods—
here poesy might wake her heav'n-taught lyre,
and look through nature with creative fire;
here, to the wrongs of fate half reconcil'd,
misfortunes lighten'd steps might wander wild;
and disappointment, in these lonely bounds,
find balm to soothe her bitter, rankling wounds:
here heart-struck grief might heav'nward stretch her scan,
and injur'd worth forget and pardon man.
Poems and Songs of Robert Burns song—the birks of aberfeldy song—the birks of aberfeldy
tune—“the birks of abergeldie.”
chorus.—bonie lassie, will ye go,
will ye go, will ye go,
bonie lassie, will ye go
to the birks of aberfeldy!
now simmer blinks on flowery braes,
and o'er the crystal streamlets plays;
e let us spend the lightsome days,
in the birks of aberfeldy.
bonie lassie, c.
while o'er their heads the hazels hing,
the little birdies blythely sing,
or lightly flit on wanton wing,
in the birks of aberfeldy.
bonie lassie, c.
the braes ascend like lofty wa's,
the foaming stream deep-roaring fa's,
o'erhung wi' fragrant spreading shaws—
the birks of aberfeldy.
bonie lassie, c.
the hoary cliffs are crown'd wi' flowers,
white o'er the linns the burnie pours,
and rising, weets wi' misty showers
the birks of aberfeldy.
bonie lassie, c.
let fortune's gifts at randoe flee,
they ne'er shall draw a wish frae me;
supremely blest wi' love and thee,
in the birks of aberfeldy.
bonie lassie, c.
Poems and Songs of Robert Burns the humble petition of bruar water the humble petition of bruar water
to the noble duke of athole.
my lord, i know your noble ear
woe ne'er assails in vain;
embolden'd thus, i beg you'll hear
your humble slaveplain,
how saucy phoebus' scorching beams,
in flaming summer-pride,
dry-withering, waste my foamy streams,
and drink my crystal tide.
the lightly-jumping, glowrin' trouts,
that thro' my waters play,
if, in their random, wanton spouts,
they near the margin stray;
if, hapless chance! they linger lang,
i'm scorching up so shallow,
they're left the whitening stanes amang,
in gasping death to wallow.
last day i grat wi' spite and teen,
as poet burns came by.
that, to a bard, i should be seen
wi' half my channel dry;
a panegyric rhyme, i ween,
ev'n as i was, he shor'd me;
but had i in my glory been,
he, kneeling, wad ador'd me.
here, foaming down the skelvy rocks,
in twisting strength i rin;
there, high my boiling torrent smokes,
wild-roaring o'er a linn:
enjoying each large spring and well,
as nature gave them me,
i am, altho' i say't mysel',
worth gaun a mile to see.
would then my noble master please
to grant my highest wishes,
he'll shade my banks wi' tow'ring trees,
and bonie spreading bushes.
delighted doubly then, my lord,
you'll wander on my banks,
and listen mony a grateful bird
return you tuneful thanks.
the sober lav'rock, warbling wild,
shall to the skies aspire;
the gowdspink, music's gayest child,
shall sweetly join the choir;
the blackbird strong, the lintwhite clear,
the mavis mild and mellow;
the robin pensive autumn cheer,
in all her locks of yellow.
this, too, a covert shall ensure,
to shield them from the storm;
and coward maukin sleep secure,
low in her grassy form:
here shall the shepherd make his seat,
to weave his crown of flow'rs;
or find a shelt'ring, safe retreat,
from prone-descending show'rs.
and here, by sweet, endearing stealth,
shall meet the loving pair,
despising worlds, with all their wealth,
as empty idle care;
the flow'rs shall vie in all their charms,
the hour of heav'n to grace;
and birks extend their fragrant arms
to screen the dear embrace.
here haply too, at vernal dawn,
some musing bard may stray,
and eye the smoking, dewy lawn,
and misty mountain grey;
or, by the reaper's nightly beam,
mild-chequering thro' the trees,
rave to my darkly dashing stream,
hoarse-swelling on the breeze.
let lofty firs, and ashes cool,
my lowly banks o'erspread,
and view, deep-bending in the pool,
their shadow's wat'ry bed: