No. CLIX. To MRS. R*** Who had desired him to go to the Birth-Day Assembly on that day, to shew his loyalty. 4th June, 1796. I AM in such miserable health as to be utterly incapable of shewing my loyalty in any way. Rackt as I am with rheumatisms, I meet every face with a greeting, like that of Balak to Balaam-"Come curse me Jacob; and come defy me Israel!" So say I-Come curse me that east wind; and come, defy me the north! Would you have me in such circumstances copy you out a love-song? I may perhaps see you on Saturday, but I will not be at the ball.-Why should I? "man delights not me, nor woman either!" Can you supply me with the song, Let us all be unhappy together-do if you can, and oblige le pauvre miserable R. B. No. No. CLX. To MR. CUNNINGHAM. Brow, Sea-bathing quarters, 7th July, 1796. MY DEAR CUNNINGHAM, I RECEIVED yours here this moment, and am indeed highly flattered with the approbation of the literary circle you mention; a literary circle inferior to none in the two kingdoms. Alas! my friend, I fear the voice of the bard will soon be heard among you no more! For these eight or ten months I have been ailing, sometimes bedfast and sometimes not; but these last three months I have been tortured with an excruciating rheumatism, which has reduced me to nearly the last stage. You actually would not know me if you saw me.-Pale, emaciated, and so feeble, as occasionally to need help from my chair-my spirits fled! fled!-but I can no more on the subject -only -only the medical folks tell me that my last and only chance is bathing and country quarters, and riding. The deuce of the matter is this; when an exciseman is off duty, his salary is reduced to 35l. instead of 507.-What way, in the name of thrift, shall I maintain myself, and keep a horse in country quarters-with a wife and five children at home, on 357.? I mention this, because I had intended to beg your utmost interest, and that of all the friends you can muster, to move our commissioners of excise to grant me the full salary, I dare say you know them all personally. If they do not grant it me, I must lay my account with an exit truly en poete, if I die not of disease, I must perish with hunger. I have sent you one of the songs; the other my memory does not serve me with, and I have no copy here; but I shall be at home soon, when I will send it you.-Apropos to being at home, Mrs. Burns threatens in a week or two, to add one more to my paternal charge, which, if of the right gender, I intend shall be introduced to the world by the respectable designation of Alexander Cunningham Burns. My last was James Glencairn, so you can have no objection to the company of nobility. Farewell. No. No. CLXI. To MR. GILBERT BURNS. DEAR BROTHER, 10th July, 1796. It will be no very pleasing news to you to be told that I am dangerously ill, and not likely to get better. An inveterate rheumatism has reduced me to such a state of debility, and my appetite is so totally gone, that I can scarcely stand on my legs. I have been a week at sea-bathing, and I will continue there, or in a friend's house in the country, all the summer. God keep my wife and children: if I am taken from their head, they will be poor indeed. I have contracted one or two serious debts, partly from my illness these many months, and partly from too much thoughtlessness as to expense when I came to town, that will cut in too much on the little I leave them in your hands. Remember me to my mother. Yours, R. BURNS. VOL. II. 2 i No. No. CLXII. To MRS. BURNS. Brow, Thursday. MY DEAREST LOVE, I DELAYED Writing until I could tell you what effect sea-bathing was likely to produce. It would be injustice to deny that it has eased my pains, and I think has strengthened me; but my appetite is still extremely bad. . No flesh nor fish can I swallow: porridge and milk are the only thing I can taste. I am very happy to hear, by Miss Jess Lewars, that you are. all well. My very best and kindest compliments to her, and to all the children. I will see you on Sunday. Your affectionate husband, |