132 CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



and such strains ; the field where the " death and dying words of poor 

 Mailie" took place, and the very furrows where he crushed the " wee, 

 modest, crimson-tipped flower," and passed the coulter through the poor 

 little mouse's tenement of leaves and stubble, are distinguished with 

 affectionate earnestness and most topographical accuracy. Yet with all 

 this minuteness in trifling particulars, — with all this elaborate and 

 indeed Denner-like penciling, Mr. Cunningham never becomes dry or 

 wearisome ; it is, perhaps, true, that the consequence which he attaches 

 to his information may, occasionally, excite a smile, but the fondness 

 in which it originates, is amiable — it is the feeling of a fellow countryman 

 risking the utmost to do honour to one whom he thinks the first among 

 men. When, therefore, Mr. Cunningham avails himself of an oppor- 

 tunity to give us a concise but satisfactory history of ** the eight-day 

 clock which went from Mossgiel to Ellisland " (vide vol, vi. p. 305), he 

 is only complying with what he esteems a paramount duty to posterity. 



In our former brief notice we expressed our opinion that this memoir 

 was superfluous ; that Mr. Cunningham felt self-admonished of the same 

 is apparent from the implied apology which he attempts in the very outset 

 of his undertaking. Alluding to the life of the poet, he says, " this, 

 however, has already been done with so much affection by Currie, care by 

 Walker, and manliness by Lockhart — the genius, the manners, and 

 fortunes of Burns have been discussed so fully by critics of all classes, 

 and writers of all ranks, that little remains for a new adventurer in the 

 realms of biography save to extract from the works of others a clear and 

 judicious narrative." (Vol. i. p. 1.) Here we pause for a moment to 

 inquire emphatically — what occasion existed for " a clear and judicious 

 narrative" after the "affection" of Currie, the "care" of Walker, and 

 the ** manliness " of Lockhart ? Surely Mr. Cunningham was not exactly 

 aware of the extravagant inconsistency of his declaration ! — surely he did 

 not mean to insinuate that his commendatory expressions were but Roman 

 pearls — glittering impostures, and that in truth no '* clear and judicious 

 narrative " could be found in the writings of the celebrated trio ! We hope 

 not ; but leaving this little intricacy to his consideration, we proceed with 

 the author. " But, like the Artist who founds a statue out of old materials, 

 he has to re-produce them in a new shape, touch them with the light of 

 other feeling, and inform them with fresh spirit and sentiment," (p. 2,) 

 here he has, candidly discovered his purpose, and in its accomplishment, 

 has, indeed, fulfilled the very letter, and spirit of his words. Burns 

 stands in his pages as Burns never stood before, his pedestal is of gold 

 glittering in sunshine, and his effigy of Parian marble without stain or 

 flaw, so far as was compatible with the preservation of any degree of 

 identity. The poet's biography is carefully divided into portions, each 

 embracing a distinct period of his life : of these there are four; 1st, his 

 paternal residence in Ayrshire; 2nd, his temporary plunge into the 

 Scotch metropolis ; 3rd, his farming speculation at Ellisland, in Niths- 

 dale ; and, 4th, his final appearance in the character of a ganger at 

 Dumfries. We purpose glancing at them in succession. 



The birth-place of the bard is sufficiently humble, but Cunningham has 

 touched it with a graphic pen, and it becomes a painter's mor9eau. Our 

 readers shall possess the description. ** There is nothing very picturesque 

 about the cottage or its surrounding grounds : the admirers of the Muses' 

 haunts will see little to call romantic in low meadows, flat enclosures 

 and long lines of public road. Yet the district, now emphatically called 

 * The land of Burns,' has many attractions. There are fair streams, 

 beautiful glens, rich pastures, picturesque patches of old natural wood ; 

 and, if we may trust proverbial rhyme, * Kyle for a man' is a boast of 



