way into life. If I am not much mistaken, my gallant young friend, A******, is very much under these disqualifications; and for the young females of a family I could mention, well may they excite parental solicitude; for I, a common acquaintance, or, as my vanity will have it, an humble friend, have often trembled for a turn of mind which may render them eminently happy-or peculiarly miserable!

I have been manufacturing some verses lately; but as I have got the most hurried season of excise-business over, I hope to have more leisure to transcribe any thing that may shew how much I have the honour to be, Madam, yours, &c.

VOL. II.

X

No.

No. XCVI.

From MR. CUNNINGHAM.

MY DEAR BURNS,

Edinburgh, 25th May, 1789.

AM much indebted to you for your last friendly, elegant epistle, and it shall make a part of the vanity of my composition, to retain your correspondence through life. It was remarkable your introducing the name of Miss Burnet, at a time when she was in such ill health and I am sure it will grieve your gentle heart, to hear of her being in the last stage of a consumption. Alas! that so much beauty, innocence and virtue should be nipt in the bud. Hers was the smile of cheerfulness-of sensibility, not of allurement; and her elegance of manners corresponded with the purity and ele

vation of her mind.

How

How does your friendly muse? I am sure she still retains her affection for you, and that you have many of her favours in your possession, which I have not seen. I weary much to

I most sincerely hope all your concerns in life prosper, and that your roof-tree enjoys the blessing of good health. All your friends here are well, among whom, and your acquaintance, Cleghorn. am well, as far as

be, but with these I am happy.

not the least, is As for myself, I

will let a man

When you meet with my very agreeable friend J. Syme, give him for me a hearty squeeze, and bid God bless him.

Is there any probability of your being soon in Edinburgh?

No. XCVII.

To DR. MOORE.

Dumfries, Excise-office, 14th July, 1790.

SIR,

COMING into town this morning, to attend my duty in this office, it being collection-day, I met with a gentleman who tells me he is on his way to London; so I take the opportunity of writing to you, as franking is at present under a temporary death. I shall have some snatches of leisure through the day, amid our horrid business and bustle, and I shall improve them as well as I can; but let my letter be as stupid as **** as miscellaneous as a newspaper, as short as a hungry grace-before-meat, or as long as a law-paper in the Douglas cause; as ill-spelt as country John's billet-doux, or as unsightly a scrawl as Betty Byre-mucker's answer to it-I hope, considering

***

sidering circumstances, you will forgive it; and, as it will put you to no expense of postI shall have the less reflection about it.

age,

I am sadly ungrateful in not returning you my thanks for your most valuable present, Zeluco. In fact, you are in some degree blameable for my neglect. You were pleased to express a wish for my opinion of the work, which so flattered me, that nothing less would serve my over-weening fancy, than a formal criticism on the book. In fact, I have gravely planned a comparative view of you, Fielding, Richardson, and Smollet, in your different qualities and merits as novel-writers. This, I own, betrays my ridiculous vanity, and I may probably never bring the business to bear; but I am fond of the spirit young Elihu shews in the Book of Job-" And I said, I will also declare my opinion." I have quite disfigured my copy of the book with my annotations. I never take it up without at the same time taking my pencil, and marking with asterisms, parentheses, &c. wherever I meet with an original thought, a nervous remark on life and manners, a remarkably well-turned period, or a character sketched with uncommon precision.

Though I shall hardly think of fairly writ

ing