The Life and Works of Robert Burns. Edited by Robert Chambers

Preface

TO THE FIRST EDITION. The brilliant, painful history of Robert Burns has been -written by seven of his countrymen, some of them men of no mean distinction in literature. His productions have appeared in numberless editions. It -will probably excite surprise that a new life of the poet, in connection with a new edition of his writings, should have been ventured upon. My belief is, that if such a step can he justified at all, justification can only be presented in a satisfactory form in the resulting work. I must hope that the reader, in perusing these volumes, will see in them peculiarities which will make them appear as not a superfluity. Meanwhile, I may be permitted to state briefly the views under which I was induced to enter upon the undertaking. When Burns died, so many offended Conventionalities brooded and whispered over his grave, that his first biographer, Dr Currie — anxious to conciliate public favour and beneficence to the widow and family — entered upon his task in a timid spirit.

He aimed at no detail of the poet's life ; he was contented to do little more than arrange reports on the subject from the poet himself, his brother Gilbert, Professor Stewart, Mr Syme, and others, and to accompany the narrative with certain dissertations on those institu tional influences which affect the character of the Scottish peasant. It would even appear that, in his anxiety to avoid provoking any loud demonstration from those who took unfavourable views of the life and conversation of Burns, he allowed himself — unwittingly, no doubt — to go somewhat beyond the strict truth in his concessions as to the imputed faults of the unfortunate Bard. In the other part of his task, the publication of the poetical and prose writings of Burns, Dr Currie does not seem to have thought any particular effort at arrangement or illustration necessary.

He chiefly confined himself to the duty of a pure and tasteful selection. It appears from his own letters that he afterwards saw possibilities of improvement, but these he did not live

PREFACE.

. VI to accomplish. This amiable man — who had given the leisure of several years to a task by which fourteen hundred pounds were realised for the poet's family — looking for no reward to himself beyond the happiness of succouring the helpless — died at a too early age in 1805, perhaps in some degree the victim of his benevolent exertions. Of the other biographies of the poet, two deserve particular notice. That by Mr Lockhart, which appeared in 1828, has been universally accepted as a graceful treatment of the subject : kind, without being partial, towards Burns, and informed with a fine spirit of criticism. It adds, however, little to the details previously known ; and certainly any effort made by the author to attain correctness in the statement and arrangement of facts, was far from what would appear to have been necessary in the case.

The subsequent biography by Allan Cunningham gives a greater amount of fresh anecdote, and has much of the charm which belongs to the well-known manner of the writer. Yet, whether from defective opportunities — he had never, I believe, set his foot in Ayrshire — or a failure to apprehend and grapple with the difficulties of the subject, he seems to have also failed to produce a work which could leave nothing to be desired. In the meantime, the poems and letters of Burns remained in their original unconnected and unillustrated state, with such additions to Dr Currie's list as had been obtained by successive editors, or as had been through any accident attributed to him. I had myself contributed to an edition a series of historical, biographical, and topographical notes, the preparation of which had been the amusement of some of my younger years ; but having never had my suspicions properly awakened as to the labours of previous editors, I made no attempt at any further editorial duty.

Subsequent editors have amply availed themselves of these notes, indeed to a degree which seems inconsistent with literary rights ; but they have left the selection and arrangement of the poet's works as they found it. I should vainly, however, endeavour to convey an adequate idea of the confusion and inaccuracy which I now behold in the many editions of Burns, including, of course, that in which I had myself some concern. This can only be done by presenting in contrast one in which at length a faithfully zealous, however imperfect, attempt is made to put the writings of Burns before the world, not merely with fidelity as to text (here there is little room for amendment), but with a just regard to the time and circumstances under which they left his pen, and with a rigid exclusion of all which cannot be with tolerable certainty affiliated to him.

Venerating the generous editorship of Currie, admiring the writings of other men regarding the life and character of Burns, and duly sensible, I hope, of my deficiency in many of their qualifications, I have nevertheless been led by a love of the subject to venture on the task of producing a new and duly ample memoir of the Great Peasant. It appeared to me that Burns's still growing reputation justified some attempt of this kind, and that the time was passing, and would soon be past, when it could be successfully made. I have, accordingly, entered upon a minute examination of all the

PREFACE.

. VII materials which exist for a biography of the poet, and collected new and authentic particulars from all available sources, including the memory of his youngest sister, Mrs Begg, who still survives. The writings of Burns — his Poems, Songs, and Letters — are most of them so expressly the coinage of his immediate experiences and feelings, that his life might be read in them alone. As hitherto arranged, each series might be likened to a fragmentary view of the poet's life, supplementary to the meagre memoir usually prefixed. So arranged, the biographic effect of the whole is either imperfectly developed, or lost by dissipation. It occurred to me — and I find that the same idea had latterly occurred to Allan Cunningham — that if the various compositions were strung in strict chronological order upon the memoir, they might be made to render up the whole light which they are qualified to throw upon the history of the life and mental progress of Burns, at the same time that a new significancy was given to them by their being read in connection with the current of events and emotions which led to their production.

Such is the plan here adopted, and the result is not merely a great amount of new biographical detail, but a new sense, efficacy, and feeling, in the writings of the poet himself. It was not a task to be lightly accomplished. In ascer taining dates, in tracing the relations of writings to facts, and facts to writings, in checking mistakes not merely of biographers, but of the poet himself and his nearest relatives, and in verifying fresh information, a degree of labour has been encountered which seems surprising in regard to a poet who flourished only sixty years ago. It is only too probable that, in a subject found in so unfortunate a state, errors have not been avoided ; but such as exist will, I hope, prove to be trivial ; and I shall think little of my sacrifice of time in the case, if my countrymen shall join me in thinking that Burns deserved so much trouble being taken in recording the history of his life and writings.

As to the tone adopted regarding the morale of Burns, my wish has been, in a word, to write the truth with tenderness. To sa}r that Burns was a man, is to say that he was not without infirmities. On this subject there has been much error on both sides, and the very prominence given to the subject has involved an injustice. I feel, for my own part, no hesitation in shewing Burns as the being of impulse and passion, subject, like other men, to occa sional aberrations, which he actually was, but this in due subordination to the many admirable traits of character which shone in his life and writings. Regarding one whose brief life was one long hardship, relieved by little besides an ungainful excitement — who, during this singularly hapless career, did, on the whole, well maintain the grand battle of Will against Circumstances — who, strange to say, in the midst of his own poverty, conferred an inestimable and imperishable gift upon mankind — an Undying Voice for their finest sympathies — stamping at the same time more deeply the Divine doctrine of the fundamental equality of consideration due to all men — regarding such a one justice might perhaps be contented with less, but it could not well demand more. His writings involve much that one cannot but

PREFACE.

. VIII think unhappily chosen in point of subject and allusion ; but, after ail, who could wish even those which are most infelicitous in this respect unwritten ? I have not been rigorous in my selection of his writings. — a few passages excepted — because I think that there is a disposition, both in the parties and descendants of persons whom certain of his poems once offended, to regard them as things having now only a literary interest, and to be judged of accordingly. Such have been the views and principles under which the present work was prepared. It will be for the public to decide if such a task ought to have been undertaken, and if, its undertaking being justifiable, its execution has been befitting the subject. 1 Docne Terrace, Edinburgh, November 25, 1850. In presenting this reprint of the original popular edition, it seems only necessary to remark, that very little change of any kind has been made.

I feel it to be an ample reward for many anxious efforts to carry historic accuracy into the minutest details of our Poet's life, that no error of any importance has been reported to me ; neither has any remarkable omission been supplied. Only a few new lights have arisen on comparatively trivial points, and these are here duly taken advantage of. I have now, accordingly, the satisfaction of thinking that the work is at length as near to perfect correctness in matter of fact, as the nature of the subject will permit it to be. April 10, 1856. tfftitftt* %* Italic letters indicate the publication devoted to his writings, in which, as far aa ascertained, the various compositions of Burns were first included. The poems and songs marked a composed the first edition, published at Kilmarnock in 1786 ; those marked b were added in the second edition, published at Edinburgh in 1787; those marked c were added in the edition of 1793.

These, with certain pieces which appeared in the earlj volumes of Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, and Thomson's Select Melodies of Scotland, were all that Burns himself committed to print ; the rest, as well as his letters, have been published since his death. In this list of contents, the pieces published in Johnson's Museum are marked d; the poems and letters presented in Currie's first edition of the poet's works in 1800 are marked e ; those added in the second edition, f; those published by Stewart of Glasgow in 1801, g ; those in Cromek's Reliqnes of Burns, 1808, h; those in Lockhart's Life of Bums, i; those in Cunningham's edition, 1834,7; tn°se m H°gg and Motherwell's edition, 1834-6, k; those in the People's Edition of Messrs Chambers, 1838-40, I; those in Blackie's edition, 1846, m; those added in the present work, n; an asterisk being given in certain cases where it is ascertained that the poem or letter was previously sent forth fugitively.

ALL0 WAY-MOUNT OLIPHANT. 1759-17 77. HAUit The Poet's Autobiography — Birth, Infancy, Early Education, . . 2-4 Early Companions — First Love, . . . . . . 4, 5 Early Reading — Youth — Love Affairs, . . . . . 6, 7 Burns's Father — Anecdote of the Poet's Birth, . . . 8, 9 Gilbert Burns's Account of his Brother's and his own Education, . 10, 11 Betty Davidson — Note, ....... 10 Burns's Studies in French and Latin, . . . . . 13, 14 Family Poverty and Distresses, . . . . . . 15 Burns's Father — Murdoch the Teacher, his Account of the Poet's Education, 17-21 Parents of Burns, ........ 22 The Pof.t's First Love — Song, Handsome Nell, . . . . d 23, X CONTENTS. L 0 C H L E A. 17 77-17 84. PAGE Removal of Burns's Family to Lochlea, ..... 25 Burns at School at Kirkoswald — Love Affair, .... 26 Smuggling Characters — Rodger the Schoolmaster, .... 25-27 Early Attempts in Verse, . • » • • ■ • • "*" Song — I Dreamed I lay, . . . . . . . .31 Autobiography resumed — Flax-dressing Scheme, . . . 32-35 Burns's Companion, Richard Brown, ... ... 34 Gilbert's Narrative resumed — the Poet's Love Affairs, . . 34 Domestic Characters at Lochlea, ...... 36 Love Affairs of Torbolton Parish, ..... 37 Song— My Nannie, O, ....... b 38 Song — Tibbie, I hae seen the Day, . . . . . . d 39 Satirical Verses — The Torbolton Lasses, . . . n 40 Verses on the Ronalds of the Bennals, . . . . . * n 41 Youthful Enthusiasm respecting Wallace, ..... 43 The Bachelors' Club of Torbolton, ..... 44 David Sillar — his Account of Burns, ..... 46 Ellison Begbie, an Early Sweetheart of Burns, ... 47 Song — On Cessnock Banks, ......

A 48 Anecdote of the Young Poet and his Father, .... 49 Letters to Ellison Begbie, . . . . _ . ' e 60 Burns at Irvine, ........ 53 Melancholy Letter to his Father, ...... e 65 Winter ; a Dirge, . . . . . . _ . a 5J Prayer written under the Pressure of Violent Anguish, . . .6 58 Song^ — My Father was a Farmer, ...... 59 Letter to John Murdoch, Jan. 15, 1783, ..... e 60 Torbolton Club Ball, ....... 62 Musical Accomplishments of Burns, ..... 62 Death and Dying Words of Poor Mailie, . . . . . a 63 John Barleycorn ; a Ballad, ...... b 66 Song — Mary Morrison, . . . . . _ . « 68 Song — The Rigs o' Barley, ...... a 69 Song — Montgomery's Peggy, . . . . . . . /« 70 Margaret Thomson : Song composed in August, . . . a 71 Commonplace-Booh, April 1783, . . . . . . A 72 Reflections on Errors, ....... 75 Declining Health of William Burness, ..... 77 Letter to Mr Burnes, Montrose, 21st June 1783, . . . i 78 Mrs Begg's Recollections of her Father, .... 79 Death of William Burness^ — Anecdote, .... 80> Letter to Mr Burnes, Montrose, Feb. 17, 1784, . . . . t CONTENTS.

XI MOSSGIEL. 178 4-17 8 6. PAOB Removal of Burns Family to Mossgiel, . . 82 Sober Habits of the Poet, .... .82 Qualifications of Robert and Gilbert Burns as Farmers, . 83 Extempore Verses — Illness of the Poet, ..... 84 A Prayer in the Prospect of Death, . .... a 85 Stanzas on the same Occasion, ..... 6 85 The First Psalm, ....... b 86 The First Six Verses of the Ninetieth Psalm, .... 6 87 Epistle to John Rankine, ....... a 88 Extracts from Commonplace-Booh, ..... A 90 Song — Green Grow the Rashes, ...... b 90 Burns a Freemason — Torbolton Lodge Festivities, ... 92 Song — The Cure for all Care, ...... b 92 Letter to Mr Burnes, Montrose, Aug. 1784, i 94 Egotisms from my own Sensations, ...... 95 Song — Robin, ....... . 95 Elegy on the Death of Robert Ruisseaux, .... 96 Acquaintance with Jean Armour, .... .97 Tlie Belles of Mauchline, ... . . . / 97 First Determination towards Literary Exertion, . . 98 Extracts from Commonplace-Booh, .....

A 99 Epistle to Davie, ....... a 103-108 John Wilson (Dr Hornbook), ...... 108 Death and Dr Hornbook, . . . . . b 109 Rockings — Epistle to J. Lapraik, . . . . a 115 Second Epistle to J. Lapraik, . . . . . a 119 New-Light Doctrines in Ayrshire, ..... 122 Epistle to John Goudie, Kilmarnock, . . . . . g 123 The Twa Herds ; or, the Holy Tulzie, . . . . . g 125 Epistle to William Simpson, Ochiltree, . . . . a 128 Anecdote — Dr Niven of Dunkeld, ..... 134 Persecution of Mr Gavin Hamilton, ..... 135 Holy Willie's Prayer, . . . . . . ■ g 136 Third Epistle to John Lapraik, . . . . . * h 1 39 Epistle to the Rev. John M'Math, . . . . . . h 141 Compositions of Winter 1785-6, ...... 143 Domestic Circumstances of Burns at this Time, . . . 145 Verses to a Mouse, ....... a 145 Halloween, . . . . . . ■ .a 147 Second Epistle to Davie, . ....*/ 156 Song — The Braes o' Ballochmyle, ..... d CONTENTS.

PAOP Man was Made to Mourn, .... .a 158 Religious Feelings and Habits of Burns, . . . . 160 The Cotter's Saturday Night, . . . . . . a 161 Address to ihe Deil, . . . . . , .a 166 Mauchline and its ' Characters,' ...... 170 The Jolly Beggars ; a Cantata, . . . . . ■ g 173 Epistle to James Smith, . . . . , . a 184 Contention in Burns between Poetry and the World, . 188 The Vision, ....... a 189 A Winter Night, . . . . . , . b 198 Letter to Miss Peggy K , ...... A 200 Song— Young Peggy, . . . . . . . g 201 Scotch Drink, ........ a 202 Tlie Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer, . . , .a 207 Auld Farmer's New-year Morning Salutation to his Auld Mare Maggie, a 213 The Twa Dogs ; a Tale, ...... a 216 To a Louse, ........ a 222 Friends of Burns at Kilmarnock, ..... 223 The Ordination, ....... a 224 Address to the Unco Guid, or the Rigidly Righteous, . . . b 228 Mr Robert Aiken, ....... 230 Letter to Mr John Richmond, Feb. 17, 1786, . . . . h 231 The Inventory, ....... e 232 Letter (and Verses) to Mr John Kennedy, March 3, . . .j 234 Letter to Mr Robert Muir, Kilmarnock, March 20, j 235 Affair of Jean Armour. . . . ' 0^7 Burns proposes to go to the West Indies, .... 238 Proposes also to publish his Poems, ..... 239 Letter to Mr Robert Aihen, April 3, . . . .

"j 239 Letter to [John Ballaniyne, Esqi], ..... 239 Letter to Mr M'Whinnie, Ayr, April 17, . . . . *6 240 Letter to Mr John Kennedy, April 20, . . . . j 240 To a Mountain Daisy, . . . . . , a 241 Lament occasioned by the Unfortunate Issue of a Friend's Amour, . a 242 Despondency ; an Ode, ....... a 244 To Ruin, ......... « 246 Song — Again Rejoicing Nature sees, ..... ft 247 Note to Gavin Hamilton, . . . . . . h 248 Epistle to a Young Friend, ...... a 249 Affair of Mary Campbell (Highland Mary), . . 252 Song — Flow Gently, Sweet Aston, ...... 253 Song — The Highland Lassie, . . . . . .a 255 A Prayer for Mary, ...... a 256 Song — Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary ? . . . . e 257 Another Inamorata, Miss Eliza Miller, ... . 258 Song — From thee, Eliza, CONTENTS. XIII PA UK Jean Armour — Letter to David Brice, June 12, . . h 259, 2 60 Song — Though Cruel Fate, ...... 261 Address of Beelzebub, ...... *j 262 Printing of Poems commenced, ...... 263 A Dream — ' Guid-mornin' to your Majesty,' ... ft 264 The Holy Fair, ........ a 270 Burns subjected to Ecclesiastical Discipline, .... 277 Letter to John Richmond, July 9, . .... j 277 On a Scotch Bard, gone to the West Indies, .... a 278 A Bard's Epitaph, ....... a 279 Dedication to Gavin Hamilton, Esq., . .... a 280 Farewell to the Brethren of St James's Lodge, Torbolton, . . .a 283 Burns as a Freemason, ...... 284 Song — The Sons of Old Kittie, ...... 286 Rencontre with Miss Wilhelmina Alexander, .... 287 Song — The Bonnie Lass o' Ballochmyle, . . . . . e 287 Burns under Terror of Legal Troubles, .... 289 Letter to Mr John Richmond, July 30, . . . . .j 290 Letter to Mr James Smith, Mauchline, ....

A 290 The Poems Published, ....... 291 The Preface, ........ 292 Immediate Popularity of the Volume, .... 293 Letter to Mr John Kennedy, ... j 294 The Farewell, .... . . . *{ 294 Lines written on a Bank-note, ... . . . *j 295 Written on a Blank Leaf of his Poems, . . . . . *f 295 Verses written under Violent Grief, . . . . I 296 Engagement for the West Indies, ..... 296 Collection of Monies for his Poems, ..... 297 Birth of Twin-children, ...... 298 Letter to Mr Robert Muir, Kilmarnock, j 298 The Calf, ......... b 299 Vicarious Courtshii" — Willie Chalmers, .... ■ 300 Tarn Samson's Elegy, . ■ • ■ - • .ft 301 Letter to Mr Burnes, Montrose, Sep. 26, . . . . ' I 304 Verse Note to Mr M' Adam of Craig engill an. . . . h 305 Letter to Mrs Stewart of Stair, ..... e 306 Friendship of Rev. Mr Lawrie of Loudon for Burns, . 307 Burns's Visit to Mr Lawrie, ...... 307 Verses in the Room where he Slept, . . ■ . b 308 Festivities of the Manse, ...... 309 Song — The Gloomy Night is Gathering Fast, . . ■ . b 310 Dr Blacklock — his Encouraging Letter regarding Burns, . . 311 Wavering of Burns as to Future Movements — Proposal of an Excise Situation, ....--•• 312 The Brigs of Ayr, • * CONTENTS.

XIV ■ ..a Death of Highland Mary, ...... 32i This Event announced to Burns, ..... 324 Letter to Mr Robert Aiken — Secret Feelings of Burns, . . e 325 Visit to Professor Stewart at Catrine, .... 328 Lines on Meeting with Basil, Lord Daer, ....«• 328 Professor Stewart's Account of Burns, .... 32.9 Letter to Dr Mackenzie [Oct. 25], ..... A 330 Epistle to Major Logan, . . . . . . -J 331 Friendship of Mrs Dunlop of Dunlop, ..... 333 Letter to Mrs Dunlop, ....... e 334 Burns Revisits St Margaret's Hill, ..... 334 Miss Peggy K- , ....... 335 Letter to Mr Archibald Lawrie, Nov. 13, ..... 335 First Criticism on Burns's Poems, ..... 336 Burns resolves to go to Edinburgh, ..... 337 Letter to Miss Alexander, Nov. 18, . . . . . " 337 Proposed Second Edition of the Poems, ..... 339 Feelings of the Mossgiel Family on the Poet's Success, . . 340 A P P E N D I X. No. 1.

Burns's Ancestry, ....... 343 . 2. Burns's Mother, ...... 349 • 3. The Books read by the Poet in Early Life, . . . 350 . 4. My Nannie, O, ...... 352 » 5. Torbolton Mason Lodges, ...... 353 • 6. The Rocking-song, ...... 354 • 7. Taylor on Original Sin, ...... 355 . 8. Gavin Hamilton and the Mauchline Kirk-session, . . 357 - 9. The Metres of Burns, .... 358 • 10. Sale of the Kilmarnock Edition, .... _y^~_ -Js* /Si ff' "^d 1-Jie. r. «>^ QF SOffiRT BURNS RHE outlines of the life of Robert \~X> Burns are generaRy familiar. He was born on the 25th of January 1759, the eldest son of an Ayrshire peasant. He became a farmer on a mall scale, and for some years held his own gh. He wrote poems chiefly in the Scottish .lar tongue, and thus attracted the attention of ntrymen. Thereafter, he accepted the situation of a revenue-officer, and died at Dumfries on the 2 1st July 1796, in the thirty-eighth year of his age.

His fame was great in his lifetime, and it quickly grew greater : for vivid thought and feeling, and for exquisite felicity of expression, it was seen that no contemporary productions approached his. Yet it was long before men could shake off an idea, derogatory in its general bearing, that Burns was only a wonderful peasant. Truer justice appears now to be done to him. It is beginning to be, if it is not now fully perceived, that he was one of the greatest of poetical spirits, without any regard to the accidental circumstances of birth and education — circumstances which may enhance his merits, but ought not to take from them. VOL. I. a A L L 0 W A Y-M 0UNT OLIPHANT. 1759-1777- Burns, after he became known as a poet (August 1787), com municated an account of the previous twenty-eight years of his hfe to the novelist, Dr John Moore, who had become warmly interested in his behalf.

The portion referring to his parentage, boyhood, and education, is as follows : — ' I have not the most distant pretensions to assume that character which the pie-coated guardians of escut cheons call a gentleman. When at Edinburgh last winter, I got acquainted in the Herald's Office ; and looking through that granary of honours, I there found almost every name in the kingdom ; but for me, " My ancient but ignoble blood Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood." Gules, Purpure, Argent, &c, quite disowned me. 'My father was of the north of Scotland, the son of a farmer, and was thrown by early misfortunes on the world at large, where, after many years' wanderings and sojournings, he picked up a pretty large quantity of observation and experience, to which I am indebted for most of my httle pretensions to wisdom.

I have met with few who understood men, their manners, and their ways, equal to him; but stubborn, ungainly integrity, and headlong, ungovernable irascibility, are disqualifying circumstances; consequently, I was born a very poor man's son. For the first six or seven years of my hfe, my father was gardener to a worthy gentleman of small estate in the neighbourhood of Ayr. Had he continued in that station, I must have marched off to be one of the little underlings about a farmhouse; but it was his dearest wish and prayer to have it in his power to keep his children under his own eye till they could discern between good and evil ; so, with the assistance of his generous master, my father ventured on a small farm on his estate. At those years I was by no means a favourite with anybody. I was a good deal noted for a retentive memory, a stubborn sturdy something in my disposition, and an enthusiastic idiot piety.

I say idiot piety, because I was then but a child. Though it cost the schoolmaster some thrashings, I made an excellent English scholar; and by the time I was ten or eleven years of age, I was a critic in substantives, verbs, and particles. In my AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 3 infant and boyish days, too, I owed much to an old woman who resided in the family, remarkable for her ignorance, credulity, and superstition. She had, I suppose, the largest collection in the country of tales and songs concerning devils, ghosts, fairies, brownies, witches, warlocks, spunkies, kelpies, elf-candles, dead lights, wraiths, apparitions, cantraips, giants, enchanted towers, dragons, and other trumpery.1 This cultivated the latent seeds of poetry, but had so strong an effect on my imagination, that to this hour, in my nocturnal rambles, I sometimes keep a sharp look-ont in suspicious places; and though nobody can be more sceptical than I am in such matters, yet it often takes an effort of philo sophy to shake off these idle terrors.

The earliest composition that I recollect taking pleasure in, was The Vision of Mirza, and a hymn of Addison's, beginning, " How are thy servants blest, O Lord ! " I particularly remember one stanza, which was music to my boyish ear : For though on dreadful whirls we hung High on the broken wave." I met with these pieces in Mason's English Collection, one of my school-books. The two first books I ever read in private, and which gave me more pleasure than any two books I ever read since, were the Life of Hannibal, and the History of Sir William Wallace. Hannibal gave my young ideas such a turn, that I used to strut in raptures up and down after the recruiting drum and bagpipe, and wish myself tall enough to be a soldier ; while the story of Wallace poured a Scottish prejudice into my veins, which will boil along there till the floodgates of life shut in ■eternal rest. 'Polemical divinity about this time was putting the country half mad ; and I, ambitious of shining in conversation-parties on Sundays, between sermons, at funerals, &c, used, a few years after wards, to puzzle Calvinism with so much heat and indiscretion, .that I raised a hue-and-cry of heresy against me, which has not ceased to this hour. 'My vicinity to Ayr was of some advantage to me.