II.

ON R. A., Esq.

KNOW thou, O stranger to the fame

Of this much lov'd, much honour'd name!
(For none that knew him need be told)
A warmer heart death ne'er made cold.

The R. A. of this epitaph was Robert Aiken, Esq., the gentleman to whom the "Cotter's Saturday Night' is addressed-one of the Poet's earliest patrons. He was so anxious to make his friend's merits known, that wherever he went he recited his witty or serious poems, with so much taste and effect, that Burns said "I was unknown, Sir, till you read me into reputation."

III.

ON A FRIEND.

AN honest man here lies at rest
As e'er God with his image blest!
The friend of man, the friend of truth;
The friend of age, and guide of youth;

Few hearts like his, with virtue warm'd,
Few heads with knowledge so inform'd :
If there's another world, he lives in bliss ;
If there is none, he made the best of this.

This is one of those works which Johnson calls an epitaph to let. The name of the individual is neither mentioned in it nor alluded to in any of the author's productions. This is the more to be regretted, for Burns seldom praised without reason.-" To no man," he observed in a note to John M'Murdo, "whatever his station in life, or his power to serve me, have I ever paid a compliment at the expense of truth."

IV.

FOR GAVIN HAMILTON.

THE poor man weeps here Gavin sleeps,
Whom canting wretches blam'd:
But with such as he, where'er he be,
May I be sav'd or damn'd!

These lines allude to the persecution which Gavin Hamilton endured for riding on Sunday, and speaking irreverently in the presence of a clergyman. The church should be merciful in all frivolous matters; disputes about trifles tend to pull dignity down. The day is past for a minister being expelled from his kirk for writing a virtuous drama, or a hearer being rebuked for galloping on Sunday.

V.

ON WEE JOHNNY.

HIC JACET WEE JOHNNY.

WHOE'ER thou art, O reader, know,
That death has murder'd Johnny!

An' here his body lies fu' low-
For saul he neʼer had ony.

"Wee Johnny" was John Wilson, printer of the Kilmarnock edition of the Poet's works. He was so unconscious of the worth of what he was working upon, that he doubted the success of the speculation, upon which Burns said he was a "silly saulless body," and wrote this sarcastic epitaph, which he printed without being aware that it was his own forlorn hic jacet. He had his revenge, when Burns proposed a second edition Wee Johnny demurred, unless some "good man" would guarantee payment: Parker offered to do this at once.- "It is like you to offer," said the Poet, "and like me to refuse."

VI.

ON JOHN DOVE,

INNKEEPER, MAUCHLINE.

HERE lies Johnny Pidgeon ;.

What was his religion?

Wha e'er desires to ken,

To some other warl'

Maun follow the carl,

For here Johnny Pidgeon had nane!

Strong ale was ablution—

Small beer, persecution,

A dram was memento mori ;

But a full flowing bowl

Was the saving his soul,

And port was celestial glory.

This person kept the Whitefoord Arms, at the entrance of the Cowgate in Mauchline. The honest landlord's religion is made out to be a comparative appreciation of his various liquors.

VII.

ON A WAG IN MAUCHLINE.

LAMENT him, Mauchline husbands a',
He aften did assist ye;

For had ye staid whole weeks awa,
Your wives they ne'er had missed ye.
Ye Mauchline bairns, as on ye press
To school in bands thegither,
O tread ye lightly on this grass,—
Perhaps he was your father.

This laborious wag was James Smith, whose history has been related in the note to that exquisite epistle beginning "Dear Smith, the sleest pawkie thief!" He failed in all his speculations in Scotland, and emigrated and died in the West Indies.

VIII.

ON A CELEBRATED RULING ELDER.

HERE Souter Hood in death does sleep ;

To h-ll, if he's gane thither,
Satan, gie him thy gear to keep,

He'll haud it weel thegither.