Did Addison or Pope but hear, A ploughboy sing with throat sae clear, Their works would a' in pieces tear, Sure Milton's eloquence were faint, Th' attempt would doubtless vex a saint, The task I'll drop, with heart sincere To Robert Burns. Sir, I hope you will pardon my boldness in this; my hand trembles while I write to you, conscious of my unworthiness of what I would most earnestly solicit, viz. your favor and friendship; yet hoping you will shew yourself possessed of as much generosity and good nature as will prevent your exposing what may justly be be found liable to censure in this measure, I shall take the liberty to subscribe myself, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, JANET LITTLE. P. S.-If you would condescend to honor me with a few lines from your hand, I would take it as a particular favor, and direct to me at Loudon House, near Galston. No. VOL. II. No. LXXXII. From MR. * London, 5th August, 1789. MY DEAR SIR, EXCUSE me when I say, that the uncommon abilities which you possess, must render your correspondence very acceptable to any one. I can assure you, I am particularly proud of your partiality, and shall endeavour by every method in my power, to merit a continuance of your politeness. When you can spare a few moments I should be proud of a letter from you, directed for me, Gerrard-street, Soho. I cannot express my happiness sufficiently at the instance of your attachment to my late inestimable timable friend, Bob Fergusson, who was particularly intimate with myself and relations.* While I recollect with pleasure his extraordinary talents, and many amiable qualities, it affords me the greatest consolation, that I am honored with the correspondence of his successor in national simplicity and genius. That Mr. Burns has refined in the art of poetry, must readily be admitted; but notwithstanding many favorable representations, I am yet to learn that he inherits his convivial powers. There was such a richness of conversation, such a plenitude of fancy and attraction in him, that when I call the happy period of our intercourse to my memory, I feel myself in a state of delirium. I was then younger than him by eight or ten years, but his manner was so felicitous, that he enraptured every person around him, and infused into the hearts of the young and old, the spirit and animation which operated on his own mind. I am, Dear, Sir, Yours, &c. * The erection of a monument to him. E. s 2 No. No. LXXXIII. To MR. ** In answer to the foregoing. MY DEAR SIR, THE HE hurry of a farmer in this particular season, and the indolence of a poet at all times and seasons, will, I hope, plead my excuse for neglecting so long to answer your obliging letter of the fifth of August. That you have done well in quitting your laborious concern in **** I do not doubt; the weighty reasons you mention, were, I hope very, and deservedly indeed, weighty ones, and your health is a matter of the last importance; but whether the remaining proprietors of the paper have also done well, is what I much doubt. The so far as I was a reader, exhibited such |