English Narrative Poems Part 27

[12] 222. =Amain=; at full speed.

[13] 236. =The hue and cry=; a term used to describe the rousing of the people in pursuit of a rogue.

ROBERT BURNS

Robert Burns was born of peasant parentage near Ayr, Scotland, on January 25, 1759. Up to the time when he was twenty-five years old he lived and worked on his father's farm, except for two short absences in near-by towns. While he was very young, he formed bad habits, from which he could never free himself, and which eventually wrecked his career. He was frequently in love, and many of the resulting entanglements brought him little but sorrow. In 1786, as a result of an unfortunate affair with Jean Armour, he determined to sail for America, and in order to raise the necessary money, published a volume of poems for which he was paid twenty pounds. The book was received with enthusiasm and so elated Burns with his success, that he decided to remain in Scotland. He accepted an invitation to Edinburgh, where he was entertained royally by literary circles. However, he was compelled to return to farming, and after marrying Jean Armour took a tenancy at Ellisland in 1788. A little later he was appointed exciseman, but his convivial tendencies were undermining his health, and he found his duties hard to attend to. He moved to Dumfries, where he died in poverty in 1796.

Burns as a writer of songs, especially of love lyrics, is unsurpa.s.sed.

He touched the depths of human pa.s.sion as few have ever done, and has made his poetry live in the hearts of the people. He is also the poet of Scottish peasant life, the enemy of oppression and tyranny, and the supporter of patriotism. Failure though he was from a worldly point of view, he was more unfortunate than culpable, and deserves our pity rather than our censure.

Carlyle's _Essay on Burns_ gives an excellent idea of the character and work of the poet.

TAM O'SHANTER (Page 11)

Written in 1790 in a single day and first published in 1791 as a contribution to Grose's _Antiquities of Scotland_, it has been called "a masterpiece of Scottish character, Scottish humor, Scottish witch-lore, and Scottish imagination." Burns himself considered it to be his finest poem.

[14] 1. =Chapman billies=; pedlar fellows.

[15] 2. =Drouthy=; thirsty.

[16] 4. =Tak the gate=; take the road.

[17] 5. =Nappy=; liquor.

[18] 6. =Fou=; tipsy.

[19] 6. =Unco=; very.

[20] 8. =Slaps=; gates in fences.

[21] 14. =Frae=; from.

[22] 14. =Ayr=; a town in Ayrs.h.i.+re, Scotland, on the west coast about thirty miles south of Glasgow. Near it is the birthplace of Burns.

[23] 19. =Skellum=; ne'er-do-well.

[24] 20. =Blethering=; talking nonsense.

[25] 20. =Blellum=; babbler.

[26] 23. =Ilka=; every.

[27] 23. =Melder=; corn or grain sent to the mill to be ground.

[28] 25. =Ca'd=; driven.

[29] 30. =Doon=; a river near Ayr immortalized in Burns's song, "Ye banks and braes of bonny Doon."

[30] 31. =Warlocks=; wizards.

[31] 31. =Mirk=; dark.

[32] 32. =Alloway=; a small town near Ayr, Scotland.

[33] 32. =Kirk=; church.

[34] 33. =Gars me greet=; makes me weep.

[35] 38. =Planted=; fixed.

[36] 39. =Ingle=; fireside.

[37] 40. =Reaming swats=; foaming new ale.

[38] 41. =Souter=; shoemaker.

[39] 68. =Maun=; must.

[40] 78. =The Deil=; the Devil.

[41] 81. =Skelpit=; hurried.

[42] 81. =Dub=; puddle.

[43] 86. =Bogles=; bogies or goblins.

[44] 88. =Houlets=; owls.

[45] 90. =Smoored=; smothered.

[46] 91. =Birks=; birches.

[47] 91. =Meikle stane=; huge stone.

[48] 93. =Whins=; furze bushes.

[49] 93. =Cairn=; pile of stones.

[50] 94. =Bairn=; child.

[51] 102. =Bleeze=; blaze.

[52] 103. =Bore=; hole.

[53] 105. =John Barleycorn=; a Scotch term for whiskey.

[54] 108. =Usquebae=; whiskey.