94 



This Bible is, or was lately, in possession of a sur- 

 viving sister of Mary, at Ardrossan. Upon the 

 boards of the first volume, is inscribed, in Burn's 

 handwriting, " And ye shall not swear by my name 

 falsely, I am the Lord. (Lev., xix., 12). On the 

 second volume, " Thou shalt not forswear thyself, 

 but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths." 

 (Mat., v., 33). And on the blank leaf of either, 

 "Bobert Burns, Mossgiel," with his free-mason 

 mark. The parting was an eternal one. On return- 

 ing to Greenock, on her way to Ayrshire, Mary 

 Campbell died of inflammation, and was buried in 

 the church-yard there, where there is a monument 

 to commemorate her story. 



It was in this locality of the Ayr that he after- 

 wards wrote his famous ballad, which Mr. Lockhart 

 says is the best he ever penned, " To Mary in 

 Heaven." 



" Thou lingering star, with lessening ray, 



That lov'st to greet the early morn, 

 Again thou usher' st in the day 

 My Mary from my soul was torn. 



< 0, Mary ! dear departed shade ! 



Where is thy blissful place of rest ? 

 Seest thou thy lover lowly laid ? 

 Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast ?" 



Proceeding towards Glasgow, we meet with the 

 Irvine, and its tributary, the Cessnack. The main 

 river is not held in high repute by anglers, but its 

 feeder has a fair portion of smallish trout. 



