Vols HI.] = Ovaginal Memoirs af the late Robert Burns. 
meetings, in Dumfries, after, BuRNs 
came to refide here. and the poet was, 
of courfe, invited to fhare their convivi- 
ality, and hefitated not to accept the in- 
yitation. “Lhe morals of the town were, 
in confequence of its becoming fo much 
the fcene of public amufement, deplora- 
bly cerrupted; and, though a hufband 
anda father, poor Burns did not efcape 
fulfering by the general contamination, 
in amanner which I forbear to defcribe. 
In the intervals between his different 
fits of intemperance, he fuffered ftill the’ 
keeneft anguifh of remorfe, and horri- 
bly afffictive forefight. His Jane ftill 
behaved with a degree of maternal and 
conjugal tenderne{s and prudence, which 
made him feel more bitterly the evil of 
his mifconduét, although they could not 
reclaim him. At laf, crippled. emaci- 
ated, haying the very power of anima- 
tion wafted by difeafe, quite broken- 
hearted by the fenfe of his errors, and 
-of the hopelefs miferies in which he faw 
himfelf and his family deprefied ; with 
his foul ftill tremblingly alive to the 
fenfe of fhame, and to the love of virtue; 
yet even in the laft feeblenefs, and amid 
the laft agonies of expiring life, yielding 
readily to any temptation that offered the 
femblance of intémperate enjoyment, he 
died at Dumfries, inthe fummer of the 
year 1796, while he was yet three or 
four years under the age of forty. 
After his death, it quickly appeared 
that his failings had not effaced from the 
minds of his more refpectable acquaint- 
ance either the regard which had once 
‘been won by his focial qualities, or the 
reverence due to his intellectual talents. 
The circumftances of want-in which he 
left his family were noticed by the gen- 
tlemen of Dumfries, with earneft com- 
miferation. His funeral was celebrated, 
by the care of his friends, with a decent 
folemnity, and with a numerous attend- 
ance of mourners, fufficiently honour- 
able to his mémory. Several copies of 
verfes, having, if.no other merit, at leaft 
that of a good fubjéct, were inferted in 
different newfpapcrs, upon the occafion 
‘ef his death. .A contribution, by fub- 
feription, was propofed, for the purpofe 
‘of raifing a {mall fund, for the decent 
fupport of his widow, and the educa- 
tion of his infant children. This fub- 
{criprion has been very warmly promot- 
ed, and not without confiderable fucccts, 
‘by Sobn Syme, efg: of Dumfries, by 
Alexander Cunningham; efg. writer to the 
‘fignet, in Edinburgh ; and by Dr. Yames 
Currie and Mr. Rofcoe, of Liverpool. 
$59 
Mr. Stephen Kemble, manager’ of the 
theatre-royal, at Edinburgh, with rea- 
dy liberality, gave a benefit-night for 
this generous purpofe. A publication 
of the poet’s pofthumous works is now in, 
preparation, the profits of which are to 
be appropriated to the fame pious ufe. 
It is hoped that fucha fam may be made 
up, in all, as fhall fecure his widow from 
deftiture want, and thall beftow upon 
his children. the advantages of a liberal 
education; it will be rather a tribute to 
Burwys than the mere dole of charity! 
- I fhall conclude this paper with 2 
fhort eftimate of what appear to me to 
have been Burns's real merits, as a poet 
and asaman: the moft remarkable qua- 
lity he difplayed, both in his writings 
and his converfation, was, certainly, an 
enlarged, vigourous, keenly difcerning, 
CONSCIOUS COMPREHENSION OF 
MIND. . Whatever be the fubject of his 
verfe, he feems ftill to grafp it with 
giant force; to wield and turn it with 
eafy dexterity; to view it on all fides, 
with an eye which no turn of outline 
and no hue of colouring can elude; to 
mark all its relations to the group of 
furrounding objeéts, and then to feleé 
what he choofes to reprefent to our ima 
ginations, with a fkilful and happy pro- 
priety, which fhows him to have been, 
at the fame time, matier of all the reft. 
It will not be very eafy for any other 
mind, however richly ftored with 
various knowledge; for any other 
imagination, however elaftic and inven- 
tive, to find any new and fuitable topie 
that has been omitted by BURNS, in 
celebrating the fubjects of ‘all his greater 
and more elaborate poems... It is im- 
poffible to confider, without aftonith- 
ment, that amazing fertilitv of invention 
which is difplayed, under the regulation 
of a found judgment, and a correct tafte, 
in the Twa Dogs; the Addre/s to the 
Deil; Scotch Drinks the Holy Fair; 
Hallowe'en ; the Cottar’s Sarurday Nigat; 
Toa Haggis; Toa Loufe; To a Mountain 
Datfy ; Tam O'Shanter ; on Captain Grofe's 
Peregrinations ; The bumble Petition of 
Bruar water; The Bard's Epiaph. Shoe- 
makers, footmen, threfhers, milk-maids, 
peers, ftay-makers, have all written 
verfes, fuch as deferyedly attraéted the 
notice of the world; but in the poetry 
of thefe people, while there was com, 
monly fome genuine effufion of the fen 
timents of agitated nature, fome exhibi- 
tion of fuch imagery as at once mprefled 
itfelf upon the heart; there was alfo 
much to be ever excufed in confideration 
ACRz eo) 9 
