The Complete Works of Robert Burns Part 74

III.

ON A FRIEND.

[The name of this friend is neither mentioned nor alluded to in any of the poet's productions.]

An honest man here lies at rest As e'er G.o.d with his image blest!

The friend of man, the friend of truth; The friend of age, and guide of youth; Few hearts like his, with virtue warm'd, Few heads with knowledge so inform'd: If there's another world, he lives in bliss; If there is none, he made the best of this.

IV.

FOR GAVIN HAMILTON.

[These lines allude to the persecution which Hamilton endured for presuming to ride on Sunday, and say, "d.a.m.n it," in the presence of the minister of Mauchline.]

The poor man weeps--here Gavin sleeps, Whom canting wretches blam'd: But with such as he, where'er he be, May I be sav'd or d.a.m.n'd!

V.

ON WEE JOHNNY.

HIC JACET WEE JOHNNY.

[Wee Johnny was John Wilson, printer of the Kilmarnock edition of Burns's Poems: he doubted the success of the speculation, and the poet punished him in these lines, which he printed unaware of their meaning.]

Whoe'er thou art, O reader, know, That death has murder'd Johnny!

An' here his body lies fu' low-- For saul he ne'er had ony.

VI.

ON JOHN DOVE,

INNKEEPER, MAUCHLINE.

[John Dove kept the Whitefoord Arms in Mauchline: his religion is made to consist of a comparative appreciation of the liquors he kept.]

Here lies Johnny Pidgeon; What was his religion?

Wha e'er desires to ken, To some other warl'

Maun follow the carl, For here Johnny Pidgeon had nane!

Strong ale was ablution-- Small beer, persecution, A dram was _memento mori_; But a full flowing bowl Was the saving his soul, And port was celestial glory.

VII.

ON A WAG IN MAUCHLINE.

[This laborious and useful wag was the "Dear Smith, thou sleest pawkie thief," of one of the poet's finest epistles: he died in the West Indies.]

Lament him, Mauchline husbands a', He aften did a.s.sist ye; For had ye staid whole weeks awa, Your wives they ne'er had missed ye.

Ye Mauchline bairns, as on ye press To school in bands thegither, O tread ye lightly on his gra.s.s,-- Perhaps he was your father.

VIII.

ON A CELEBRATED RULING ELDER.

[Souter Hood obtained the distinction of this Epigram by his impertinent inquiries into what he called the moral delinquencies of Burns.]

Here souter Hood in death does sleep;-- To h--ll, if he's gane thither, Satan, gie him thy gear to keep, He'll haud it weel thegither.