Allanbank, Lord Monboddo, Lord Torphichen, Lord Elcho, Mr Campbell of Shawfield, Mr Grant of Monymusk, John Clerk of Eldin, Baron Norton, &c. Among the learned who gave their countenance to the cause of Masonry, we may mention the Hon. Henry Erskine, Professor Dugald Stewart, Henry Mackenzie (the Man of Feeling); William Creech, the bookseller, and author of Fugitive Pieces; William Smellie, the writer on Natural History; Dr James Gregory, Professor of the Practice of Physic, and author of various works on Medicine and Philosophy; Robert Ainslie, afterwards author of Reasons for the hope that is in us, &c.; Alexander Wood, surgeon ; Louis Cauvin, teacher of French, and Founder of the Hospital at Duddingston; William Nicol, one of the Classical Masters of the High School; William Dunbar, W.S., colonel of a convivial club called the Crochallan Fencibles, and afterwards Inspector-General of Stamp Duties for Scotland, &c. To almost every one of these distinguished parties, Burns had the honour to be introduced; and, in most cases, an introduction to them was obtained through the medium of the Lodges in Edinburgh which Burns attended.

One of the first Edinburgh Lodges to which Burns paid a visit was the Canongate Kilwinning. His first appearance in it took place on the 7th December-that is, nine days after his arrival in Edinburgh. The Master of that Lodge, at the time, was Alexander Ferguson, Esq. of Craigdarroch, advocate, and assessor of the burgh of Canongate, whom Burns celebrated, in a poetic effusion called "The Whistle"; Charles More, of the Royal Bank, was Depute-Master; William Dunbar, W.S., Senior Warden; and John Miller, advocate, Junior Warden. The minute of that meeting states that John Cathcart, Esq., John Hepburn, Esq., Mr Burn, and Mr Jones, were entered apprentices; and Mr Jones and Lord Torphichen were passed and raised; and that the Earl of Errol, the Hon. William Gordon, afterwards the Earl of Kenmure, John Newal of Earlston, Captain Gillespie, and William

Campbell of Fairfield, were initiated, or rather affiliated. On that occasion, the Lodge was visited by the Grand Lodge, and by deputations from the Lodge of Edinburgh Mary's Chapel, the Canongate and Leith Leith and Canongate, the Journeymen Masons, St. Luke's, Ruglen Royal Arch, and the Edinburgh Royal Arch. It is stated that, at this meeting, Mr Dalrymple of Orangefield, near Ayr, a keen Mason, and a previous acquaintance of Burns, introduced him to Lord Glencairn and the Hon. Henry Erskine. Burns, that same night, after he left the Lodge, wrote his first Edinburgh letter, to his friend, Gavin Hamilton, of Mauchline, and in it he says:-"My Lord Glencairn and the Dean of Faculty, Mr H. Erskine, have taken me under their wing; and, by all probability, I shall soon be the tenth worthy and the eighth wise man of the world.""I have met, in Mr Dalrymple of Orangefield, what Solomon emphatically calls, a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. The warmth with which he interests himself in my affairs, is of the same enthusiastic kind which you, Mr Aitken, and the few patrons that took notice of my earlier poetic days, shewed for the poor unlucky devil of a poet." Mr Dunbar, the Senior Warden, and Burns, after this meeting, grow unco pack and thick thegither." Dunbar was a remarkably mirthful, social, and generous individual, and hence Burns calls him "Rattlin', roarin' Willie," and holds him up as one of the worthiest fellows in the world." He presented Burns with a copy of the works of the poet Spencer; and the Bard thus acknowledged the gift :-"I have not met with a man in Edinburgh to whom I would so willingly have been indebted for the gift."—"The time is approaching when I shall return to my shades; and I am afraid my numerous Edinburgh friendships are of so tender a construction, that they will not bear carriage with me. Yours is one of the few that I could wish of a more robust constitution. It is, indeed, very probable that, when I leave this city, we part never more to meet in this sublunary sphere; but I have a strong fancy that, in some future eccentric planet, the

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comet of happier systems than any with which astronomy is yet acquainted, you and I, among the harum-scarum sons of imagination and whim, with a hearty shake of the hand, a metaphor, and a laugh, shall recognise old acquaintance

"Where wit may sparkle all its rays,

Uncurs'd with cautious fears;

That pleasure, basking in the blaze,
Rejoice for endless years."

It was the practice of the Grand Master at that time to pay a visit once a year to the different Edinburgh Lodges in succession. The Most Worshipful Grand Master, Charteris, paid a visit to the Lodge St. Andrew, on the 12th January, 1787. Burns also attended, and was specially taken notice of. The minute of that meeting, written by the Grand Secretary, is as follows:-" Edin., 12th Jan., 1787.-This evening, the Lodge being duly constituted by the Right Worshipful Master-thereafter the Most Worshipful Francis Charteris, Junior, of Amisfield, Grand Master Mason of Scotland-the Right Worshipful Fletcher Norton, Depute Master, p.t.; the Right Worshipful Thomas Hay, Substitute Grand Master; James Home and Adam Gillies, Grand Wardens, p.t.; William Mason, Grand Secretary; and Robert Meikle, Grand Clerk, preceded by the Lodge of Grand Stewards, in their proper clothing, were pleased to favour this Lodge with a visit, when he was received with that respect due to the dignity of his high office and distinguished rank; and, having taken the chair, delivered a suitable charge to the brethren, which was received with the highest tokens of applause and approbation. The Lodge, on this occasion, was visited by brethren from the following Lodges, viz. :-Canongate and Leith Leith and Canongate, St. James, Ruglen Royal Arch, and St. Stephen, Edinburgh; to all of whom the proper compliments were paid, and due returns made.' Burns, next day, put on record the following remarks in regard to this meeting, in a letter to his Masonic friend, Mr John Ballantine, of Ayr :— "I went to a Mason Lodge yesternight, where the Most

Worshipful Grand Master, Charteris, and all the Grand Lodge of Scotland, visited. The meeting was numerous and elegant; the different Lodges about town were present in all their pomp. The Grand Master, who presided, with great solemnity and honour to himself, as a gentleman and a Mason, among other general toasts, gave Caledonia, and Caledonia's Bard. Brother Burns,' which rang through the whole assembly with multiplied honours and repeated acclamations. As I had no idea such a thing would happen, I was downright thunderstruck, and, trembling in every nerve, made the best return in my power. Just as I had finished, one of the Grand Officers said, so loud that I could hear, with a most comforting accent, Very well, indeed,' which set me something to rights again."

6

At a meeting of the Canongate Kilwinning, on the 1st of February, Burns was present; and, on this occasion, twelve gentlemen were entered apprentices, and Colonel Dalrymple of Inveresk, Captain Maitland of Marchfield, and J. Hammond, Esq., were affiliated. The R.W. Master, Alex. Ferguson, Esq. of Craigdarroch, as we are informed by the minute of the meeting, in the course of the evening, said that he observed Brother Robert Burns present, and as he was well known for his poetic talents, and for a publication of his works which had been universally commended, he begged to propose that he should be assumed a brother of the Lodge. This proposal was at once unanimously agreed to, and he was assumed accordingly.

On the 1st of March there was a full muster of the brethren of the Canongate Kilwinning. The object, in the first place, was to transmit a letter of congratulation to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who had been initiated into the mysteries of Masonry at the Star and Garter, London, on the 6th of February preceding; and, in the second place, to confer a mark of respect on Burns. The R.W. Master, therefore, bestowed on Burns the title of Poet-Laureate of the Lodge, a title of which he was not a little proud. As is well known, an admirable picture, representing the inauguration of Burns as the Poet-Laureate

of the Canongate Lodge was painted, some twelve or fourteen years ago, by Mr Stewart Watson, at present the much esteemed secretary of that Lodge. The engraving of this picture has made the scene which it represents familiar to almost every Scottish Mason. Burns, in Masonic custume, and with his right hand placed on his left breast, is seen ascending the three steps in front of the master chair, to receive the wreathe of laurel which the Master is about

to place on his brow. Around the Lodge, either seated or standing, are all the most distinguished Masons with whom Burns came in contact while in Edinburgh. The value of the picture is vastly enhanced by the circumstance that nearly all the characters introduced are correct portraits.

The second edition of Burns's Poems was at length issued from the publishing shop of Mr Creech, in the Luckenbooths; and having now spent five months in Edinburgh, he set out on a tour to the south of Scotland, accompanied by Mr Robert Ainslie, a young lawyer, and a member of St. Luke's Lodge, of this city. Burns and he had been introduced to each other at a Mason's meeting, and an intimacy springing up between them, they were in the habit of taking walks in the neighbourhood of the city, and joining together in the same amusements and intellectual exercises. They started on their tour on the 6th of May, 1787, and visited a number of the most interesting spots, as well as the most distinguished gentlemen in that part of the country. On Friday, the 18th of that month, they arrived at Eyemouth, a small village and harbour on the coast of the German Ocean, and took up their abode in the house of Brother William Grieve, who was, Burns tells us, "a joyous, warm-hearted, jolly, clever fellow," and who had some charming sisters, one of whom, the Bard admits, made an impression on his heart. A Mason's Lodge had existed in this place for many years previous. It was, and still is, called St. Abb, after the saint who gives her name to a well-known promontory in the neighbourhood. It appears that a Royal Arch Encampment existed in connection with this Lodge, and