gan Water;* from that beautiful pastoral Bonnie Jean, and a great number of others. Occasionally the force of his genius carries him beyond the usual boundaries of Scottish song, and the natural objects introduced, have more of the character of sublimity. An instance of this kind is noticed by Mr. Syme, and many others might be adduced.

"Had I a cave on some wild distant shore,

Where the winds howl to the wave's dashing roar :
There would I weep my woes,

There seek my lost repose,

Till grief my eyes should close,
Ne'er to wake more."§

In one song, the scene of which is laid in a winter-night, the "wan moon" is described as

setting behind the white waves;"|| in another the "storms" are apostrophized, and commanded to "rest in the cave of their slumbers."T On several occasions, the genius of Burns loses sight entirely of his archetypes, and rises into a strain of uniform sublimity. Instances of this kind appear in Libertie, a Vision,** and in his two war songs, Bruce to his Troops,†† and the

the Song of Death.*

of Death.* These last are of a description of which we have no other in our language. The martial songs of our nation are not military, but naval. If we were to seek a comparison of these songs of Burns, with others of a similar nature, we must have recourse to the poetry of ancient Greece, or of modern Gaul.

Burns has made an important addition to the songs of Scotland. In his compositions, the poetry equals and sometimes surpasses the music. He has enlarged the poetical scenery of his country. Many of her rivers and mountains, formerly unknown to the muse, are now consecrated by his immortal verse. The Doon, the Lugar, the Ayr, the Nith, and the Cluden -will in future, like the Yarrow, the Tweed, and the Tay, be considered as classic streams, and their borders will be trod with new and superior emotions.

The greater part of the songs of Burns were written after he removed into the county of Dumfries. Influenced perhaps by habits formed in early life, he usually composed while walking in the open air. When engaged in writing

# See p. 217 of this Volume.

writing these songs, his favorite walks were on the banks of the Nith, or of the Cluden, particularly near the ruins of Lincluden Abbey ; and this beautiful scenery he has very happily described under various aspects, as it appears during the softness and serenity of evening, and during the stillness and solemnity of the moonlight night.*

There is no species of poetry, the productions of the drama not excepted, so much calculated to influence the morals, as well as the happiness of a people, as those popular verses which are associated with national airs, and which being learnt in the years of infancy, make a deep impression on the heart, before the evo→ lution of the powers of the understanding. The compositions of Burns of this kind now presented in a collected form to the world, make a most important addition to the popular songs of his nation. Like all his other writings, they exhibit independence of sentiment; they are peculiarly calculated to increase those ties which bind generous hearts to their native soil, and to the domestic circle of their infancy; and to cherish those sensibilities, which under due restriction, form the purest happiness of our

nature.

* See vol. iv.

nature. If in his unguarded moments he composed some songs on which this praise cannot be bestowed, let us hope that they will speedily be forgotten. In several instances, where Scottish airs were allied to words objectionable in point of delicacy, Burns has substituted others of a purer character. On such occasions, without changing the subject, he has changed the sentiments. A proof of this may be seen in the air, John Anderson my Joe, which is now united to words that breathe a strain of conjugal tenderness, that is as highly moral as it is exquisitely affecting.

Few circumstances could afford a more striking proof of the strength of Burns's genius, than the general circulation of his poems in England, notwithstanding the dialect in which the greater part are written, aud which might be supposed to render them here uncouth or obscure. In some instances he has used this dialect on subjects of a sublime nature; but in general he confines it to sentiments or description of a tender or humorous kind; and where he rises into elevation of thought, he assumes a purer English style. The singular faculty he possessed of mingling in the same poem, humorous sentiments and descriptions, with imagery of a sublime and terrific nature, enabled him to use this variety of dialect on some occasions with

striking

writing these songs, his favorite walks were on the banks of the Nith, or of the Cluden, particularly near the ruins of Lincluden Abbey ; and this beautiful scenery he has very happily described under various aspects, as it appears during the softness and serenity of evening, and during the stillness and solemnity of the moonlight night.*

There is no species of poetry, the productions of the drama not excepted, so much calculated to influence the morals, as well as the happiness of a people, as those popular verses which are associated with national airs, and which being learnt in the years of infancy, make a deep impression on the heart, before the evolution of the powers of the understanding. The compositions of Burns of this kind now presented in a collected form to the world, make a most important addition to the popular songs of his nation. Like all his other writings, they exhibit independence of sentiment; they are peculiarly calculated to increase those ties which bind generous hearts to their native soil, and to the domestic circle of their infancy; and to cherish those sensibilities, which under due restriction, form the purest happiness of our

nature.

* See vol. iv.