Burns — On Alexander Wilson. 135 



fide! As to the reports circulated in the neighborhood of 

 Milestown, were I alone the subject of these they would never 

 disturb me, but she who loved me dearer than her own soul, 

 whose image is forever with me, whose heart is broken for her 

 friendship to me, she must bear all with not one friend to whom 

 she dare unbosom her sorrows. Of all the events of my life, 

 nothing gives me such inexpressible misery as this. O, my 

 dear friend, if you can hear anything of her real situation, and 

 whatever it be disguise nothing from mie. Take a walk up to 



's, perhaps she has called lately there, and go out to 



's on Saturday if possible. Let nobody whatever 



know that you have heard anything of me." "August 7, 1801, 

 Bloomfield. My Dear Friend, I received yours yesterday. T 

 entreat you keep me on the rack no longer. Can you not spare 

 me one day to oblige me so much? Collect every information 

 you can, but drop not a hint that you know anything of me. If 

 it were possible you could see her, or any one who had, it 

 would be unspeakable satisfaction to me. My dear Orr, the 

 world is lost forever to me and I to the world. No time nor 

 distance can ever banish her image from my mind. It is for- 

 ever present with me, and my heart is broken with the most 

 melancholy reflections. Whatever you may think of me, my 

 dear friend, do not refuse me this favor to know how she is. 

 Were your situation mine, I declare from the bottom of my 

 soul I would hazard everything to oblige you. I leave the man- 

 agement of it to yourself. . . . Before you write, take a walk up 



to 's as if to enquire for me, and try if you can get 



any information there. I know that she used sometimes to go 

 and see her. Forgive me, my dear friend, if in anything I 

 have offended you. The more of mankind I see, the more sin- 

 cerely I value your friendship, and trust it shall only dissolve 

 when time to me shall be no more." 



September 14, 1801 : "The last letter I wrote you I fondly 

 thought would be answered, but I have waited now three 

 weeks in vain. . . . Your letters were all my company and 

 amusement, but you have deprived me of even that." 



February 7, 1802 : "Mr. Orr, I have no faults to reproach 

 you with. If I had, a consciousness of the number of my own 



