The Real Robert Burns Part 17

About this time he made a plan for a tragedy. He never finished it, and preserved only a fragment, beginning, 'All devil as I am.'

_20 Years Old._

A year of work, reading, and visions that were but the bases of higher visions yet to come.

_21 Years Old._

He, with his brother Gilbert and five other young men, founded a debating club in an upstairs room of a private house in Tarbolton. He read persistently; held a book in his left hand at meals; and usually carried a book with him while walking. About this time he began to be known as a critic of the preaching and practices of the 'Auld Licht' preachers, and enjoyed shocking those who were, in his judgment, not vital, but only professing, Christians, who did nothing to prove the genuineness of their religion. In this year his heart was kindled by the first love of his manhood.

_22 Years Old._

He read Sterne's works, Macpherson's Ossian, and Mackenzie's _The Man of the World_ and _Man of Feeling_. He said 'he valued the last book more than any other book, except the Bible.' His mind turned to religious subjects very definitely at this period. He developed a deep and reverent affection for Alison Begbie, who was a servant on a farm not far from Lochlea farm. The farm was on Cessnock Water. He wrote three poems to her: 'The La.s.s of Cessnock Banks,' 'Peggy Alison,' and 'Mary Morrison.' His letters to her reveal the two great dominant elements in his mind and heart at that time: a deep and respectful love, and some of the highest ideals of vital religion.

In this year love again stirred him to write poetry. He said it became 'a darling walk for his mind.' 'Winter--a Dirge' belongs to this period.

_23 Years Old._

This was an eventful year. Alison Begbie had declined his offer of marriage. Had she married him and lived he would have had but one love after maturity. He ventured into business in Irvine. He says his partner 'was a scoundrel of the first water, who made money by the mystery of thieving.' Their shop was burned, and he found himself not worth a sixpence. He read two novels, _Pamela_, and _Ferdinand, Count Fathom_, and _Fergusson's Poems_, which filled him with a deeper determination to write poetry. He wrote several religious poems this year.

_24 Years Old._

He became a Freemason in Tarbolton, and devoted a good deal of time to the order. He did not write much poetry. His mind was occupied by religious matters, and he had an impression that his life was not going to last very long. This idea haunted him for two or three years after his maturity. He contemplated death as a rest, but he continued to store his mind and think independently. Dr Mackenzie, who attended his father on his death-bed towards the end of the year, wrote, 'that on his first visit he found Gilbert and his father friendly and cordial, but Robert silent and uncompanionable, till he began discussing a medical subject, when Robert promptly joined in the discussion, and showed an unexpected and remarkable understanding of the subject.' During this year he wrote 'My Father was a Farmer' and 'The Death and Dying Words of Poor Mailie.'

_25 Years Old._

His father died in February, leaving the family very poor. Robert and Gilbert rented Mossgiel farm, about two miles from Mauchline, and the family moved there. Robert determined to be a scientific farmer. He read the best books he could get on agriculture; but bad seed, bad weather, and late harvest left the brothers only half an average crop. He continued to work on the farm, but evidently began to realise more clearly the kindling call to poetry as the special work of his life. During the next twelve years he produced a continuous out-pouring of wonderful poems, although about half of the twelve years he worked as a farmer on Mossgiel and Ellisland farms, and most of the rest of the time worked hard as a gauger, riding two hundred miles each week in the performance of his duties. In this year he wrote 'The Rigs of Barley,' composed in August; 'My Nannie O,' 'Green Grow the Rashes,' 'Man was Made to Mourn,' 'The Twa Herds,' and the 'Epitaph on My Ever Honoured Father.' In this year he met Jean Armour, and soon loved her.

_26 Years Old._

He wrote many poems during this year, the most important being 'Epistle to Davie, a Brother Poet,' 'Holy Willie's Prayer,' 'Death and Doctor Hornbook,' three long 'Epistles to John Lapraik,' 'Epistle to William Simpson,' 'Epistle to John Goldie,' 'Rantin', Rovin' Robin,' 'Epistle to Rev. John M'Math,' 'Second Epistle to Davie,' 'Farewell to Ballochmyle,'

'Hallowe'en,' 'To a Mouse,' 'The Jolly Beggars,' 'The Cotter's Sat.u.r.day Night,' 'Address to the Deil,' and 'The Auld Farmer's New-Year Morning Salutation to his Auld Mare Maggie.'

_27 Years Old._

This was an eventful and productive year for Burns. Quickly following each other came 'The Twa Dogs,' 'The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer,' 'The Ordination,' 'Epistle to James Smith,' 'The Vision,' 'Address to the Unco Guid,' 'The Holy Fair,' 'To a Mountain Daisy,' 'To Ruin,' 'Despondency: an Ode,' 'Epistle to a Young Friend,' 'Nature's Law,' 'The Brigs of Ayr,' 'O Thou Dread Power!' 'Farewell Song to the Banks of Ayr,' 'Lines on Meeting Lord Daer,' 'Masonic Song,' 'Tam Samson's Elegy,' 'A Winter Night,' 'Yon Wild Mossy Mountains,' 'Address to Edinburgh,' and 'Address to a Haggis,'

with love-songs and many minor pieces.

Burns had given Jean Armour a certificate of marriage, and he nearly lost his mental balance when, at her father's order, she consented to have it burned. Fortunately for him two things aided in preserving his balance: the publication of the Kilmarnock edition of his poems, and his love for Mary Campbell, 'Highland Mary.' No man ever needed a love, deep and true, to save him more than Burns did. He believed Jean was lost to him for ever. He was not a faithless but a needy lover when he found a responsive heart in Highland Mary. They made their marriage vows on the Fail, Sunday, 14th May 1786. Mary went home to prepare for marriage, but caught a fever and died. Burns went to Edinburgh later in the year to publish a second edition of his poems, as the first edition had been so well received. In Edinburgh he was the hero of the highest and most thoroughly educated cla.s.ses. He wrote several fine poems to Mary Campbell.

_28 Years Old._

Three thousand copies of his poems were published in April in Edinburgh, netting him over five hundred pounds. He made two triumphal tours--the Border Tour and the Highland Tour. As Mary Campbell was dead, his love was kindled by Clarinda, Mrs M'Lehose, with whom he conducted an intensive love correspondence, and to whom he wrote several beautiful love-songs. As she was a married woman who was separated from her husband, Burns could not marry her. In this year he wrote the 'Inscription for the Headstone of Fergusson,' 'Epistle to Mrs Scott,' 'The Bonnie Moor Hen,' 'On the Death of John M'Leod,' 'Elegy on the Death of James Hunter Blair,' 'The Humble Pet.i.tion of Bruar Water,' 'Lines on the Fall of Fyers,' 'Castle Gordon,'

'On Scaring Some Waterfowl,' 'A Rosebud by My Early Walk,' 'The Banks of Devon,' 'The Young Highland Rover,' 'Birthday Ode,' and many short pieces and love-songs, among them 'The Birks of Aberfeldy.'

_29 Years Old._

Rented Ellisland farm, on the Nith, near Dumfries. Married Jean Armour (second marriage to her) in April, and left her in Mauchline till he could build a home for her on Ellisland, which was ready in December.

Building his new home, stocking and managing the farm, and riding fifty miles occasionally to his Jean, made his year so busy that he wrote little poetry, but exquisite love-songs. The estate of Glenriddell, owned in the time of Burns by Robert Riddell, bordered on Ellisland farm. Robert Riddell was a fine type of Scottish gentleman, and Burns and he became warm friends. Among the best poems of this year, not love-songs, are 'Verses written in Friar's Ca.r.s.e Hermitage,' 'Epistle to Robert Graham of Fintry,' 'The Day Returns,' 'A Mother's Lament,' 'The Fall of the Leaf,'

'Auld Lang Syne,' 'The Poet's Progress,' 'Elegy on the Year 1788,' and 'Epistle to James Tennant.'

_30 Years Old._

Wrote many love-songs for Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, though busily engaged in farming, and, in addition, a new Psalm for the Chapel of Kilmarnock; a sketch in verse to Right Hon. C. J. Fox, 'The Wounded Hare,'

'The Banks of Nith,' 'John Anderson my Joe,' 'The Kirk of Scotland's Alarm,' 'Caledonia,' 'The Battle of Sherramuir,' 'The Braes o'

Killiecrankie,' 'Farewell to the Highlands,' 'To Mary in Heaven,' 'Epistle to Dr Blacklock,' and 'New Year's Day, 1790.'

_31 Years Old._

Found his farm 'a ruinous affair.' Accepted a position as an exciseman at fifty pounds a year. Had to ride two hundred miles each week. Continued writing love-songs for Johnson's Museum (without pay), and wrote in addition, 'Tam o' Shanter,' 'Lament of Mary Queen of Scots,' and 'The Banks of Doon.'

_32 Years Old._

Continued to write love-songs, among the most beautiful being 'Sweet Afton' and 'Parting Song to Clarinda.' In addition, wrote 'Lament for James, Earl of Glencairn,' 'On Glenriddell's Fox Breaking his Chain,'

'Poem on Pastoral Poetry,' 'Verses on the Destruction of the Woods near Drumlanrig,' 'Second Epistle to Robert Graham of Fintry,' 'The Song of Death,' and 'Poem on Sensibility.'

_33 Years Old._

Wrote many love-songs, among them 'The Lea Rig' and 'Highland Mary.' His other poems were mainly election ballads. His love-songs were now written mainly for Thomson's _National Songs and Melodies_. He still refused pay for his songs.

_34 Years Old._

Still, notwithstanding his very busy life, he sent a continuous stream of songs to Edinburgh. Other poems of the year were 'Sonnet Written on the Author's Birthday,' 'Lord Gregory,' and 'Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled.'

In this year he moved to the house in which he died, and in which Jean died thirty-eight years afterwards.

_35 Years Old._

In this year Burns, to supplement 'Scots, wha hae' (the greatest bugle-song of freedom), wrote two grand poems on Liberty: 'The Ode to Liberty' and 'The Tree of Liberty;' and 'Contented Wi' Little and Cantie Wi' Mair.' In this year he declined an offer from the London _Morning Chronicle_ to become a regular contributor to that paper.

_36 Years Old._

Love-songs, and election ballads in favour of his friend Mr Heron, were his most numerous poems this year. In addition to other minor pieces he wrote a fine poem to his friend, Alexander Cunningham, 'Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat,' and the most triumphant combined interpretation of democracy and brotherhood ever written, 'A Man's a Man for a' That.'