Vol. TEI. 
withftanding that irremediable misfor- 
tune uhder which he lahoured, long the 
predominant colour of his mind: in his. 
latter years, when the gloom might 
otherwife have thickened around him, 
hope, faich, devotion the moft fervent 
and fublime, exalted his mind to hea- 
ven, and made him maintain his wonted 
cheerfulnefs, in the expectation of a 
{peedy diffolution. 
This amiable man of genius read the 
poems of Durns witha nice perception, 
with a tremblingly impatfioned feeling, 
of all their beauties. Amid that tumult 
of emotions of benevelence, curicfity, 
admiration, which were thus excited tn 
his bofom, he eagerly addreffed fome en- 
couraging verfes to the ruftic bard; 
which, conveying the praifes of a poet; 
and a judge of poetical compofition, 
were much more grateful to Burns 
than any applaufes he had before received 
from others. It was BLACKLOCK’s in- 
vitacion that finally determined him to 
abandon his firft intentions of going 
abroad to the Weft-Indies; and rather 
to repair to Edinburgh, with his book, 
in hopes, there to find’ fome powerful 
patron, and, perhaps, to make his for- 
rune by his poetry. : 
In the beginning of the winter 1786- 
87, Burnscame to Edinburgh: by Dr. 
BLACKLOCK he was received with the 
moft flattering kindnefs ; and was car- 
neftly introduced to every perfon of tafte 
-and generofiry among the gdod old man’s 
friends. It was little BLracKiocK 
had it in his power to do for a brother 
poet—but rhat little he did with a fond 
alacrity, and with a modeft grace, which 
made it ten times more pleafing, ‘and 
more effectually ufeful, to him in whofe 
favour it: was exercifed, than even the 
very fame fervices wou'd have been from 
almoft: any other benefactor.  Orhers 
foon officioufly interpofed, to fhare with 
BrLaCKLock, in the honour of patro- 
nizing BURNS. 
is Ayrfhire friends, fome letters of re- 
commendation: fome of his rural ac- 
quaintafce, coming, as well! as himfelf, 
to Edinburgh for the winter, did him 
what offices of kindnefs they convenient- 
ly could. Thhofe very few, who pofltff- 
ed at once true tafte and ardent philan- 
thropy, were foon earneftly united in his 
praife: they who were difpofed to fa- 
vour any good thing belonging to Scot- 
land, purely becaufe it was Scottish, 
gladly joined the cry ; thofe who had 
_iiearts and underftandings to be charmed, 
without knowing why, when they faw 
“Orivinal Memnirs of the-late Robert Burns. 
He had brought from 
553 
their native cuftoms, manners, and lane. 
guage, made the fubjeéts and the mate- 
rials of poefy, could not fupprefs that 
voice of feeling which firugeled to de-= 
clare itfelf for Burns: for the diffipat- 
ed, the licentious, the malignant wits, 
and the free-thinkers, he was fo unfortu- 
mate as to have fatire, and ob{cenity, and 
ridicule of things facred, fufficient to 
captivate their fancies ;—even for the 
pious, he had paffages in which the in- 
ipired language of devotion mitht feém 
to come mended from his tongue: and 
then, to charm thofe whom nougtit can 
delight but wonders, whofe tafte leads 
them to admire cnly fuch things as a 
juggler eating fire; a perfon who can 
aconverfe as if his organs of fpeech were 
in his belly ; a lame failor writing with 
his toes, for want of fingers; a peer or 
a ploughtmnan making verfes; a fimall- 
coal-man diregiing a concert—why, te 
thofe people, the Ayrihire poet might 
feem precifely one of the moft wonderful 
of the wenders after which they were 
wont to gape.— Thus did Burns, ere he 
had been many weeks in Edinburgh, find 
himfelf the objeét of univerfal curios 
fity, favour, admiration, and. fondnefs. 
Fle was fought after, courted with atren- 
tions the moft refpeCtful and affiduous, 
feafted, flattered, careffed, treated by ali 
ranks, as’ the farft boaft of our country 3 
whom it was {carcely polfible to honour 
and reward to a degree ee to. his. me - 
rits. In comparifon with the genera! 
favour which now promifed to more.than 
crown his moft fanguine hopes, it could 
hardly be called praife at all, which. he 
had obtained in Ayrthire. 
In this pofture of - 
our poet’s affairs, a 
new edition cf his poems was earneftly 
called for: he fold the copy-right- to 
Mr..CRrecH, for one hundred pounds ; 
but his friends, at the fame time, fug. 
gelted, and actively promoted @ fxbjirmp- 
tion for an edition, to be publithed for 
the benefit of the author, ere the book. 
{cller’s right fhould commence. Thofe 
gentlemen who had formerly entertained 
the public of Edinburgh with the pe- 
riodical publication of the papers of the 
Mirror, having again combined their 
talents in producing the Louncer, 
were, at this time, about to conclude 
this laft feries of papers; yet, before 
the LounGer relinquifhed his pen, he 
dedicated a number to a commendatory 
criticifm of the poems of the Ayrthire 
bard. That criticifm is now known to 
have been written by the right hon. 
Lord CraiG, one of the fenators of the 
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