The Complete Works of Robert Burns Part 188

I shall just lay my hand on my heart and say, I hope I shall ever have the truest, the warmest sense of your goodness.

I come abroad in print, for certain on Wednesday. Your orders I shall punctually attend to; only, by the way, I must tell you that I was paid before for Dr. Moore's and Miss Williams's copies, through the medium of Commissioner Cochrane in this place, but that we can settle when I have the honour of waiting on you.

Dr. Smith[170] was just gone to London the morning before I received your letter to him.

R. B.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 169: From Oth.e.l.lo.]

[Footnote 170: Adam Smith.]

LIV.

TO MR. SIBBALD,

BOOKSELLER IN EDINBURGH.

[This letter first appeared in that very valuable work, Nicholl's Ill.u.s.trations of Literature.]

_Lawn Market._

SIR,

So little am I acquainted with the words and manners of the more public and polished walks of life, that I often feel myself much embarra.s.sed how to express the feelings of my heart, particularly grat.i.tude:--

"Rude am I in my speech, And little therefore shall I grace my cause In speaking for myself--"

The warmth with which you have befriended an obscure man and a young author in the last three magazines--I can only say, Sir, I feel the weight of the obligation, I wish I could express my sense of it. In the mean time accept of the conscious acknowledgment from,

Sir,

Your obliged servant,

R. B.

LV.

TO DR. MOORE.

[The book to which the poet alludes, was the well-known View of Society by Dr. Moore, a work of spirit and observation.]

_Edinburgh, 23d April, 1787._

I received the books, and sent the one you mentioned to Mrs. Dunlop. I am ill skilled in beating the coverts of imagination for metaphors of grat.i.tude. I thank you, Sir, for the honour you have done me; and to my latest hour will warmly remember it. To be highly pleased with your book is what I have in common with the world; but to regard these volumes as a mark of the author's friendly esteem, is a still more supreme gratification.

I leave Edinburgh in the course of ten days or a fortnight, and after a few pilgrimages over some of the cla.s.sic ground of Caledonia, Cowden Knowes, Banks of Yarrow, Tweed, &c., I shall return to my rural shades, in all likelihood never more to quit them. I have formed many intimacies and friends.h.i.+ps here, but I am afraid they are all of too tender a construction to bear carriage a hundred and fifty miles. To the rich, the great, the fas.h.i.+onable, the polite, I have no equivalent to offer; and I am afraid my meteor appearance will by no means ent.i.tle me to a settled correspondence with any of you, who are the permanent lights of genius and literature.

My most respectful compliments to Miss Williams. If once this tangent flight of mine were over, and I were returned to my wonted leisurely motion in my old circle, I may probably endeavour to return her poetic compliment in kind.

R. B.

LVI.

TO MRS. DUNLOP.

[This letter was in answer to one of criticism and remonstrance, from Mrs. Dunlop, respecting "The Dream," which she had begged the poet to omit, lest it should harm his fortunes with the world.]

_Edinburgh, 30th April, 1787._

---- Your criticisms, Madam, I understand very well, and could have wished to have pleased you better. You are right in your guess that I am not very amenable to counsel. Poets, much my superiors, have so flattered those who possessed the advent.i.tious qualities of wealth and power, that I am determined to flatter no created being, either in prose or verse.

I set as little by princes, lords, clergy, critics, &c., as all these respective gentry do by my bards.h.i.+p. I know what I may expect from the word, by and by--illiberal abuse, and perhaps contemptuous neglect.

I am happy, Madam, that some of my own favourite pieces are distinguished by your particular approbation. For my "Dream," which has unfortunately incurred your loyal displeasure, I hope in four weeks, or less, to have the honour of appearing, at Dunlop, in its defence in person.

R. B.

LVII.

TO THE REV. DR. HUGH BLAIR.

[The answer of Dr. Blair to this letter contains the following pa.s.sage: "Your situation, as you say, was indeed very singular: and in being brought out all at once from the shades of deepest privacy to so great a share of public notice and observation, you had to stand a severe trial. I am happy you have stood it so well, and, as far as I have known or heard, though in the midst of many temptations, without reproach to your character or behaviour."]