PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

OF

THE LIFE OF BURNS.

WITH Something of hope and fear, I offer this work to my country. I have endeavoured to relate the chequered fortunes, delineate the character, and trace the works of the Illustrious Peasant with candour and accuracy: his farming speculations-excise schemes-political feelings and poetic musings-are discussed with a fulness not common to biography: and his sharp lampoons and personal sallies are alluded to with all possible tenderness to the living, and respect for the dead. In writing the Poet's life I have availed myself of his unpublished journals-private letters, manuscript verses, and of well-authenticated anecdotes and traits of character supplied by his friends; and I have arranged his works as much as might be in the order of their composition, and illustrated them with such notes, critical, historical and biographical, as seemed necessary. Of verse, one hundred and odd pieces will be found in this edition, which are not in Currie's octavos. The number of letters, too, is materially increased-but nothing is admitted which bears not the true Burns' stamp.

BELGRAVE-PLACE,
January 1, 1834.

A. C.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

WHEN this Memoir and chronological Edition of the works of Burns were first announced, a friend observed that the learned part of the world, he was afraid, might think they had enough of the Peasant Poet already, and look coldly on any attempt to associate him in beauty of embellishment and elegance of exterior with bards

"Far seen in Greek, deep men of letters."

"My chief dread is," I replied, "that my labours in the cause of the Poet may not be acceptable: I have no fear for Burns-he will take care of himself." It has not happened otherwise with the Poet than I anticipated: nor have my own exertions been, it appears, unwelcome: six thousand copies of the Life have been disposed of, and a new edition is called for: I now give it to the world, with some of the errors in the first edition corrected, and all such new intelligence added as seemed useful and characteristic.

BELGRAVE-PLACE,
September, 1835.

A. C.

CONTENTS.

THE PASSAGES OF THE LIFE WITHIN BRACKETS ARE INCORPORATED FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN THIS EDITION.