Maria Riddell, the Friend oe Birns. 29 



The letter goes on to strengthen the hnpression we have 

 formed of SmeHie's character : — " I saw a pretty girl this 



morning in town, \\ lio asked kindly after you, Miss 



whom you ilirted with so much at the Assembly in Dum- 

 fries." On November 22nd, 179.2, she again writes to 

 Smellie, expressing her satisfaction at ihe Reviewers' 

 criticisms of her book,'^^ and adding : " We are in hourly 

 expectation of my little girl's acquiring another little pla\ - 

 fellow and relation. "^"^ Next day she gave birth to ancnher 

 daughter, who was christened Sophia. 



Burns, ever since \\'alter Riddell jjurchased W'oodley 

 Park, had frequently been a guest there, and early in 1793 

 he had sent Maria Riddell a copy of his sonnet " On hearing 

 a 'ilirush sing in a Morning Walk in January," as " a small 

 but sincere mark of respect." In April he ga\e her a copy 

 of his poems^''^ inscribed " To Mrs. Riddell of Woodley 

 Park. Un ffoi^c d'Aniiiic le plus sincere." He also 

 addressed an " Impromptu " to her on the twenty-first anni- 

 versary of her birthday (November 4th, 1793). In eight lines 

 of poetry, inspired by Lord Buchan's vociferating in an 

 argument that " \\^)men must always be flattered grossly 

 or not spoken to at all," Burns writes to Maria: — " But 

 thee whom all my soul adores. There flattery cannot flatter !" 

 It is not certain whether the poet addressed his " Wandering 

 Willie " to Maria Riddell, but all his letters to her at this 

 period evince the greatest admiration. •^s He addressed her 

 as " my ever valued Friend;" " thou lirst of Friends, and 

 most accomplished of \Vomen;" " thou must amiable -and 

 most accomplished of thy sex;" and in similar appreciative 

 terms. It is ever to be regretted that none of these letters 



36 See t'ootiioto 14 and Appendix A. 



37 Memoirs of the Life. Wrifings. and Correspoiidence •</ 

 iniliam Smellie, vol. ii. (1811), by Kohort Kerr, p. 369. 



38 Two vols. (Edinburgh), 1793, with twenty-six autograph 

 additions, corrections, and alterations. This presentation copy of 

 Burns' poems is now (1914) in the possession of the Kt. Hon. the 

 Earl of Rosebery, K.T., etc. 



39 Eight of these letters are printed in The IVorls of Ifohrrt 

 Burns, ... by Dr. James Currie, vol. ii. (1820). 



