NIGHT IS GATHER- however, suggests that the true model was The Birks of GLOOMY Invermay. It was published in Johnson, iii. 293 (1790). A holograph, forming part of the dismembered Stair Ms. -MS. (A)-was before Hately Waddell, and it is also inscribed in a copy of the '86 Edition-мs. (B)—in the possession of Lord Blythswood, who permitted us to inspect it. STANZA II. Lines 5-6 in мs. (A) read thus : The whistling wind affrightens me, I think upon the raging sea.' MS. (B) has the same reading, with storm' for 'wind.' STANZA IV. LINE 6. My love with these, my peace with those,' MSS. (A and B). NO CHURCHMAN AM I THIS poor performance, written probably in 1781 or 1782 for the Tarbolton Bachelors' Club, in imitation of a popular type of English drinking song, appears to have been suggested and inspired by a far better piece, The Women all Tell Me I'm False to My Lass (c. 1740: still to be heard as Wine, Mighty Wine), the air of which may well have been in Burns's ear when he directed his own words to be sung to the tune of Prepare, my Dear Brethren. It is quoted, according to Mr. Baring Gould (English Minstrelsie, 1895, 1. xxiii.), in The Bullfinch (1746), The Wreath (1753), and The Occasional Songster (1782); and we have found it, as Burns before us, in A Select Collection of English Songs (London, 1763)—an odd volume of which, containing this very lyric, with notes in his handwriting, is before us as we write-and in Calliope (Edinburgh, 1788). Here is a stanza which must certainly have been present when he was struggling with the halting lines and the second-rate buckishness of No Churchman Am I: NO CHURCH MAN AMI 'She too might have poisoned the joy of my life With nurses, and babies, and squalling, and strife; But my wine neither nurses nor babies can bring, And a big-bellied bottle's a mighty good thing.' The anapest with four accents has carried a bacchanalian connotation from the time of Shadwell's Psyche (1672) at least, and the present stave has been the vehicle of innumerable drinking songs, including the English A Tankard of Ale, and the Irish One Bottle More. Burns himself reverts to it in The Whistle (see post, p. 454). STANZA VI. LINE I. "Life's cares they are comforts" -a maxim laid down'-' Young's Night Thoughts' (R. B.). 3. And faith I agree with the old prig to a hair,' 1793. STANZA VII. LINE 4. 'Have a big-bellied bottle when pressèd with care,' 1787 (1) and 1787 (2). ADDED IN 1793 WRITTEN IN FRIARS CARSE HERMITAGE THIS is the second version of a piece originally inscribed on a window-pane of Friars Carse Hermitage in June 1788 (see vol. ii.). Friars Carse adjoined Ellisland, and the owner, Captain Robert Riddell of Glenriddell, had given Burns a key to the grounds and the little hermitage which he had built there. It would appear from an undated letter to William Dunbar (asking him to decide between the two sets), and from the fact that Burns distributed copies of both, that he was by no means convinced of the superiority of the second set. Moreover, not merely do Mss. of that set show a great many variations, but also-what is unusual with this poet-they indicate a real diversity of opinion. Our tale of variations includes those occurring in-(1) the Second Common Place Book-Ms. (A); (2) a мs. in the University Library, Edinburgh-мs. (B); (3) the Glenriddell Book at Liverpool—s. (C); (4) the Afton Lodge Book at Alloway-мs. (D); (5) a мs. in the possession of Mr. Lennox, Dumfries-мs. (E); (6) another in the possession of Miss Gladstone of Fasque-мs. (F); (7) the Ms. sent to William Dunbar-Ms. (G)-for a copy of which we are indebted to Mr. Davey, Great Russell Street, London; (8) a dateless printed copy, published some time before the issue of the '93 Edition; and (9) a copy in The Glasgow Weekly Miscellany for 31st November 1791, which was reprinted in other periodicals. After LINE 6 the following two lines are inserted in MSS. (A, B, C, F and G) the printed copy and periodicals : 'Day, how rapid in its flight, Day, how few must see the night.' 7. 'Hope not sunshine every hour,' 1793. 9. When youth and love with sprightly dance,' Mss. (D, E and G) and periodicals. 10. 'Beneath thy morning sun advance,' MSS. (F and G) and deleted in Ms. (A). 14. 'Then raptured sip and sip it up,' 1793. 19. Check thy climbing steps elate,' мs. (A). 25. As thy shades of ev'ning close,' Mss. (C and D), and 1793, with 'evening' for 'ev'ning'; 'When thy,' MS. (F), printed copy, and periodicals; 'When the,' Ms. (E). 31. 'And teach the sportive younker's brain,' мs. (A) ; ‘younker-train,' MS. (C). In Ms. (A) the reading adopted in the Author's Editions is deleted. 32. Experience' lore oft bought with pain,' mss. (A and C). In Ms. (A) the reading adopted in the Author's Editions is deleted. 33. 'Say the criterion of their fate,' deleted reading in Ms. (A), but adopted in Mss. (B and F), the printed copy, and the periodicals. 34. The important query of their fate,' Ms. (A); 'state,' deleted in мs. (A), but adopted in Mss. (B and F), the printed copy, and the periodicals; 'The grand criterion of their fate,' Ms. (C). 37. Wert thou cottager or king,' Mss. (B and F), the printed copy, and the periodicals, but deleted in Ms. (A). 38. 'Peer or Peasant-no such thing,' MS. (B and F), the printed copy, and the periodicals, but deleted in MS. (A). 39. 'Tell them-press it on the mind,' printed copy and the periodicals. 55. 'Quod the Beadsman on Nidside,' or 'on Nithside,' MSS :-'Quod,' the old Scots form of 'Quoth,' was usually attached by the 'Makaris' to their pieces. FRIARS CARSE HERMIT AGE ODE SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MRS. OSWALD In a letter to Dr. Moore, 23rd March 1789, enclosing this Ode, Burns explains its origin :-In January last, on my road to Ayrshire, I had put up at Bailie Whigham's in Sanquhar, the only tolerable inn in the place. The frost was keen, and the grim evening and howling wind were ushering in a night of snow and drift. My horse and I were both much fatigued with the labors of the day, and just as my friend the Bailie and I were bidding defiance to the storm, over a smoking bowl, in wheels the funeral pageantry of the late great Mrs. Oswald; and poor I am forced to brave all the horrors of a tempestuous night, and jade my horse, my young favourite horse, whom I had just christened Pegasus, twelve miles further on, through the wildest moors and hills of Ayrshire, to New Cumnock, the next inn. The powers of poesy and prose sink under me, when I would describe what I felt. Suffice it to say, that when a good fire at New Cumnock had so far recovered my frozen sinews, I sat down and wrote the inclosed ode.' In a letter (unpublished) to Mrs. Dunlop, enclosing the copy of the Ode, 'Before I reached the other stage,' he writes, 'I had composed the following, and sent it off at the first post office for the Courant,' by which, if this be true, it was declined. On May 7th, 1789, the piece appeared in Stuart's Star with the following preface, here for the first time reprinted :'Mr. Printer, 'I know not who is the author of the following poem, but I think it contains some equally well-told and just compliments to the memory of a matron who, a few months ago, much against her private inclination, left this good world and twice five good thousands per annum behind her. 'We are told by very respectable authority that "the righteous die and none regardeth"; but as this was by no means the case in point with the departed beldam, for whose memory I have the honour to interest myself, it is not easy guessing why prose and verse have both said so little on the death of the owner of ten thousand a year. 'I dislike partial respect of persons, and am hurt to see the public make such a fuss when a poor pennyless gipsey is consigned over to Jack Ketch, and yet scarce take any notice when a purse-proud Priestess of Mammon is by the memorable hand of death prisoned in everlasting fetters of ill-gotten gold, and delivered up to the archbrother among the finishers of the law, emphatically called by your bard, the hangman of creation. "TIM NETTLE.' The same issue contained a letter signed with Burns's own initials, which has never been republished. It is of some interest as regards his newspaper work : 'Mr. Printer, 'Your goodness oppresses me :-"Talbot's death was woe enough though it had ended there." "Your polite exculpation of me in your paper was enough. The paper itself is more than I can in decency accept of, as I can do little or nothing on my part to requite the obligation. For this reason I am to be at liberty to resign your favour at pleasure, without any imputation of little pride or pettish humour. 'I have had my usual luck in receiving your paper. They have all come to hand except the two which I most wanted, the 17th and 18th, in which I understand my verses are. So it has been with me always. A damned star has almost all my life usurped my zenith, and squinted out the cursed rays of its malign influences. In the strong language of the old Hebrew Seer:-" And behold, whatsoever he purposeth, it shall not come to pass; and whatsoever he doth, it shall not prosper." 'Any alterations you think necessary in my trifles, make them and welcome. In political principles, I pre ODE To THE MEMORY OF MRS. OSWALD |