54 Maria Riddell, the Friend of Burns. 



absolutely necessary for me to get in love, else I shall 

 never be able to make a line worth reading on the sub- 

 ject." 



482 Burns (Robert) A.L. s. " R. B.," 2 pp. 4to, to Mrs. W. 

 Riddel, including verses " Light lay the earth on Billie's 

 breast," and " Thine am I, my faithful Fair," " I am 

 extremely sorry, dear Madam, that an equally unexpected 

 and indispensable bustle of business will deprive me of 

 waiting on you to-day. ' ' 



483 Burns (Robert) A. L. s. " R. B.," i p. 8vo, to Mrs. 

 Riddel, " On Monday, my dear Madam, I shall most 

 certainly do myself the honor of waiting on you, whether 

 the Muses, ere then, will wait on me is I fear dubious. 

 Please accept a new song which I have this morning 

 reed, from Urbanis. It is a trifling present but — ' Give 

 all thou canst.' " 



484 Burns (Robert) A. L. s. " R. B.," i p. 8vo, to Mrs. 

 Riddel, " I have often told you, my dear Friend, that 

 you had a spice of Caprice in your composition, and you 

 have as often disavowed it, even perhaps while your 

 opinions were at the moment irrefragably proving it. 

 Could anything estrange me from a Friend such as you? 



. No. To-morrow I shall have the honor of waiting on 

 you. Farewell thou first of Friends, and most accom- 

 plished of Women, even with all thy little caprices." 



485 Burns (Robert) A. L. s. " R. B.," 3 pp. 8vo, to Mrs. 

 Riddel, " I shall wait on you, my ever valued Friend, 

 but whether in the morning I am not sure. Sunday 

 closes a period of our curse, revenue business may pro- 

 bably keep me employed with my pen until noon. Fine 

 employment for a Poet's pen ! There is a species of the 

 Human genus that I call the Gin-Horse Class, what 

 enviable dogs they are. Round and round and round 

 they go. Mundell's ox that drives his cotton mill, their 

 exact prototype — without an idea or wish beyond their 

 own circle, fat, sleek, stupid, patient, quiet and con- 

 tented, while here I sit, altogether Novemberish and 

 melancholy." 



