Your idea,
"honour's bed," is, though a beautiful, a hackneyed idea; so, if you
please, we will let the line stand as it is.
"honour's bed," is, though a beautiful, a hackneyed idea; so, if you
please, we will let the line stand as it is.
Robert Burns
Thomson's list of songs for his publication.
]
[Footnote 240: This is an alteration of one of Crawford's songs. ]
[Footnote 241: His Christian name was William. ]
[Footnote 242: Song CXCV. ]
[Footnote 243: Song CCIX. ]
[Footnote 244: By William Julius Mickle. ]
[Footnote 245: The song here alluded to is one which the poet afterwards
sent in an entire form:--
"Where are the joys I hae met in the morning. "]
[Footnote 246: Song CCX. ]
[Footnote 247: A curious and rare book, which Leyden afterwards edited. ]
* * * * *
CCLXXIV.
TO MR. THOMSON.
[Burns listened too readily to the suggestion of Thomson, to alter
"Bruce's Address to his troops at Bannockburn:" whatever may be the
merits of the air of "Louis Gordon," the sublime simplicity of the
words was injured by the alteration: it is now sung as originally
written, by all singers of taste. ]
_September, 1793. _
I am happy, my dear Sir, that my ode pleases you so much.
Your idea,
"honour's bed," is, though a beautiful, a hackneyed idea; so, if you
please, we will let the line stand as it is. I have altered the song
as follows:--[248]
N. B. I have borrowed the last stanza from the common stall edition of
Wallace--
"A false usurper sinks in every foe,
And liberty returns with every blow. "
A couplet worthy of Homer. Yesterday you had enough of my
correspondence. The post goes, and my head aches miserably. One
comfort! I suffer so much, just now, in this world, for last night's
joviality, that I shall escape scot-free for it in the world to come.
Amen.
R. B.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 248: Song CCVII. ]
* * * * *
CCLXXV.
TO MR. THOMSON.
[Footnote 240: This is an alteration of one of Crawford's songs. ]
[Footnote 241: His Christian name was William. ]
[Footnote 242: Song CXCV. ]
[Footnote 243: Song CCIX. ]
[Footnote 244: By William Julius Mickle. ]
[Footnote 245: The song here alluded to is one which the poet afterwards
sent in an entire form:--
"Where are the joys I hae met in the morning. "]
[Footnote 246: Song CCX. ]
[Footnote 247: A curious and rare book, which Leyden afterwards edited. ]
* * * * *
CCLXXIV.
TO MR. THOMSON.
[Burns listened too readily to the suggestion of Thomson, to alter
"Bruce's Address to his troops at Bannockburn:" whatever may be the
merits of the air of "Louis Gordon," the sublime simplicity of the
words was injured by the alteration: it is now sung as originally
written, by all singers of taste. ]
_September, 1793. _
I am happy, my dear Sir, that my ode pleases you so much.
Your idea,
"honour's bed," is, though a beautiful, a hackneyed idea; so, if you
please, we will let the line stand as it is. I have altered the song
as follows:--[248]
N. B. I have borrowed the last stanza from the common stall edition of
Wallace--
"A false usurper sinks in every foe,
And liberty returns with every blow. "
A couplet worthy of Homer. Yesterday you had enough of my
correspondence. The post goes, and my head aches miserably. One
comfort! I suffer so much, just now, in this world, for last night's
joviality, that I shall escape scot-free for it in the world to come.
Amen.
R. B.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 248: Song CCVII. ]
* * * * *
CCLXXV.
TO MR. THOMSON.
