The prose works of Robert Burns, with the notes of Currie and Cromek

Preface

The first examples of the Prose of Burns, besides the Prefaces to the various Editions of his Poems, were given to the world, in the Edition of his Works published by Dr Currie, in 1800. They consisted of about one hundred and twenty letters, addi-essed to various correspondents ; fifty-five addressed to Mr George . Thomson, exclusively on the subject of Scottish Song ; and some Extracts from Common-Place Books, which the Poet had kept at various periods of his life.

Burns's prose made from the first a considerable impression on the public mind. By many, the Letters were considered as even more wonderful compositions than the Poems ; and we learn that Dr Aiken, then at the head of critical literature in England, pronounced them superior to any thing of the kind in the language. This praise would now, perhaps, be generally considered as too high ; yet, notwithstanding some specimens of bad taste, occurring here and there, they are certainly entitled to no mean place in the department of literature to which they belong. They display, in general, all that vigour of thought and expression which shines in the verse of Burns. They contain many striking views of life and manners, and some deeply solemn and touching speculations on the topics which most nearly concern the human bosom. Above all, they throw a most interesting light on the character and history of the Poet himself, who is here seen in the undisguise of his veritable nature— full of generous feeling towards all whom he loved— sternly, and often, it may be, coarsely, indignant at those whom his jealous irritability taught him to regard as enemies^ — sometimes elated by the joy of his fame, and the pride of his talents— but more frequently brooding in gloom over his unworthy lot and dismal prospects, or writhing in repentance over follies which the better part of his nature in vain contended. with. The facts of the life of Burns are chronicled by others ; but the history of his feelings — his truest and most genuine biography — is to be found in his own Letters.

In consequence of the estimation in which the prose part of Dr Currie's publication was held, further specimens of that class of Burns's compositions were afterwards brought before the world. In 1802, a series of his letters was published in Glasgow, by the same Mr T. Stewart who had given to the world his J0II3' Beggars, and other poems, overlooked by Currie. They were twenty-five in number, and had been •written by the Poet chiefly during his confinement with a bruised limb, in Edinburgh, in the winter of 1787-8, the sole person addressed being a lady, poetically named Clarinda, for whom he had contracted a I'omantic feeUng of attachment, in consequence of conversing with her but once in the house of a friend, immediately before the occurrence of his accident. The originals of these letters had been obtained surreptitiously, and their publication was rendered illegal by the claim which Burns's executors had over all his compositions during the currency of their term of copyright. They were therefore interdicted, at the instance of these executors, and soon vanished^from the open market. The force of the interdict is now, we presume, exhausted, along with the term of the copyright ; but the letters are still suppressed, in consequence of the non-consent of the lady herself to their publication.

Mr Cromek's volume of Reliques, published in 1808, added seventy -two letters of Burns to the General Correspondence printed by Currie ; and we were further presented on this occasion with a series of strictures on Scottish songs and ballads, with anecdotes of their authors, which the Poet had drawn up for the illustration of Johnson's Musical Museum — besides a more complete edition of his Common-Place Books than that given by Currie.

Since then, additional letters of Bums have been published in Morrison's Edition of the Poems, in Mr Lockhart's Life of Burns, in Mr Allan Cunningham's Edition of the Poet's Works, and other publications. To Mr Cunningham the public is Ukewise indebted for a complete set of the Poet's Memoranda of his Border and Highland Tours.

In the present Edition of the Prose Works of Burns, are combined all the letters, and other compositions, enumerated, as having appeared in these various publications ; namely : —

The one hundred and twenty General Letters, published by Currie ;

The Correspondence >vith Mr Thomson ;

The seventy-two General Letters, published by Mr Cromek ;

All the other Letters, more recently pubUshed ;

The Common-Place Books, in their entire form ;

The Memoranda of Tours ; and

The Strictures on Scottish Songs and Ballads, with Anecdotes of their Authors. Besides which, all the Notes of Currie and Cromek, with many new ones by the Editor, are given ; so that the present Fasiculus, with the two accompanymg publications, may be said to form as complete a set of the Life and Writings of Burns as any in existence.