The Works of Robert Burns, Volume 4A. Fullarton and Company, 1841 |
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Page 2
... soon after he sent me the new edition of your poems . You seem to think it incumbent on you to send to each subscriber a number of copies proportionate to his subscription money , but you may depend upon it , few subscribers expect more ...
... soon after he sent me the new edition of your poems . You seem to think it incumbent on you to send to each subscriber a number of copies proportionate to his subscription money , but you may depend upon it , few subscribers expect more ...
Page 3
... soon become master of the most bril- liant facts , which must highly delight a poetical mind . You should also , and very soon may , become master of the heathen mythology , to which there are everlasting allusions in all the poets ...
... soon become master of the most bril- liant facts , which must highly delight a poetical mind . You should also , and very soon may , become master of the heathen mythology , to which there are everlasting allusions in all the poets ...
Page 17
... soon . I was going to say , a wife too ; but that must never be my blessed lot . I am but a younger son of the house of Parnassus , and like other younger sons of great families , I may intrigue , if I choose to run all risks , but must ...
... soon . I was going to say , a wife too ; but that must never be my blessed lot . I am but a younger son of the house of Parnassus , and like other younger sons of great families , I may intrigue , if I choose to run all risks , but must ...
Page 20
... soon , were it but a few lines just to tell me how that good sagacious man your father is , -- that kind dainty body your mother , that strapping chiel your brother Douglas - and my friend Rachel , who is as far be- fore Rachel of old ...
... soon , were it but a few lines just to tell me how that good sagacious man your father is , -- that kind dainty body your mother , that strapping chiel your brother Douglas - and my friend Rachel , who is as far be- fore Rachel of old ...
Page 23
... soon called to more serious evils . My father's generous master died ; the farm proved a ruinous bargain ; and to clench the misfortune , we fell into the hands of a factor , who sat for the picture I have drawn of one in my tale of Twa ...
... soon called to more serious evils . My father's generous master died ; the farm proved a ruinous bargain ; and to clench the misfortune , we fell into the hands of a factor , who sat for the picture I have drawn of one in my tale of Twa ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance AUCHTERTYRE Ayrshire ballad bless brother Burns character charming compliments copy Cunningham dare dear friend dear Madam DEAR SIR delighted devil Dumfries DUNLOP Earl of Glencairn Edinburgh ELLISLAND enjoyment epistle esteem Excise fancy farm father favour favourite feelings fortune friendship GAVIN HAMILTON genius gentleman give Glasgow Gordon Castle hand happy hear heart honest hope House of Stuart humble servant idea inclosed indebted Jenny Geddes JOHN SKINNER kind lady late letter Lord MAUCHLINE merit mind misery Miss muse never night Nithsdale noble obliged perhaps pleasure poem poet Poet's poetic poetry poor present respect rhyme ROBERT AINSLIE Scotch Scotland Scottish Shanter sincere song soul spirits stanzas tell thee thing thou thought tion truly venerable verses week Whit-Sunday WILLIAM DUNBAR wish worth wretch write young
Popular passages
Page 136 - Bagdat, in order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here airing myself on the tops of the mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation on the vanity of human life; and passing from one thought to another, Surely, said I, man is but a shadow and life a dream.
Page 38 - Her pure and eloquent blood Spoke in her cheeks, and so distinctly wrought, That one might almost say her body thought.
Page 26 - ... promises, kindly stepped in, and carried him away, to ' where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest.
Page 23 - In my infant and boyish days, too, 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, deadlights, wraiths, apparitions, cantraips, giants, enchanted towers, dragons, and other trumpery.
Page 370 - tis nought to me ; Since God is ever present, ever felt, In the void waste as in the city full ; And where He vital breathes, there must be joy.
Page 371 - Far, far aloof th' affrighted ravens sail ; The famish'd eagle screams, and passes by. Dear lost companions of my tuneful art, Dear as the light that visits these sad eyes, Dear as the ruddy drops that warm my heart, Ye died amidst your dying country's cries — No more I weep.
Page 30 - I had seen human nature in a new phasis; and I engaged several of my school-fellows to keep up a literary correspondence with me. This improved me in composition. I had met with a collection of letters by the wits of Queen Anne's reign, and I pored over them most devoutly: I kept copies of any of my own letters that pleased me; and a comparison between them and the composition of most of my correspondents flattered my vanity. I carried this whim so far, that though I had not three farthings...
Page 55 - The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and Nature sink in years, But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the war of elements, The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds.
Page 230 - Coffins stood round, like open presses; That shaw'd the dead in their last dresses; And by some devilish...
Page 178 - It is the moon — I ken her horn, That's blinkin in the lift sae hie ; She shines sae bright to wyle us hame, But, by my sooth, she'll wait a wee ! Wha first shall rise to gang awa', A cuckold, coward loon is he ! Wha last beside his chair shall fa...