Maria Riddell, the Friend of Burns. 41 



Burns in anger with Kirkpatrick Sharpe on the judgment 

 seat. In the " Monody " the Poet says : — 



" How cold is that bosom which folly once fired, 



How pale is that cheek where the rouge lately glistened, 



Here lies, now a prey to insulting neglect. 

 What once was a butterfly, gay in life's beam." 



In hi.s lampoon " From Esopus to Maria," Burns' language is 

 even less flattering : — 



" Prepare, Maria, for a horrid tale 



Will turn thy very rouge to deadly pale ; 



Will make thy hair, tho' erst from gipsy poll'd. 



By barber woven and by barber sold. 



Though twisted smooth with Harry's nicest care. 



Like hoarv bristles to erect and stare ! 



Still she, undaunted, reels and rattles on. 

 And dares the public like a noontide sun. 

 What scandal called Maria's jaunty stagger 

 The ricket reeling of a crooked swagger?" 



Maria Riddell at the time of her death was only thirty-six 

 years of age, and it is therefore difficult to realise her as a 

 " pickled frog." Moreover, her portraits, '^2 unless unduly 

 flattering, would seen to give the lie direct to Sharpe's pen 

 picture, though there is no apparent reason why he should 

 have wilfully maligned Maria. He, however, confirms his 



■^2 (1) Portrait (Kit-cat size), by Sir Thomas Lawrence; in 

 possession (1914) of Mrs. Bankes, Kingston Lacy, Wimborne, Dorset- 

 shire. (Maria Riddell' s eldest sister Frances Woodley (a noted 

 beauty painted by Romney), married August 18th, 1784, Henry 

 Bankes, M.P. (See footnote 7.) (2) Miniature, in possession (1914) 

 of Miss Harriette Lloyd Fletcher of Gwernhaylod, Co. Flint. 

 (Maria Riddell hi. 2ndly Lieutenant-Colonel Philipps Lloyd 

 Fletcher. (See footnote 99.) (3) Copy of (1) (by, or after. Sir 

 Thomas Lawrence) ; presented to the Mauchline Burns Memorial 

 Museum by Dr. Arthur de Noe AValker (Maria Riddell 's grand-son, 

 who d. October 2nd, 1900), in February, 1849. (See frontispiece.) 

 At the same time he gave the Mu.seum three of her cups and 

 saucers and a muffin dish of old Chelsea-ware bearing the Riddell 

 crest and the letter R. 



